Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Mars Rovers Get Extra 18 Months

Posted by timothy on from the unhappy-parole-board dept.

iamlucky13 writes "NASA has stated in the latest mission press release that funding for an additional 18 months of exploration has been approved. The rovers have breezed through 14 months of operation so far, and the money will cover expenses through September of 2006. The rovers are still operating well, and recently both experienced dramatic power boosts from their solar cells. They are no longer like new, however. Opportunity has recently experienced data loss from one of its spectrometers, while Spirit has a smudged camera lens, a heavily used rock abrasion tool, and has previously struggled with intermittent steering issues."

16 of 205 comments (clear)

  1. why? by R.D.Olivaw · · Score: 5, Funny
    "Mars Rovers Get Extra 18 Months"

    why is that? Did it try to escape or something?

  2. Rear hazard-avoidance camera? by sdo1 · · Score: 5, Funny
    From the quote under the picture in the article...

    "This image is from the rover's rear hazard-avoidance camera"

    What, are they worried about something sneaking up on it from behind?

    -S

    --
    --- What parts of "shall make no law", "shall not be infringed", and "shall not be violated" don't you understand?
    1. Re:Rear hazard-avoidance camera? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      Well, sure. There are two rovers on Mars right now, right?

      Anything to keep those insurance premiums down.

    2. Re:Rear hazard-avoidance camera? by AndroidCat · · Score: 2, Funny

      No, they're worried about accidently backing up over some Martian lifeform. Can you imagine what a long costly court case would do to the budget? There's no telling if the Martians have any ears to hear the beep-beep-beep as it backs up.

      --
      One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
  3. Re:Well.. by beset · · Score: 2, Funny

    True. We all know what happened to the farscape project!

    --
    1) Clever Sig 2) ????? 3) Profit!
  4. Re:Most successful ever? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Your British did what it was intended to do: Crash and leave a crator, thus exposing what is under the surface, thus giving the US uber bots something to look at.

  5. Manned mission to Mars by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    I wonder if the first man to walk on Mars will be given the job of fixing the Rover?

    1. Re:Manned mission to Mars by McBainLives · · Score: 2, Funny

      I've often wondered if he'll find one of 'em sitting up on 6 little cinder blocks and with the radio missing...

      --
      I came, I saw, I left. It looked better in the brochure.
  6. Extra 18 months might: by raynet11 · · Score: 0, Funny

    be enough time to find weapons of mass destruction
    but additional funding may be needed.
    The director head was commented:
    "It's a tiny shovel, it just takes time but were
    confident that Iraq put them there.. our sources say.. "

  7. The truth ... by tomhudson · · Score: 5, Funny
    Spirit has a smudged camera lens, a heavily used rock abrasion tool, and has previously struggled with intermittent steering issues."
    Blurring vision, dulled senses, unable to go in a straight line ...

    ... the robots are frigging DRUNK!

    .

    .

  8. FOR SALE by jmrobinson · · Score: 5, Funny

    '03 Spirit Rover

    odometer: 0000003 miles
    abrasion tool slightly dulled
    slight steering problem
    needs a good buff
    runs great!
    Asking $15,000,000 OBO

  9. Re:Driving backwards a lot of time by Tibe · · Score: 3, Funny

    Uh, 0.0223693629080171796mph speed.. hey NASA do it too. :|

  10. Re:Most successful ever? by ptomblin · · Score: 4, Funny

    You sent a Bagel, and it became a pancake.

    --
    The next Cmdr Taco duplicate will be ready soon, but subscribers can beat the rush and see it early!
  11. And when they're done by ch-chuck · · Score: 2, Funny

    NASA could auction them off on ebay - The lucky buyer (or heirs) couldn't actually take possession of them for some time but it makes as much sense as paying to have a star named after someone.

    --
    try { do() || do_not(); } catch (JediException err) { yoda(err); }
  12. Delivery option: by LiquidCoooled · · Score: 3, Funny

    Delivery option: not available, buyer collection is required.

    --
    liqbase :: faster than paper
  13. logo by confused+one · · Score: 3, Funny

    they should have gotten commercial funding from Energizer and put the bunny logo on the rover, strategically placed where they can get a periodic shot of it with the pancam.