13. Steven W. Squyres, Astronomy
Roving Mars: Spirit, Opportunity, and the Exploration of the Red Planet (Hyperion, 2005). The story of two rovers on Mars is also the story of a principal investigator and a cast of more than 4,000 engineers, scientists, technicians, and support staff who put them there. Scientific rigor, dedication, passion, patience, discovery, and overwhelming success are the making of an incredible mission and a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Squyres tells this story. But the story has not yet ended even after 933 sols of Spirit and 909 sols of Opportunity (August 14, 2006) roving Mars. The mission would have been successful after 90 Martian days. From the proposal-writing days to the discovery of evidence of environmental conditions that could have sustained life on Mars, to more discoveries and questions, the book presents a wealth of new knowledge not only about Mars but also about Earth’s inhabitants, who have a passion for exploration. Thirty-two pages of photographs show us wonderment.