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Mars Rover Opportunity Working Free

Posted by Zonk on from the go-little-explorer-go dept.

VernonNemitz writes "As previously reported, the Mars rover Opportunity ran into more sand (or finer material) than it was designed to handle. While initial attempts to escape may not have accomplished much, the most recent efforts seem to imply that the plucky machine is going to succeed at getting away."

4 of 149 comments (clear)

  1. That's nice by chris09876 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I guess moving 7.4 centimetres is better than nothing :) It's good they didn't give up on the rover... I'd like to say they've really gotten their moneys worth with these guys, but it's hard to measure the economic payback of the whole "mars exploration" thing... it's more of a long-term investment.

    --
    I store my recipes online (the way nature intended)
  2. Kudos to NASA and team! by guyfromindia · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This is great news... The rovers have been going on WAAY beyond their intended lifespan... Maybe we all can learn from the excellent design/descipline that the Engineers used to create these wonders!

  3. Good Job by AT-SkyWalker · · Score: 5, Insightful
    When this first happened I remember I read somewhere that the NASA engineers outlined their trouble shooting approach by indicating that they will try to duplicate the situation here on earth and will study every maneuver before performing anything on the real thing on Mars so they won't have to resort to forceful trial and error maneuvering

    This is a shinning example that meticulous work and systematic thinking eventually gets the job done, even if it sounds boring and even if a "quick fix" seems really sexy


    Good Job NASA.
  4. Hackneyed by Skiron · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It is a terrible shame when quite unbelievable stuff goes on, and is treated as mundane.

    To me, being born before the space race, man on the moon etc., this is still fascinating. Why current the current generation is interested in the slightest, I don't know.

    What all these guys are doing was totally unthinkable 20 years ago.

    Lets hope we will get another 20 years when the next generation filter through.