Although one of two twin rovers scouring the surface of Mars has been unresponsive for over a year — and has likely seen its last intragalactic action — NASA is beaming with optimism over what it has accomplished and what the mission has waiting in the wings.
NASA officials have not heard from the solar-powered Spirit rover since March 22, 2010 and said the combination of harsh Martian winter conditions and sand storms may have brought the rover's run to an end after more than six years of service.
"The way these things stay warm is they tilt to get sunlight and the harsh winter didn't help with the sand storms," NASA spokesman Dwayne Brown said from Washington, D.C. "The likelihood of it ever getting out of the sand was pretty small and now we are not optimistic that it will ever communicate with us again."
NASA said that if successful contact cannot be made with Spirit within the next two months, officials will switch their focus solely to manoeuvering the rover's twin — Opportunity — around the Martian planet, where it is currently headed toward a giant crater.
Considering the expected lifespan of the two rovers was about three months, NASA is more than happy with Spirit's longevity.
"If we are in a situation where Spirit never talks to us again, it's not going to be a funeral — it's going to be a celebration of all the incredible things it did for seven years when it was only supposed to do it for three months," Brown said.
He said the achievements of the six-wheeled rovers rank the program among the most successful in NASA history.
In November, however, Opportunity — if it is still operational — will be joined by a much larger brother.
The Curiosity rover is expected to set its course for Mars during a two-week launch window that opens on Nov. 25.
Brown said that rover, which is about the size of a Mini Cooper car, is scheduled to land on Mars to begin its mission in the summer of 2012. By comparison, the twin rovers currently on Mars are about the size of a dirt bike.
The new rover, which can accommodate more sophisticated technology because of its increased size and physical capabilities, will be fuelled by its own independent power source and won't rely on solar energy.
Because of that, officials hope it can avoid a similar fate to Spirit.
NASA officials have not heard from the solar-powered Spirit rover since March 22, 2010 and said the combination of harsh Martian winter conditions and sand storms may have brought the rover's run to an end after more than six years of service.
"The way these things stay warm is they tilt to get sunlight and the harsh winter didn't help with the sand storms," NASA spokesman Dwayne Brown said from Washington, D.C. "The likelihood of it ever getting out of the sand was pretty small and now we are not optimistic that it will ever communicate with us again."
NASA said that if successful contact cannot be made with Spirit within the next two months, officials will switch their focus solely to manoeuvering the rover's twin — Opportunity — around the Martian planet, where it is currently headed toward a giant crater.
Considering the expected lifespan of the two rovers was about three months, NASA is more than happy with Spirit's longevity.
"If we are in a situation where Spirit never talks to us again, it's not going to be a funeral — it's going to be a celebration of all the incredible things it did for seven years when it was only supposed to do it for three months," Brown said.
He said the achievements of the six-wheeled rovers rank the program among the most successful in NASA history.
In November, however, Opportunity — if it is still operational — will be joined by a much larger brother.
The Curiosity rover is expected to set its course for Mars during a two-week launch window that opens on Nov. 25.
Brown said that rover, which is about the size of a Mini Cooper car, is scheduled to land on Mars to begin its mission in the summer of 2012. By comparison, the twin rovers currently on Mars are about the size of a dirt bike.
The new rover, which can accommodate more sophisticated technology because of its increased size and physical capabilities, will be fuelled by its own independent power source and won't rely on solar energy.
Because of that, officials hope it can avoid a similar fate to Spirit.