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Mars Rover Spirit May Never Wake From Deep Sleep

Posted by Soulskill on from the borrow-my-alarm-clock,-that'll-do-it dept.

astroengine writes "After repeated calls from NASA to wake up Mars Exploration Rover Spirit from its low-energy hibernation mode, mission control is beginning to realize the ill-fated robot may never wake up again. After getting stuck in a sand trap in Gusev Crater and then switching into hibernation in March, rover operators were hopeful that the beached Spirit might yet be saved. Alas, this is looking more and more unlikely. In a statement, NASA said: 'Based on models of Mars' weather and its effect on available power, mission managers believe that if Spirit responds, it most likely will be in the next few months. However, there is a very distinct possibility Spirit may never respond.'" Related xkcd strip, in case the headline wasn't anthropomorphic enough for you.

6 of 155 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Well, just send the sys admin by 0123456 · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    He can go reboot it, right? I know it is the weekend, but it's obviously part of his job duties.

    Don't worry, the rovers never went to Mars, this is all being faked at Area 51. They'll have it rebooted by Monday.

  2. Awwwww... by Dee+Ann_1 · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    >> "Related xkcd strip, in case the headline wasn't anthropomorphic enough for you."

    Poor baby.... :-(

    I feel sad for the poor little thing. I hope one day someone can go rescue all these poor little waifs that we abandon on alien worlds..

    1. Re:Awwwww... by SilverHatHacker · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      Is it wrong that that comic makes me want to cry? It's a freakin' robot, but I feel like its my own kid or something!

      --
      Funny may not give karma, but +5 Informative never made anyone snort coffee out their nose.
  3. Re:Human nature by PinkyGigglebrain · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    My preference is Earl Grey, and for the same reason. But I share a place with a coffee drinker, with limited counter space its not practical to have both a kettle and coffee pot out at the same time. Had enough trouble getting room to keep my stand mixer out, so I drink a lot of coffee.

  4. Re:On the bright side... by nospam007 · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    The driver tried to impress a girl.

  5. I know how to fix it. by Nyder · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Man, it's so simple, I should get hired at Nasa.

    First, we make a rocket that can get to the moon. it doesn't have to come back, just get there. it doesn't need to land. (it can crash when it's done, so maybe make it biodegradeable).

    Have it aim to fly over the robot, then it drops a big ass magnet out of it's side, picks the robot up as it goes by, then drops it down somewhere else.

    Hopefully the magnet will have the affect of rebooting the robot's system, and not wiping out any data.

    There ya go.

    My other idea was to tell whomever about all the pirated music & movies that robot was carrying on it, then I realized they'd just use lobbiest to get the politicains to go up and get it.

    --
    Be seeing you...