Computer scientist Maja Mataric, whose research was used in the Sojourner robot that went to Mars in 1997, confesses that what she really wanted to do was design shoes.

FORBES: What Is Genius Made Of?

Its rover, Sojourner, journeyed onto the surface of Mars and performed scientific analyses of soil and at least one rock.

CNN: NASA says Pathfinder already has met objectives

The first wheeled vehicle to land on Mars was during NASA's 1997 Mars Pathfinder mission, which consisted of a stationary lander and a surface rover called Sojourner.

CNN: What we've done on Mars, and what's next