1976 - We were there on the Viking Landers when Viking I took the very first photo (shown right) of the surface of Mars. Our high reliability ½-inch thermal switches functioned during the entire mission, which lasted 6+ years until 1982. These switches were the predecessor to our current 700 Series Thermal Switch.

2004 - We landed with the Mars Rovers, "Spirit" and "Opportunity." 700 Series Thermal Switches are on board, continuing our support of Mars exploration. On "Opportunity" they have been performing an especially important task - protecting motors from over temperature, which would shorten mission life.

• Mars Rover, showing the location of one of the MER Thermostat Assemblies (photo right)
• Cover of the MER Heater Thermostat Assembly (below, left)
• MER Thermostat Box with five 700 Series Thermal Switches (below, right)

2006 The Mars Rovers were designed to last for 90 days on the Martian surface.

On October 7, 2006, they achieved a new milestone: exploring Mars for 1,000 consecutive days.

NASA recently agreed to extend the Mars Exploration Rover mission for another year starting in October, 2006.

• This bird's-eye view combines a self-portrait of the spacecraft deck and a panoramic mosaic of the Martian surface as viewed by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit. The rover's solar panels are still gleaming in the sunlight, having acquired only a thin veneer of dust two years after the rover landed and commenced exploring the red planet. (photo, right)