At this very hour, the Mars exploration rover Spirit is searching for evidence of life beyond the Earth.

CNN: Bush: 'It is time for America to take the next steps' in space

Before Curiosity, NASA's big rover project was the Mars Exploration Rover Mission: two golf-cart-sized rovers called Spirit and Opportunity.

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

Cox and JPL colleagues are working with the Mars Exploration Rover missions.

CNN: Eight-eyed robot blasts off for Mars

"You take what Mars gives you, " said Squyres, also the lead scientist on the Mars Exploration Rover Mission, which includes Spirit and Opportunity.

CNN: Rover Curiosity near Mars landing

The latter is using the web service to capture and store images and metadata collected from the Mars Exploration Rover and Mars Science Laboratory missions.

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Russia and China also have ambitions for new space exploration but some argue that future trips are best left to robots like the rover now on Mars.

BBC: NEWS | Science/Nature | Bush unveils Moon and Mars plans