Mars rover likely parked for good

[Capt Worley PE]

http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2010/01...ver-spirit.html

The Mars rover Spirit is likely stuck permanently, NASA says, and the space agency will prepare it to hibernate over the Martian winter.
NASA said Tuesday that its engineers have given up trying to free the Spirit from the loose sand where it has been trapped since April.

"[spirit's] driving days are likely over," said Doug McCuistion, director of the Mars exploration program, but "science will continue."

Engineer Ashley Stroupe said they will attempt to jostle the rover in place and angle its solar panels to increase its chance of surviving the Martian winter.

Spirit will hibernate for the winter and shut down communications with Earth. The hope is that the rover will wake up in the spring and continue its mission, albeit as a stationary Mars lander.

John Callas, the project manager for the Mars exploration rovers program, said Spirit can go without contact with Earth for up to six months and still reactivate.

"The bottom line is we're not giving up on Spirit. Once springtime comes … we have exciting science planned," said astronomer Steve Squyres of Cornell University.

Winter in the southern hemisphere on Mars, where Spirit landed, will begin May 13. Spring will come again Nov. 13.

Spirit was sent to Mars on Jan, 3, 2004, while a companion rover, Opportunity, landed 21 days later. The rovers were to explore the Red Planet on a mission that was only to last 90 days. In 2005, Spirit scaled a hill on Mars as tall as the Statue of Liberty. Opportunity continues to explore the surface of the planet.

 

[Santiagj]

Can they have Opportunity go on a rescue mission and push Spirit out of the ditch?

 

[MonteBiker]

Can they have Opportunity go on a rescue mission and push Spirit out of the ditch?

You ever see two rednecks go muddin'? One gets stuck and has the other come to get them out. They get stuck as well. Then they just have to sit there and drink beer until the mud dries up and they can rescue themselves...

 

[Santiagj]

sounds like something I want to try out.

 

[Dexman PE]

^^^ Then it ends up being an episode of "I Shouldn't Be Alive" on the Discovery channel...

 

[FLBuff PE]

^^^ Then it ends up being an episode of "I Shouldn't Be Alive" on the Discovery channel...

Or a remake of Brokeback Mountain, renamed Brokeback Muddin', of course.

 

[Master slacker]

^^^ in more sense than one!

 

[Dark Knight]

I am wondering how many million$$$$$$ are stuck in the sand with the Spirit.

 

[Dleg]

Considering they were only "supposed" to live for 6 months, it's freaking amazing that they've been sending back useful data for what, almost 6 years now? That's probably the best return on any NASA investment ever.

 

[OSUguy98]

Considering they were only "supposed" to live for 6 months, it's freaking amazing that they've been sending back useful data for what, almost 6 years now? That's probably the best return on any NASA investment ever.

Aren't Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 still sending back data? they've gotta be WAY out there now... I forget when they were launched (late 70s? early 80s?)

 

[Capt Worley PE]

Considering they were only "supposed" to live for 6 months, it's freaking amazing that they've been sending back useful data for what, almost 6 years now? That's probably the best return on any NASA investment ever.

Yeah, NASA got their monies worth out of those.

Aren't Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 still sending back data? they've gotta be WAY out there now... I forget when they were launched (late 70s? early 80s?)

Launched in 1977.

V'ger is still waiting to rendezvous with NCC-1701.

 

[RIP - VTEnviro]

V'ger is still waiting to rendezvous with NCC-1701.

I'm a Trekkie and all, but holy crap I hate that movie.

 

[Flyer_PE]

I thought all of the odd numbered Start Trek movies sucked.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

They did.

 

[klk]

I thought all of the odd numbered Start Trek movies sucked.

I've never thought about it that way, but you are totally right!

 

[Road Guy]

"The bottom line is we're not giving up on Spirit. Once springtime comes … we have exciting science planned," said astronomer Steve Squyres of Cornell University.

:jerkit:

 

[wilheldp_PE]

 

[Dleg]

That's awesome!!!!!! Poor Rover!

 

[ALBin517]

http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2010/01...ver-spirit.html

Engineer Ashley Stroupe said they will attempt to jostle the rover in place and angle its solar panels to increase its chance of surviving the Martian winter.

They let the chick drive and it got stuck. I'm shocked.

:joke: but not really.

 

[StructuralPoke]

From xkcd.com

edit -- bah -- wilheldp_PE beat me to it. XKCD is blocked here at work and his post showed up blank. Guess they said g-spot too many times. If his post shows up blank for anyone else, here's a direct link to the comic in my photobucket account.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b268/str...poke/spirit.png