Opportunity rover leaving its lander on Mars. Mosaic image of the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity and its empty lander. Opportunity rolled down the lander's ramp (hatched) onto the Martian surface on 31 January 2004. In the foreground are Opportunity's solar panels (black) and low gain antenna (silver pole). Behind and to the right of the lander are marks in the soil that were made by the lander's airbags as it rolled to a standstill. Opportunity landed in a small crater in the Meridiani Planum region of Mars on 24 January 2004. Opportunity and an identical rover called Spirit will study Martian rocks and look for water on the planet.