WIKIARCHIVES.SPACE

NASA launches its second Mars Exploration Rover, Opportunity, aboard a Delta II launch vehicle. The bright glare briefly illuminated Florida Space Coast beaches. Opportunitys dash to Mars began with liftoff at 11:18:15 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. The spacecraft separated successfully from the Delta's third stage 83 minutes later, after it had been boosted out of Earth orbit and onto a course toward Mars.