Despite the slightly sad fact that the Mars rover is essentially stuck in place and has been that way for a while now, the mission is not a failure. In fact, it's far from over! The rover's instruments all still work and it can still effectively send back photos and data. Yesterday it was announced that even the wheels spinning ineffectively in the Mars soil has uncovered some new surprises. There is really good evidence of subsurface water. Since the search for life on other planets always begins with the search for water, this is very interesting news. You can read more at NASA.gov.
This is an artist's rendition of the rover. The article has a very nice photo. Image Credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell University.
