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Mars rover Opportunity's last chance at life
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Mars rover Opportunity's last chance at life
Last night, scientists at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, sent their final message to the Mars rover Opportunity, and unless they hear back it looks like the mission could be coming to an end after 15 years.
Last night, scientists at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, sent their final message to the Mars rover Opportunity, and unless they hear back it looks like the mission could be coming to an end after 15 years.
For the past 9 months scientists have been sending messages to the rover, but have heard nothing back. They lost contact after a dust storm engulfed the entire planet on June 10, 2018.
"There’s nothing to suggest things would get better. So if we haven’t heard from the rover now, the likelihood is exceedingly small that we would hear from it going forward," said John Callas, Project Manager, Mars Exploration Rovers.
NASA will announce the future of the Opportunity mission midday Wednesday.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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