Rest In Peace, Little Spirit

The long saga of the Mars rover Spirit has finally come to an end. NASA has determined that the rover, which has survived longer than anyone had guessed on the red planet, suffered irreparable damage during the Martian winter and the mission will be ended. Mission scientists had known that Spirit, which could no longer move, was not positioned well enough with respect to the sun to allow solar heating to save its delicate electronics from the deep and unforgiving winter on Mars.

 

Spirit, you have surpassed your designers wildest hopes and dreams. You done good little guy.

 

Spirit's mate, Opportunity, continues to function on Mars, and will soon be joined by the next-generation nuclear-powered rover Curiosity as it searches for life on the red planet.

 

Here are my previous posts on the rovers:

 

Jan 12, 2010: http://worldofwild.blogspot.com/2010/01/rolling-on-red.html

 

Jan 13, 2010: http://worldofwild.blogspot.com/2010/01/postcards-from-mars.html

 

Jan 13, 2010: http://worldofwild.blogspot.com/2010/01/ok-one-more-thing.html

 

Oct 29. 2010: http://worldofwild.blogspot.com/2010/10/still-there.html