The Rovers That Just Won't Stop

Space Dot Com ^ | December 26 2005 | Leonard David

[SunkenCiv]

Each spacecraft was originally expected to last 90 days. On Nov. 21, Spirit completed one martian year—some two Earth years—on Mars. Opportunity, reached that same milestone Dec. 12. Both rovers found what they were sent to probe: signs of past water on Mars.

One of the things that helped prolong the lives of the rovers was the repeated removal of the dust that gathered on the solar panels of each of the robots. Occasional wind events cleared dust from the wing-like panels, thereby increasing the amount of energy yielded by the solar collectors to power the robots.

Spirit, which like its twin Opportunity is about the size of a golf cart has now wheeled itself over three miles since landing in Gusev Crater. Opportunity’s odometer reads over 4 miles following its touchdown in Meridiani Planum on the opposite side of the planet. A literal high point in Spirit’s exploration was a year-long climb through the Columbia Hills, the first robot explorer to ascend a mountain on another planet.

[SunkenCiv]

Photographic proof that the Mars Rovers are NASA hoaxes:

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[joke alert! joke alert!]

[SunkenCiv]

related:

Rovers Find Evidence Mars Was Once Hostile
AP on Yahoo | 12/5/05 | Alicia Chang - ap
Posted on 12/05/2005 5:59:30 PM PST by NormsRevenge
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1534629/posts

[cripplecreek]

[joke alert! joke alert!]


Pathfinder mockup isn't it?

[SunkenCiv]

Nope, not a mockup, clearly another NASA hoax. ;') But seriouslys some kind of proof of concept for one of the Mars missions. I didn't pay close attention, just did an image search and used the first one that looked cool. :'D

The only reason I miss the banned FReeper Truth666 is the unintentionally hilarious stupidity:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1292352/posts?page=35#35

and:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1321002/posts?page=121#121

and:

Photo evidence : Water in Mars (barf alert)
some german photographer | 04/01/09
a german guy claining to have the strongest telescope ever built
Posted on 01/09/2004 9:54:02 AM PST by Truth666
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1054783/posts

and:

Huge asteroid to fly past Earth (Toutatis hoax - how and why)
space.com | 04/09/29
Posted on 09/29/2004 5:00:09 AM PDT by Truth666
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1230167/post

Precise Distance to Doomsday (today was the closest encounter from 1353 to 2562)
Astrobiology Magazine, based on European Southern Observatory (ESO) report | 04/09/29
Posted on 09/29/2004 3:47:36 PM PDT by Truth666
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1230878/posts
(in particular)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1230878/posts?page=10#10

and:

Big comet plunging toward our Sun
Spaceweather.com | 4-16-04 | Orlando
Posted on 04/16/2004 1:17:04 PM PDT by Orlando
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1119037/posts?page=52#52
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1119037/posts?page=111#111
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1119037/posts?page=285#285

and (not about space, but...)

Olfactory research wins Nobel (doesn't smell good to me)
Biomed Central | 04/10/04 | Stephen Pincock
Posted on 10/04/2004 11:59:58 AM PDT by Truth666
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1234993/posts
(in particular)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1234993/posts?page=13#13

[CFC__VRWC]

Spirit, which like its twin Opportunity is about the size of a golf cart ...

Unless the people in that picture were Photoshopped in at a very large scale, that's one very small golf cart.

[SunkenCiv]

What, you've never heard of giant Martians?

[SunkenCiv]

Martian UFO?
www.coasttocoastam.com | Sol 033 | JPL Spirit Navigation Camera
Posted on 02/08/2004 10:18:22 AM PST by Momaw Nadon
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1073967/posts

[ChefKeith]

One of the things that helped prolong the lives of the rovers was the repeated removal of the dust that gathered on the solar panels of each of the robots.Occasional wind brushing events cleared dust from the wing-like panels.

What do you think the helmet brush is all about?

< /wind events >

[SunkenCiv]

I figured it was for cleaning the bottom of the UFO. Shows what I know.

[ChefKeith]

That would mean that we ran over Marvin! (and of course that would mean only one thing- Bushes Fault!)

[cogitator]

I (for one) will be quite disappointed if the Opportunity trek doesn't end on the rim of Victoria Crater. If the arm breaks, then they can just keep rolling and taking pictures -- and they'll get there quicker.

The name of this JPEG is "Opp_traverse_to_Victoria". So obviously they have it on the agenda. I hope they make it.

[SunkenCiv]

Nice sharp crater rim.

[cogitator]

And a nice ejecta blanket, too. That ought to be worth a look.

[cogitator]

'Tis funny, I never read the paragraph below until now, noticing it on the bottom of the page after I grabbed the picture I posted on this thread. As the saying goes, "Let's Roll!"

"Although both rovers are aging, rover handlers are diagnostic geniuses who have tackled daunting software and hardware problems from millions of miles away. [My note: and they got it out of a sand dune they drove into.] Having lasted seven times longer than expected, parts are slowly wearing out, and unknown challenges certainly lie ahead. Still, the team is prepared to guide their robotic explorers for as long as they are able to roam. Fingers are crossed that Opportunity will reach the distant, enormous depression nicknamed "Victoria Crater," 800 meters (a half mile) in diameter.

"Victoria is a potential ‘time tunnel,' allowing access to ancient martian material that otherwise would be buried deep beneath the surface and inaccessible," said John Callas, deputy project manager and science manager. "The great adventure continues, and both rovers look forward to starting a second martian year of discovery."