Mars Rover Gone Quiet

[Russ35]

Opportunity has joined Spirit.

800+ attempts to contact Opportunity have failed.

It didn't do to bad, planned 90day mission lasted >14years (7 years for Spirit)

[Beati Dogu]

2003 they were launched and they arrived in early 2004.

They did very well.

[ajprice]

R.I.P. Opportunity https://abc7chicago.com/science/my-battery-is-low-...
The last message received last year was...

[Halmyre]

ajprice said:

R.I.P. Opportunity https://abc7chicago.com/science/my-battery-is-low-...
The last message received last year was...

Getting dark; too dark to see...

[DaveTheRave87]

ajprice said:

R.I.P. Opportunity https://abc7chicago.com/science/my-battery-is-low-...
The last message received last year was...

Someone programmed that 28 years ago thinking that would be a funny last message.

Well played.

[funkyrobot]

[Baron Greenback]

There some great pic and tribute!
https://twistedsifter.com/2019/02/mars-opportunity...

[peterperkins]

I'm not surprised the batteries stopped charging looking at all dust on the solar panels..
I get paranoid about efficiency when a seagull dumps on mine...



A small back up plutonium generator to keep it warm internally and powering a dust devil or similar might be an idea on the next trip..

Edited by peterperkins on Thursday 14th February 18:22

[MartG]

Or maybe a brush on an arm to give the panels the occasional wipe

[annodomini2]

peterperkins said:

I'm not surprised the batteries stopped charging looking at all dust on the solar panels..
I get paranoid about efficiency when a seagull dumps on mine...



A small back up plutonium generator to keep it warm internally and powering a dust devil or similar might be an idea on the next trip..

Edited by peterperkins on Thursday 14th February 18:22

Next one will be a Curiosity clone with different sensors.

RTG no solar panels.

If NASA are still funded.

[Beati Dogu]

The next rover is due to launch in July 2020. I imagine it’ll arrive in early 2021.

A timely status update from NASA JPL:

https://youtu.be/TPXU_uQThGo

[AshVX220]

NASA's next few rovers have been named.

[MartG]

On the lighter side...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yhclh4gQj3s&fe...

[Leithen]

“Good Night Oppy” has been referenced in the Amazon Prime thread, but I thought it worth linking to here. It’s sentimental, but given the careers invested in the mission, that’s a good thing. Worth a watch with enough behind the scenes detail to give an idea of the scale of the achievement.

[CraigyMc]

Leithen said:

“Good Night Oppy” has been referenced in the Amazon Prime thread, but I thought it worth linking to here. It’s sentimental, but given the careers invested in the mission, that’s a good thing. Worth a watch with enough behind the scenes detail to give an idea of the scale of the achievement.

Careful with this film. It's a bit like watching a family pet die.

[Fundoreen]

Being as time seems to be the factor in these contraptions going wrong , is it wise to have it moving at the speed of an asthmatic ant with 2 bags of heavy shopping?
A bit more speeding around with a shorter lifespan of power would make more sense.
I guess the main thing is learning about capabilities for the future. There is fk all of interest thats going to be discovered, unless your funding depends on going on about the composition of dust in an excited fashion.
The first mission to land ,viking was 1975, and we still didn't have home computers. Its all forgotten about so people will get excited about....another mission.
Just as AI what to do, then turn it off when it doesnt agree we should keep tting about instead of solving more critical problems.

[peterperkins]

Fundoreen said:

Being as time seems to be the factor in these contraptions going wrong , is it wise to have it moving at the speed of an asthmatic ant with 2 bags of heavy shopping?
A bit more speeding around with a shorter lifespan of power would make more sense.
I guess the main thing is learning about capabilities for the future. There is fk all of interest thats going to be discovered, unless your funding depends on going on about the composition of dust in an excited fashion.
The first mission to land ,viking was 1975, and we still didn't have home computers. Its all forgotten about so people will get excited about....another mission.
Just as AI what to do, then turn it off when it doesnt agree we should keep tting about instead of solving more critical problems.

What are you on about????
AI/Troll with a grudge against the Rovers?

[Halmyre]

Fundoreen said:

Being as time seems to be the factor in these contraptions going wrong , is it wise to have it moving at the speed of an asthmatic ant with 2 bags of heavy shopping?
A bit more speeding around with a shorter lifespan of power would make more sense.
I guess the main thing is learning about capabilities for the future. There is fk all of interest thats going to be discovered, unless your funding depends on going on about the composition of dust in an excited fashion.
The first mission to land ,viking was 1975, and we still didn't have home computers. Its all forgotten about so people will get excited about....another mission.
Just as AI what to do, then turn it off when it doesnt agree we should keep tting about instead of solving more critical problems.

You can't have your rover charging around when you've got a minimum ten minute reaction time if you're heading over a cliff or towards a rock face

[Simpo Two]

peterperkins said:

I'm not surprised the batteries stopped charging looking at all dust on the solar panels..

A small back up plutonium generator to keep it warm internally and powering a dust devil or similar might be an idea on the next trip..

Dust on the panels was entirely predictable and so a very weak link. Poor choice of power source for a dusty planet.

If you had a plutonium generator, then rather than use it to blow-dry the solar panels, skip the panels entirely and use the generator for electricity... Which is what I think they did before solar panels were invented. Sometimes newer is not always better.

[MartG]

Fundoreen said:

Being as time seems to be the factor in these contraptions going wrong , is it wise to have it moving at the speed of an asthmatic ant with 2 bags of heavy shopping?
A bit more speeding around with a shorter lifespan of power would make more sense.

Apart from the danger of driving into something, and the increased wear & tear on the wheels and drive motors, they simply don't have the power to go much faster than they do