Advance Information The Mighty Mars Rovers. The Incredible Adventures of Spirit and Opportunity. On June 10, 2003, a little rover named Spirit blasted off on a rocket headed for Mars. On July 7, 2003, a twin rover named Opportunity soared through the solar system with the same mission: to find out if Mars ever had water that could have supported life.

The award-winning freelance writer Elizabeth Rusch has published more than one hundred articles in magazines such as Muse, Smithsonian, and Mother Jones. She is the author of a number award-winning nonfiction titles for children, including: Generation Fix, Will it Blow?, The Planet Hunter, and For the Love of Music: The Remarkable Story of Maria Anna Mozart. This is her first book for Houghton Mifflin.Elizabeth lives in Portland, Oregon, with her family. Liz has a four-inch-high scale model rover, which she kept next to her computer for inspiration while writing this book. The model rover toppled over and broke so many times that she can't believe Spirit and Opportunity have survived roaming Mars for more than six years. You can visit Liz online at www.elizabethrusch.com.