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(CNN) -- Mission accomplished.
NASA scientists say the Mars rovers have found what they were looking for -- hard evidence that the red planet was once "soaking wet."
"We have concluded the rocks here were once soaked in liquid water," said Steve Squyres of Cornell University. He's the principal investigator for the science instruments on Opportunity and its twin rover, Spirit.
"The second question we've tried to answer: Were these rocks altered by liquid water? We believe definitively, yes," Squyres said.
Squyres and other NASA officials made the announcement at NASA headquarters in Washington, after several days of giving tantalizing hints that something significant had been discovered.
"Three and a half years ago, in July 2000, we were on stage here to talk about sending two rovers to get evidence of past water. NASA and its international partners have turned those dreams to reality," said Ed Weiler, NASA associate administrator for space science.
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