Mars Rovers Current Event

Mars Rover

At the Pasadena research centre scientist have been in close contact with the Mars Exploration Rover called Spirit. The last communication was established on March 22 2010.  From then NASA’s mission control had attempted to reach the rover, but never succeeded. Unfortunately all communication will end today.

Extensive  communication activities, in the past five months lead scientist into thinking that Spirit might reawaken as the solar energy potential increases, due to the fact that the harsh Martian winter is over, during which there wasn’t much sunlight. Due to the lack of energy to run the rovers survival heaters, the rover most likely experienced cold internal temperature, which could have frozen some of the curtail components.

NASA’s engineers assessed the situation and concluded that there are very little chances of the rover recovering and connecting with the mission control. Some of the communication assets used on the spirit mission, some of which are NASA’s Deep Space Network of antennas on earth and two NASA mars orbiters that can relay the signal. They are now needed to prepare for the new Mars Science Laboratory mission. The mission is scheduled to launch later this year.

Dave Lavery said that the old assets are being transitioned and prepared to support the next generation Mars rover, Curiosity. This is scheduled to launch in November. Spirit launched in 2004.

To conclude about the mars rover missions would be hard. They are one of the larger remaining NASA space program. I am very glad that they did not shut it down like they did to the lunar research program.