The Mars Exploration Rover Spirit was a robotic rover launched by NASA on June 10, 2003, as part of the Mars Exploration Rover mission. It landed on Mars on January 4, 2004, to explore the planet's surface and gather data about its geology and climate. Spirit operated for over six years, far exceeding its original 90-day mission. Spirit's primary objectives included searching for signs of past water and studying the Martian soil and rocks. It traveled over 7 kilometers and sent back thousands of images, contributing significantly to our understanding of Mars and paving the way for future exploration missions.