NASA's Mars rover Spirit has been stuck in soft soil since May 5, but that hasn't stopped it from getting scientific data.
The soil so far holding Spirit fast happens to be colorful and layered. Much of the color is due to iron present in substantial amounts. Overall, iron is what gives Mars its rusty red color. The layering suggests the area, which the rover team has dubbed "Troy," has an active geologic history. The trick is reading that history, and scientists are using every capability of Spirit's suite of scientific instruments to understand the area.
It's not the ideal situation-- rovers, after all, are supposed to rove-- but doing a detailed study of an interesting, layered area after five years of roving is not a bad thing, either.
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