While all of us in the Northern Hemisphere are enjoying the promise of a warm new Spring, the Mars rover Spirit is facing a long cold Winter in the Southern Hemisphere of the harsh red planet. The NASA-JPL team has been maneuvering the rover to find a nice spot with sunny Northern exposure in order to help Spirit's solar panels to keep its batteries charged through months of diminished sun light. 
Spirit has survived for well over two years on Mars, way beyond the 90 days that mission planners deemed the minimal operational time to be considered successful. Over this time, the robot explorer has transmitted many thousands of photos, along with other scientific data and measurements. Along with its twin Opportunity, still roving the other side of Mars, Spirit has to be considered one of the most rewarding planetary explorations ever.
Spirits Winter home
Spirit has survived for well over two years on Mars, way beyond the 90 days that mission planners deemed the minimal operational time to be considered successful. Over this time, the robot explorer has transmitted many thousands of photos, along with other scientific data and measurements. Along with its twin Opportunity, still roving the other side of Mars, Spirit has to be considered one of the most rewarding planetary explorations ever.
Spirits Winter homeBut Spirit has begun to show signs of wear and tear. The motor for its right front wheel has ceased to operate, and the rover now moves mostly in reverse, using its 5 good wheels and dragging the 6th. Still, Nasa expects to continue taking pictures, sampling the soil, examining the atmosphere, and taking other measurements, even if the low light allows it to work for just a few hours each Martian day.
Robot foot prints
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