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NASA's veteran Mars rover driving to new spot

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AP Los Angeles
NASA's Opportunity rover is still on the move after years on the surface of Mars.

The space agency said today the six-wheel, solar-powered rover is driving to a new spot in Endeavour Crater after spending 20 months at a site brimming with evidence of water-altered rocks.

Opportunity began the trip to its next destination, Solander Point, several weeks ago so that it can be in place well before the next Martian winter. The rover recently wrapped up its study of a clay-rich rock that's different from any other it has examined.

Since landing in 2004, Opportunity has explored five craters and uncovered geologic signs of past water. Its twin, Spirit, stopped communicating in 2010.
 

Earlier this week, NASA announced the new rover Curiosity is about to head toward a mountain.

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First Published: Jun 07 2013 | 11:55 PM IST

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