Mars Rover's Epic Trek For the Crater Endeavor

Smivs writes "The BBC reports that NASA is to send its Mars rover Opportunity on a two-year trek to try to reach a crater called Endeavour. The robot will have to move about 11km to get to its new target — a distance that would double what it has already achieved on the planet. Endeavour is much bigger than anything investigated to date, and will allow a broader range of rocks to be studied. Detailed satellite imagery from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter will help pick out the best route ahead; and new software recently uploaded to Opportunity will enable the rover to make its own decisions about how best to negotiate large rocks in its path. Opportunity has just emerged from the 800m-wide Victoria Crater. Endeavour, by comparison, is 22km across."

Comments

More than a suggestion

[Whiteox]

I know that NASA are a bunch of good people, and I know that there are very good reasons for why they do things the way they do.
But PLEASE!!! 2 years to go 11 km? I know that the Rover will stop every now and then to check out soil samples etc, but 2 years???
I'm thinking of a radio controlled 4wd you can get from a serious hobby shop that'll do at least 1km between charges!
I suppose what I'm saying is that future rovers should be designed for as many possible contingencies (like long distant travel for example). Maybe they could even take pics of Martian landscapes set for human vision too.
That would be nice.