Lost In Space: NASA’s Storm-Silenced Rover Marks 15th Anniversary On Mars

[50 shades of black + 254]

NASA’s Opportunity rover is silently marking the 15th anniversary of its touchdown on Mars. The spacecraft hasn’t been heard from since a global dust storm last June. The six wheeler — about the size of a golf cart — logged more than 28 miles (45 kilometers) on the red planet before falling silent. There was so much dust in the Martian atmosphere that sunlight could not reach Opportunity’s solar panels to generate power.md Flight controllers are still sending commands to the rover in hopes of a response. But project manager John Callas says the longer the blackout lasts, the less likely contact will be made. He calls Thursday’s anniversary bittersweet. Opportunity landed on Mars on Jan. 24, 2004. It already had long outlived its design lifetime before contact was lost.
 

[damirUSBiH + 327]

Hopefully Opportunity will wake up...

[Pavel + 384]

 

Just now, damirUSBiH said:

Hopefully Opportunity will wake up...

I think it might be time to say goodbye...

[rainman + 263]

Maybe it’s trying to dig itself out and will take another 15 years..

[pinto + 293]

Well - theres no one there...

[ThunderBlade + 231]

Not bad result for a "90-day mission" according to the first plans from NASA ...