Home This is Steve Ember.And this is Phoebe Zimmermann with the VOA Special English program EXPLORATIONS.Today we tell about the latest efforts by America's space agency to explore the planet Mars.The first of two Mars exploration vehicles was launched June tenth.Another Mars rover vehicle is expected to be launched June twenty-fifth.The Spirit rover was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida.NASA officials said the launch was almost perfect.Mars rover project manager Pete Theisinger said officials were extremely happy with the launch. Scientists on Earth will perform several tests during the next few months.The tests will inspect many of the rover's systems.The scientists will have six chances to change or correct the flight path of the spacecraft.They may do this to make sure the rover arrives at the right place to begin landing.Plans call for the Spirit rover to land on Mars on January fourth,two-thousand-four.NASA has chosen two scientifically interesting landing areas for the Spirit and Opportunity rovers to explore the surface of Mars. 24 This is Steve Ember. And this is Phoebe Zimmermann with the VOA Special English program EXPLORATIONS. Today we tell about the latest efforts by America’s space agency to explore the planet Mars. The first of two Mars exploration vehicles was launched June tenth. Another Mars rover vehicle is expected to be launched June twenty-fifth. The Spirit rover was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida. NASA officials said the launch was almost perfect. Mars rover project manager Pete Theisinger said officials were extremely happy with the launch. Scientists on Earth will perform several tests during the next few months. The tests will inspect many of the rover’s systems. The scientists will have six chances to change or correct the flight path of the spacecraft. They may do this to make sure the rover arrives at the right place to begin landing. Plans call for the Spirit rover to land on Mars on January fourth, two-thousand-four. NASA has chosen two scientifically interesting landing areas for the Spirit and Opportunity rovers to explore the surface of Mars