Spirit rover malfunctions on Mars

bbc ^ | 22 January, 2004

[demlosers]

Nasa's Mars rover Spirit has stopped sending useful data to Earth from the Red Planet and mission scientists are unable to send it commands.

Nasa says the problem could either be due to a major power fault, software corruption or memory corruption.

Scientists has tried several times to communicate with the rover but has received either very little or no data.

The spacecraft has entered a fault mode and Nasa is now devising a strategy for getting back in contact with Spirit.

Spirit's twin rover Opportunity is due to land on the surface of Mars on 25 January at 0530 GMT.

[Atlantic Friend]

Blast ! Will Mars claim yet another exploration vehicle ?

[Bubba_Leroy]

I just googled the same article and was getting ready to post it. Fox News reported on TV a few minutes ago that communications have been lost with Spirit.

[adaven]

Quick! Send a repair man! Don't forget the Duct Tape, JB Weld, and WD-40. Smack it on the side a couple of times.

Seriously, I hope they get it fixed. At least we have another chance, in a couple of days our second rover will be landing....

[Some hope remaining.]

Some martian teenager picked it up and took it home.

[CindyDawg]

Some Martian momma probably removed the batteries so Jr. would go to sleep.

[Squantos]

Should have had Maytag build the thing.......

[Pikamax]

don't they have a couple of back up systems on it? I would hope each has its own power supply for emergency situations.

[N. Theknow]

Hmmm.

[hispanarepublicana]

has stopped sending useful data to Earth from the Red Planet and mission scientists are unable to send it commands.

Hmmmmm. Kinda like Colin Powell?

[Mad Dawgg]

"Quick! Send a repair man! Don't forget the Duct Tape, JB Weld, and WD-40."

You forgot the B.F.H.!

[Viking2002]

If I've told them once, I've told those eggheads a thousand times - do not substitute a chewing gum wrapper for a blown fuse.

[WayneM]

Maybe it just needs a reboot.

[demlosers]

I just googled the same article and was getting ready to post it.

Yeaaah, I figured I was racing one or more FReepers. ;^)

[The South Texan]

Send Algore up to Mars to fix it. After all he invented the Internet.

[demlosers]

Maybe it just needs a reboot.

I hope so...

[N. Theknow]

[ServesURight]

Al Gore created Mars.

[blam]

"Yeaaah, I figured I was racing one or more FReepers. ;^)"

LOL, you're a day late. This 'malfunction' was posted about yesterday. (at that time, it was suspected that a thunderstorm in Australia was the problem)

[Atlantic Friend]

Or maybe some young Martian is trying to get all the models of the "Earth Space Vehicles" collectibles ? He must think it's Christmas : the Beagle 2, and now the Spirit River. Wow !