Last Friday ESA's orbiting probe, Mars Express, relayed instructions to the US lander Spirit and then transmitted to Earth data that had been garnered by the rover, it said.

The complex operation, which went without a hitch, used Mars Express and its mission headquarters in Darmstadt, Germany, as relay points between Spirit and its HQ at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California.

Although they have been cast as friendly rivals in their bid to spot signs of water or life on Mars, NASA and ESA have cooperated closely on their respective missions to the Red Planet.

A NASA orbiter, Mars Odyssey, was used to scout for radio signs from the ESA lander Beagle 2 but never received any message.

Beagle 2 has officially been written off after it disappeared without trace after making a descent to Mars on December 25.

SPACE.WIRE