Once again I was impressed to find such a current book at my public library.
Roving Mars by Steve Squyres.
There are times where the book reads like a diary or a blog; at other times Steve waxes poetic. Still, it is a detailed and fascinating account. We glimpse into the hardships and triumphs in the planning, designing, proposing, building, launching, flying, landing, and roving of the two Mars craft. I hadn't considered the weird work shifts you need to coordinate for planets with days not 24 hours long. The story of Spirit and Opportunity is truly an incredible one. Particularly when you consider that they still function today, 5 years later.
Roving Mars: Spirit, Opportunity and the Exploration of the Red Planet (Hyperion, 2005). 400+ pages.
Touching how he credits the people involved in the project, some 4000 names he lists.
Only criticism is that the illustration of the final rover design was placed at the back of the book. Wish I had known at the beginning.
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