In 2003 two rovers were sent to our neighboring planet, Mars with the names Spirit and Opportunity. The two rovers were made for discoveries and they delivered. In fact, they out lived their life expectancy by many martian sols making much more discoveries. Now, as Opportunity makes his long two year journey to Endeavour crater, spirit is in trouble. The MER (Mars Exploration Rovers) rover Spirit has been caught under sand since April at a sight named "Troy". Troy is a crater about 26 feet wide filled with sulfate-bearing sands produced in hot water or a steam environment. The soil has layers each of different composition, and a crusty top covered the crater and it trapped Spirit much like a pile of leaves on top a dug hole would trap an unsespecting victim.
Researchers sent out the signal to attempt to free Spirit and the chances of making it out varies according to the tests done on the Earth.
Researchers sent out the signal to attempt to free Spirit and the chances of making it out varies according to the tests done on the Earth.
"This is going to be a lengthy process, and there's a high probability attempts to free Spirit will not be successful" says Doug McCuiston, director of MER at NASA headquarters. "After the first few weeks of attempts, we're not likely to know whether Spirit will be able to free itself." Efforts to free the troubled rover will last until early 2010. McCuiston says that lessons from freeing this rover will provide knowledge on Martian terran and help future mars rovers. Other benifits from this unfortunate draw back is that while being at troy there were signs indicating ancient martian hotsprings of steam vents, possible habitats for life. If the they do not manage to free the rover, its stationary location could result in new scientific findings.
My veiw on this unfortunate event is that even if the rover does not escape, it will still answer a lot of unknown questions in its unmovable location. Also, even if it does die, it has died heroic in a way, just like Hubble will some day. Hubble has given us photos of the deep unknown and has discovered many things that enhance our understanding. In analogy, Spirit and Opportunity have Added to our knowledge about life on ancient Mars and about the possibility of life out there in general. Both of these rovers, I believe were worth the cost and the troubles, it has profited the people of Earth through a vast expanse of knowledge. I truly hope this rover can escape, it has done us so much, battling the martian winters, climbing the tall Columbia Hills, and bringing so much to the scientists back here. I will hope for the best that this beautiful tool will be salvaged.
Learn more at:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mer/news/mer20091112.html
My veiw on this unfortunate event is that even if the rover does not escape, it will still answer a lot of unknown questions in its unmovable location. Also, even if it does die, it has died heroic in a way, just like Hubble will some day. Hubble has given us photos of the deep unknown and has discovered many things that enhance our understanding. In analogy, Spirit and Opportunity have Added to our knowledge about life on ancient Mars and about the possibility of life out there in general. Both of these rovers, I believe were worth the cost and the troubles, it has profited the people of Earth through a vast expanse of knowledge. I truly hope this rover can escape, it has done us so much, battling the martian winters, climbing the tall Columbia Hills, and bringing so much to the scientists back here. I will hope for the best that this beautiful tool will be salvaged.
Learn more at:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mer/news/mer20091112.html
