Opportunity Rover Arrives at Endurance Crater

Mean_Nishka writes "After weeks of driving, the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity has arrived at 'Endurance Crater.' It's a scientific treasure trove with an extensive outcrop of layered bedrock, and scientists will have to decide whether or not to send Opportunity inside for a closer inspection without getting it stuck forever - there's more information via a Monterey Herald/AP article."

Comments

Re:There is

[austad]

. Non nuclear bombs require oxygen to explode


Bombs carry their own oxidizer. In the case of gunpowder, it's potassium nitrate. Other types of explosives use other things, including potassium chlorate, potassium permangenate, etc. There is not enough oxygen in the air to make something combustable explode on it's own, it will just burn.

Even the old school fuses you see in cartoons going to dynamite have their own oxygen source (usually a string doped with gunpowder). This is why they will burn underwater, or even in an atmosphere without water.

The problem with the rovers carrying explosives, is that the explosives would need to be buried for them to have an effect. Just dropping a stick of dynamite on the surface would cause very little disruption.

When I was like 16, I worked at a gas station. There used to be this guy that came in with a silver van that said Kaboom! on the side. Turns out, he ran a demolitions company. He'd always sit and chat with us about his destructive creations. It almost seemed like he liked his job a little too much. Nevertheless, he was always interesting to BS with.

Re:Forever, or until the solar panels die...

[cyclone96]

As JPL stated here they think they may get about 250 sols out of these rovers, which is the approved duration of the extended mission (of course, I'm sure they'll keep extending it until they die, but there is a ten day communications blockage from the sun at about that time).

Re:Spirit and the Columbia Hills

[TehHustler]

On the subject of microphones, the Cassini-Huygens probe currently on its way to Saturn/Titan is carrying one, so that we can hear Titan. The prospect of hearing the first waves lapping against an alien shore is quite remarkable. If theres any liquid there, that is.