Mars rovers OK after dust storm

AP on Yahoo ^ | 8/31/07 | John Antczak - ap

[NormsRevenge]

NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover
http://origin.mars5.jpl.nasa.gov/home/

[NormsRevenge]

Vicotria Crater or Bust!

NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity used its front hazard-identification camera to obtain this image at the end of a drive on the rover's 1,271st sol, or Martian day (Aug. 21, 2007).

[NormsRevenge]

An image from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft generated from digital topography taken on March 24, 2006 and released by NASA April 6. Ancient bacteria are able to survive nearly half a million years in harsh, frozen conditions, researchers said on Monday in a study that adds to arguments that permafrost environments on Mars could harbor life. (NASA/JPL/Handout/Reuters)

[neverdem]

thanks, bfl

[doc1019]

All I want to know is what company made the batteries for this thing? I can’t get my remote control to work longer then three weeks!

[NormsRevenge]

Oops, that should be Victoria Crater in post 3..

[Man50D]

"These are really very old rovers and their mechanisms are well beyond their design life by many, many factors

Someday I'll understand how they feel.

[Petronski]

[I see my hands]

To: Opportunity; Spirit

Go to the equator!

[Ramius]

Simply amazing. These little guys just keep on truckin’.

Kudos to the engineers and builders. Top shelf work.

[norton]

Everytime I run across an article on the rovers I immediately remember a story from my little-kid-ness: The Little Engine That Could.

These little guys just keep on keeping on, and, if ever there is such a thing - deserve the first ever medals for robotic achievement.

[Bender2]

A toast... to Spirit, Opportunity and hot robot babes!

Why thank you, Bender... thank you very much!

Well, eh, hum, I'll see ya... later this evening!

[Wilhelm Tell]

These Mars rovers are amazing machines. I love how they keep plugging away far longer than anyone dreamed was possible.

[Humble Servant]

” “The solar arrays are dusty on both rovers, but dustier on Spirit, and they are dustier now than they were exactly one Martian year ago. So if they don’t get cleaner and they continue to accumulate dust at the same rate they saw last year, it will be a tough Martian winter for Spirit,” Callas said. “

Bush’s fault .

[6SJ7]

"The solar arrays are dusty on both rovers, but dustier on Spirit, and they are dustier now than they were exactly one Martian year ago. So if they don't get cleaner and they continue to accumulate dust at the same rate they saw last year, it will be a tough Martian winter for Spirit," Callas said.

Calling the Squeegee Men of Mars.

[Paradox]

What these rovers need is one of those mini-tornado like duststorms. In the past, these storms have cleaned off the solar panels, making them work almost as good as new.

[saganite]

The energizer bunny’s got serious competition. And there’s two of ‘em!

[balls]

NASA must be really pi**ed that these guys will not just fade away. They grossly misjudged how long they would last and have to keep thinking up new missions on the fly. Had they done their homework, this endevour could have been much better planned and of more value. Their mission planners are classic underachievers.

Note to NASA: Enough of the high-fives and back patting. Given our astonomical investment in your envours, success most of the time should be expected!

[Thudd]

Yeah well thats fine and all, but what they don't talk about is what effect these rovers have on current climate crisis faced by the fragile Martian environment. Do they really need two rovers? Something is causing all that dust and craters. Two rovers is far more rovers than any planet really needs. What is needed is the passage of some international treaty setting standards for emmision levels on Mars.