Steve Squyres

Steven Squyres is the enthusiastic human face behind NASA’s latest robotic mission, the Mars Exploration Rover Project, which was designed to survey a wide range of rocks and soils for clues of past water activity on the red planet. It has been one of NASA's most successful efforts of any kind in many years. As the project’s principal investigator, Squyres is responsible for all of the scientific activities of the twin robots Opportunity and Spirit. Squyres has been involved in robotic missions to other planets, including Jupiter, Saturn and Venus. He is a professor of astronomy at Cornell University and has recently served as Chair of the NASA Space Science Advisory Committee and as a member of the NASA Advisory Council.