Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Opportunity Begins 10th Year on Mars

Posted by samzenpus on from the sticking-around dept.

An anonymous reader points out that 9 years ago the Opportunity rover started to explore the red planet. "The older, smaller cousin of NASA's huge Mars rover Curiosity is quietly celebrating a big milestone Thursday — nine years on the surface of the Red Planet. NASA's Opportunity rover landed on Mars the night of Jan. 24, 2004 PST (just after midnight EST on Jan. 25), three weeks after its twin, Spirit, touched down. Spirit stopped operating in 2010, but Opportunity is still going strong, helping scientists better understand the Red Planet's wetter, warmer past."

3 of 78 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Not Bad by MightyMartian · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Opportunity is definitely one of NASA's great success stories. A wonder of engineering talent (and a heavy dose of good luck).

    I hope by the time humans finally walk on Mars, it's still there so it can be preserved.

    --
    The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
  2. Not even 5 years by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Martian year is 1.88 Earth years, so it hasn't even run for 5 years on Mars.

  3. Re:Not Bad by Ihlosi · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I hope by the time humans finally walk on Mars, it's still there so it can be preserved.
    However, the implications of the rover no longer being where it is assumed to be would be ... interesting.
    Might make for a good start of a sci-fi horror movie ... or comedy.