SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The lead investigator for NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover mission, Steve Squyres, spoke to dozens of students, faculty, and community members Friday night as part of IU South Bend’s Bender Lecture Series.

Squyres talked about design conception of the rovers Opportunity and Spirit to the discoveries made during both missions.

He said the discovery of the mineral Gypsum was vital to confirming the evidence of water on the Martian Planet.

Squyres is also the author of the book “Roving Mars.”