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NASA rover knocked out as gigantic dust storm envelops Mars
https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/ ^
| 6/13/18
| Marcia Dunn
Posted on 06/14/2018 5:11:47 PM PDT by BBell
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's seemingly unstoppable Mars rover Opportunity has been knocked out by a gigantic dust storm that is enveloping the red planet and blotting out the sun.
Officials said Wednesday they're hopeful the rover will survive the storm, which already covers one-quarter of Mars and is expected to encircle the planet in another few days. It could be weeks or even months, though, until the sky clears enough for sunlight to reach the Martian surface and recharge Opportunity's batteries through its solar panels.
For now, Mars' oldest working rover is stuck in the middle of the raging storm, in round-the-clock darkness.
"By no means are we out of the woods here," said John Callas, the Opportunity project manager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. "This storm is threatening, and we don't know how long it will last, and we don't know what the environment will be like once it clears."
Flight controllers tried late Tuesday night to contact Opportunity, but the rover did not respond. The storm has been growing since the end of May with unprecedented speed.
(Excerpt) Read more at winnipegfreepress.com ...
TOPICS: Astronomy; Science
KEYWORDS: astronomy; california; capecanaveral; curiosity; duststorm; johncallas; jpl; marciadunn; mars; nasa; opportunity; pasadena; rover; science; spaceexploration
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Last gasp of Opportunity? I guess we will have to wait until the dust settles.
1
posted on
06/14/2018 5:11:47 PM PDT
by
BBell
To: BBell
Don’t they have a charging station there?
Mars must really be Hicksville.
2
posted on
06/14/2018 5:14:09 PM PDT
by
blueunicorn6
("A crack shot and a good dancer")
To: BBell
Could have been Howard wolowtz making the rover do donuts.
To: BBell
I believe they shut it down, anticipating the dust storm effect that stopped the other rover. After the dust clears, we will see
Anyone know where you can buy a plutonium powered heater? They sound like they work well.
5
posted on
06/14/2018 5:16:19 PM PDT
by
BBell
(not drinking, just a smart a$$)
To: blueunicorn6
Yes. It’s called the sun.
6
posted on
06/14/2018 5:17:13 PM PDT
by
BBell
(not drinking, just a smart a$$)
To: BBell
7
posted on
06/14/2018 5:17:37 PM PDT
by
FatherofFive
(Islam is EVIL and needs to be eradicated)
To: BBell
I'm looking over my dead 🐕 Rover.
8
posted on
06/14/2018 5:17:53 PM PDT
by
Raycpa
To: BBell
Stalled because of a dust storm. What happens if the solar panels which fuel this thing are permanently covered with sand?
9
posted on
06/14/2018 5:18:39 PM PDT
by
Hot Tabasco
(Mother nature is a serial killer......)
To: BBell
10
posted on
06/14/2018 5:18:49 PM PDT
by
Red Badger
(When Obama and VJ go to prison for treason, will Roseanne get her show back?...)
To: Raycpa
Oldie but a goodie!.........
11
posted on
06/14/2018 5:19:45 PM PDT
by
Red Badger
(When Obama and VJ go to prison for treason, will Roseanne get her show back?...)
To: BBell
12
posted on
06/14/2018 5:19:52 PM PDT
by
bgill
(CDC site, "We don't know how people are infected with Ebola.")
To: BBell
The Rover shoulda dug/drilled a cave to live in in bad weather.
13
posted on
06/14/2018 5:20:41 PM PDT
by
Paladin2
To: Hot Tabasco
Hopefully there are onboard batteries that will last long enough to allow the rover to shake the sand off after the storm ends.
14
posted on
06/14/2018 5:21:08 PM PDT
by
Menehune56
("Let them hate so long as they fear" (Oderint Dum Metuant), Lucius Accius (170 BC - 86 BC))
To: BBell
This thing was supposed to have an active on-planet lifespan of 90 days.
Today is day 5255.
15
posted on
06/14/2018 5:22:06 PM PDT
by
thoughtomator
(Number of arrested coup conspirators to date: 1)
To: BBell
The storm has been growing since the end of May with unprecedented speed.
At least it wasn’t Ludicrous speed!
Why didn’t they power down before this?
16
posted on
06/14/2018 5:22:20 PM PDT
by
tet68
( " We would not die in that man's company, that fears his fellowship to die with us...." Henry V.)
To: Hot Tabasco
You send Marvin over to brush his hat on it.
17
posted on
06/14/2018 5:23:50 PM PDT
by
Jewbacca
(The residents of Iroquois territory may not determine whether Jews may live in Jerusalem)
To: BBell
The sun?
The sun is a charging station?
I want to shake the hand of the electrician who wired up the sun.
I’ll bet it’s 220.
18
posted on
06/14/2018 5:24:52 PM PDT
by
blueunicorn6
("A crack shot and a good dancer")
To: BBell
[ Anyone know where you can buy a plutonium powered heater? They sound like they work well. ]
Hillary might, she has had dealings with uranium one...
19
posted on
06/14/2018 5:25:11 PM PDT
by
GraceG
("Q is dead, been dead a for a while...")
To: thoughtomator
Yeah, but how many miles it got on it?
(Sorry...we’re car shopping at the moment)
20
posted on
06/14/2018 5:28:54 PM PDT
by
ExGeeEye
(For dark is the suede that mows like a harvest.)
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