Q 01/05

Sojourner, the first rover to drive on Mars, arrived in 1997 as part of which NASA mission?

A) Mars Pathfinder

B) Viking 3

C) Mars Observer

D) Mars Global Surveyor

Answer · why

A) Mars Pathfinder

Mars Pathfinder's rover was planned to work for seven sols but kept going for 83, until the lander fell silent in September 1997.

Q 02/05

Sojourner was named after Sojourner Truth, who was what?

A) An astronomer

B) A pioneer aviator

C) A Civil War general

D) An abolitionist

Answer · why

D) An abolitionist

An abolitionist who freed herself from slavery in 1826, she took the name Sojourner Truth in 1843 because she felt called to travel and preach.

Q 03/05

What cushioned Sojourner's lander when it hit the Martian surface in 1997?

A) Shock-absorbing legs

B) Giant airbags

C) A crushable foam pad

D) A spring-loaded platform

Answer · why

B) Giant airbags

Giant airbags wrapped the lander, which bounced at least 15 times before rolling to a stop, and NASA reused the same airbag design for Spirit and Oppo...

Q 04/05

After landing, Sojourner's lander was renamed in honour of which astronomer?

A) Clyde Tombaugh

B) Carl Sagan

C) Edwin Hubble

D) Percival Lowell

Answer · why

B) Carl Sagan

Carl Sagan, who died in December 1996, had pushed NASA to turn Voyager 1's camera around for one last, famous photo of distant Earth.

Q 05/05

Rocks at Sojourner's landing site were named after what?

A) NASA engineers

B) U.S. presidents

C) Cartoon characters

D) Greek gods

Answer · why

C) Cartoon characters

Cartoon characters lent their names to rocks such as Scooby Doo and Casper, and a big boulder became Yogi because it looked like a bear.