Web News: Did You Forget about Mars and The Rovers?

Lokie · 09-January-05, 09:54 AM

Sky's the limit on Red Planet: Mars rovers built to rock

Quote:


	The Spirit and Opportunity rovers - still chugging across the face of Mars - a year after they landed and nine months beyond their expected lifespan - have utterly changed human understanding of the Red Planet, scientists say. ``What we've gotten out of them in the first year has wildly exceeded our hopes and dreams,'' said Harvard biology professor Andrew Knoll, a NASA team member whose study of Martian rocks helped prove that a vast sea once covered the ground where Opportunity now rolls. Opportunity, with Martian winds on the Meridiani Planum apparently clearing dust off its solar panels, remains at near full battery strength. Though Spirit in the Gusev Crater is weaker, both might continue to work for months or longer in the harsh Martian environment. ``They just keep on ticking,'' Knoll said. After initially operating day-by-day, NASA scientists now expect a gradual mechanical breakdown. ``It's a tribute to the engineers. These things were just designed and built beautifully,'' Knoll said.

j-dogg · 09-January-05, 02:37 PM

Huygens probe is expected to land on Titan in like a week.

nev_payne · 09-January-05, 02:44 PM

Lol spirit will be there when man lands on Mars Im sure. I mean who is going to take the team photo? The titan probe will certainly be intresting. I know the scans of the surface and atmosphere have already trumped astrologers and scientists, pictures will just kick them out of the ballpark. I hope the pictures come through well.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Slashdot // Mars Rovers' Software Upgraded	Gizmo	Slashdot RSS	0	01-January-07 07:30 PM
Web News: Mars Rovers 18 month extension.	nev_payne	PC Apex Web News	0	07-April-05 08:58 AM
The Register // Another 18 months for Mars rovers	Gizmo	The Register RSS	0	07-April-05 03:03 AM
Web News: Unexpectedly, Mars rovers are still going strong	Lokie	PC Apex Web News	1	22-March-05 05:35 PM
The Register // Six more months for Mars rovers	Gizmo	The Register RSS	0	23-September-04 09:15 AM

09-January-05, 02:37 PM		#2 (permalink)
j-dogg Mystical Schwinn Guru	Huygens probe is expected to land on Titan in like a week.

09-January-05, 02:44 PM		#3 (permalink)
nev_payne Apex Tech God	Lol spirit will be there when man lands on Mars Im sure. I mean who is going to take the team photo? The titan probe will certainly be intresting. I know the scans of the surface and atmosphere have already trumped astrologers and scientists, pictures will just kick them out of the ballpark. I hope the pictures come through well.