From September 23, 2025
THEMATIC EXHIBITION AT THE “ADMIRAL VASILE URSEANU” ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATORY
“Rovers on Mars”
The planet Mars has been known since ancient times. In the 17th century, with the invention of the telescope, astronomers were able to observe it more clearly, and around the years 1870–1880, the first cartographic representations were created. In some cases, these maps depicted a kind of channels, which at the time sparked speculation that they might be signs of a civilization. The theory was rejected, but the matter became fully clarified only in 1964, when the Mariner 4 probe, flying near the planet, transmitted the first photographs of the Martian surface.
In the mid-20th century, with the development of astronautics, the exploration of outer space entered a new stage. The exhibition “Rovers on Mars” presents a significant chapter in the robotic exploration of our neighboring planet, showcasing the history of the NASA rovers that reached the surface of Mars: Sojourner, Spirit, Opportunity, Curiosity, and Perseverance. Learning about these histories shows us the fundamental role the Martian rovers have played in understanding our planetary neighbor, while also revealing their potential for the future.
Besides the rovers sent by NASA, Mars was also reached, in May 2021, by a rover launched by the Chinese space agency, named Zhurong. Additionally, in the coming years, the European Space Agency is expected to send its own rover, named Rosalind Franklin. Beyond expanding our knowledge of Mars, the rovers that have arrived there also have another purpose—still in its early stages but important for the future: to assess to what extent, in the coming decades, human-crewed exploration missions may become possible.
The exhibition can be visited from September 23, 2025, to May 30, 2026.
Curator: Tudor Mihăescu