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Huge Martian Dust Storm Threatens Rovers
Riding with Robots writes "NASA reports that a severe ongoing dust storm on the Red Planet has blocked 99 percent of the direct sunlight that powers the Opportunity rover. If these conditions persist for too long, it could finally bring an end to the marathon mission of this robot geologist, and perhaps of its partner Spirit as well. 'Before the dust storms began blocking sunlight last month, Opportunity's solar panels had been producing about 700 watt hours of electricity per day, enough to light a 100-watt bulb for seven hours. When dust in the air reduced the panels' daily output to less than 400 watt hours, the rover team suspended driving and most observations, including use of the robotic arm, cameras and spectrometers to study the site where Opportunity is located ... A possible outcome of this storm is that one or both rovers could be damaged permanently or even disabled. Engineers will assess the capability of each rover after the storm clears.'"
I hear they are sick of mars anyway.
The days of the digital watch are numbered.
Mars is much friendlier to life. It has carbon (atmospheric CO2), probably water, and a much richer mineral environment than the moon. And the atmosphere helps with radiation protection.
The storms block light, which is a problem for the rovers, but the atmosphere is so thin it wouldn't be damaging in the same way a storm on Earth is.
Whether the Moon or Mars is easier to get to depends a lot on your assumptions. I'm of the opinion that since the delta-v (basically how much rocket power it takes) to get to Mars is *lower*, Mars is easier to get to -- even though the trip takes longer and you can't do a very short duration stay easily.
Anyway, sign me up for the Mars trip -- I, for one, want to go.