Mars Rover, Spirit, Turns 4

Brandee07 writes "Designed for a 90 day mission, the Spirit Mars Rover is starting its 4th year of exploration. Spirit's sister-module, Opportunity, will turn four on Jan 25. 'We never thought we'd still be driving these robots all over Mars,' said Mark Lemmon, a planetary scientist at Texas A&M University and member of the rover science team. 'We joked about driving Opportunity into Victoria Crater, but now we're there, and we're looking at doing even more science. Each day they still work is an amazing one.'"

Comments

Obligatory

[Matthaeus]

I'm doing science and I'm still alive!

(Sorry, someone had to!)

Re:Obligatory

[Chyeld]

This was a triumph.
I'm making a note here: huge success.
It's hard to overstate my satisfaction.

Aperture science.
We do what we must because we can.
For the good of all of us
Except the ones who are dead.

(Chorus 1)
But there's no sense crying over every mistake
You just keep on trying till you run out of cake
And the science gets done and you make a neat gun
For the people who are still alive.

I'm not even angry.
I'm being so sincere right now.
Even though you broke my heart and killed me.
And tore me to pieces.
And threw every piece into a fire.
And as they burned it hurt because
I was so happy for you.

(Chorus 2)
Now these points of data make a beautiful line
And we're out of beta we're releasing on time.
So I'm glad I got burned think of all the things we learned
For the people who are still alive

Go ahead and leave me.
I think I prefer to stay inside.
Maybe you'll find someone else to help you.
Maybe Black Mesa -
That was a joke. Haha. Fat chance.
Anyway, this cake is great:
It's so delicious and moist.

(Chorus 3)
Look at me still talking when there's science to do.
When I look out there it makes me glad I'm not you.
I've experiments to run there is research to be done
On the people who are still alive

And believe me I am still alive.
I'm doing science and I'm still alive.
I feel fantastic and I'm still alive.
While you're dying I'll be still alive.
And when you're dead I will be still alive.

Still alive
Still alive

Re:Obligatory

[cstdenis]

And believe me It's still alive.
It's doing science and It's still alive.
It feels fantastic and It's still alive.
While you're dying It'll be still alive.
And when you're dead It'll be still alive.

Re:Error

[Splab]

Was thinking the same, I have been living where I live for 3 and a half year, the rovers sure wasn't up there when I moved in.

why not tell Louis Armstrong to his face

[RealGrouchy]

They'd better get busy. They've only got a few more years to set up the soundstage for the next scheduled "moon landings" in the 2020s!

- RG>

Re:why not tell Louis Armstrong to his face

[oskay]

I think you missed the joke.

Re:Shipping cost

[bigdavex]

It can also have big savings in the cost to launch it into space, and NASA would certainly have shaved anything they could.

Bah! That's just the way space contractors avoid paying big ebay fees on the Rovers. $700 million shipping my ass.

Re:manned exploration is the boondoggle

[Cally]

It is not the universe's job to entertain you. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Re:manned exploration is the boondoggle

[CreatureComfort]

Actually, the Universe has no other purpose than to provide me entertainment. Luckily, even the doubters like you help it succeed admirably.

"If there's anything more important than my ego
around, I want it caught and shot now."
- Zaphod Beeblebrox