Steve Squyres Rock Quotations

These look like hard outer shells on some parts of some outcrops, and they're darker and a little redder than the rock that they encrust.

These look like hard outer shells on some parts of some outcrops, and theyre darker and a little redder than the rock that they encrust,

Every time Spirit has gained altitude, we've found different rock types,

This climb was motivated by science. Every time Spirit has gained altitude, we've found different rock types. Also, we're doing what any field geologist would do in an area like this: climbing to a good vantage point for plotting a route.

Chris will remember vividly as we were struggling along the northwestern flank of that mountain how much loose, fine-grain stuff there was. Our wheels would dig in, we'd slip around and we'd dig in deep. Remember that potato-sized rock we got stuck in the wheel once? It was really treacherous driving because there was accumulated dust there. We were probably in the wind shadow on the lee side of the hills at that point.