NASA extends Mars rover missions again
Posted: Wed, Apr 6, 2005, 7:15 AM ET (1115 GMT)
NASA announced Tuesday that it has extended the mission of the highly successful Mars Exploration Rovers for up to 18 more months. The twin rovers, named Spirit and Opportunity, have been on the Martian surface since January 2004 and continue to function well despite initial plans to operate for only 90 days. The rovers' mission has been extended twice before; the current extension will last up to 18 months, depending on the health of the spacecraft. Opportunity, in the Meridiani Planum region of Mars, is approaching a region called "Etched Terrain" where wind erosion may have exposed bedrock. Spirit, on the other side of Mars in Gusev Crater, is climbing Husband Hill within the crater. NASA did not disclose the cost of the mission extension; the last extension, in September, cost NASA $2.8 million a month.
NASA announced Tuesday that it has extended the mission of the highly successful Mars Exploration Rovers for up to 18 more months. The twin rovers, named Spirit and Opportunity, have been on the Martian surface since January 2004 and continue to function well despite initial plans to operate for only 90 days. The rovers' mission has been extended twice before; the current extension will last up to 18 months, depending on the health of the spacecraft. Opportunity, in the Meridiani Planum region of Mars, is approaching a region called "Etched Terrain" where wind erosion may have exposed bedrock. Spirit, on the other side of Mars in Gusev Crater, is climbing Husband Hill within the crater. NASA did not disclose the cost of the mission extension; the last extension, in September, cost NASA $2.8 million a month.| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Monday, March 23
A rare encounter: How Juice came to observe 3I/ATLAS
ESA — 4:14 am ET (0814 GMT) Ukraine makes territorial gains as Russia loses Starlink access
Semafor — 4:14 am ET (0814 GMT) State of Vandenberg: Growth, transparency, and a shared future
Santa Maria (CA) Times — 4:10 am ET (0810 GMT) Project Sunrise: Blue Origin's Orbital Data Centre Ambition
AI Magazine — 4:10 am ET (0810 GMT) Elon Musk unveils chip manufacturing plans for SpaceX and Tesla
TechCrunch — 4:08 am ET (0808 GMT) |
