Columbia Hills (Mars)

The Columbia Hills are a range of low hills inside <a href="/facts/Gusev_(Mars_crater)/mXm7rTJ9">Gusev crater</a> on <a href="/facts/Mars/AQGtVvz0">Mars</a>. They were observed by the <a href="/facts/Mars_Exploration_Rover/74WxIsHS">Mars Exploration Rover</a> <a href="/facts/Spirit_(rover)/qNWFPqzj">Spirit</a> when it landed within the crater in 2004. They were promptly given an unofficial name by <a href="/facts/NASA/TIMCV0yV">NASA</a> since they were the most striking nearby feature on the surface. The hills lie approximately 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) away from the rover's original landing position. The range is named to memorialize the <a href="/facts/Space_Shuttle_Columbia_disaster/gsTyKuLM">Space Shuttle Columbia disaster</a>. On February 2, 2004, the individual peaks of the Columbia Hills were named after the seven <a href="/facts/Astronaut/HB1bd6Lz">astronauts</a> who died in the disaster. Spirit spent a few years exploring the Columbia Hills until it ceased to function in 2010. It was also considered a potential landing site for the <a href="/facts/Mars_2020/B6GRHvKH">Mars 2020</a> <a href="/facts/Perseverance_(rover)/NFoubTKJ">Perseverance rover</a>, before the selection of <a href="/facts/Jezero_(crater)/jdYzuFPh">Jezero crater</a> in November 2018.

Columbia Hills (Mars) open-in-new

Columbia Hills (Mars)