spacetoday.net: NASA extends Mars rover missions

Posted: Fri, Apr 9, 2004, 2:07 PM ET (1807 GMT)
Mars Exploration Rover (NASA/JPL)

As expected, NASA announced on Thursday that it has extended the missions of the twin Mars Exploration Rovers, providing funding to continue their operations as late as September. The rover Spirit completed its prime 90-day mission earlier this month, while Opportunity will reach the 90-day milestone late this month. Because both rovers are operating well, officials and NASA headquarters approved a proposal to extend the rovers' missions. The approval gives the project $15 million to continue operation of both rovers into September, should both continue to function that long. Project scientists said in recent weeks that they believed that the rovers could last for several more months based on how well they have worked to date, and expected that NASA would approve a mission extension. Scientists hope to send Spirit to the Columbia Hills, a range of hills over two kilometers from the landing site that may provide evidence of past water in the Gusev Crater area. Opportunity is headed to Endurance Crater, nearly a kilometer from its landing site, looking to confirm evidence of past water it found at its landing site, Eagle Crater.