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Mars Exploration Rovers Update: Spirit Parks for Winter, Opportunity Tastes Chocolate Hills
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2010/02/28 11:00 CST
As winter put the freeze on in the southern hemisphere of the Red Planet, the Mars Exploration Rovers slowed down a bit, but continued throughout February to demonstrate the mettle that made them famous: Spirit successfully drove backwards, parked in place for the season, then continued working, as Opportunity roved through rock debris on a cruise around the rim of Concepcin Crater.
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2010/01/31 11:00 CST
Five and a half years after they were supposed to be history, the Mars Exploration Rovers celebrated their sixth Earth year on the Red Planet with Opportunity pulling up to a fresh, new crater on the road to Endeavour, and Spirit working on repositioning itself to settle in for the coming Martian winter, and perhaps the rest of its mission.
Opportunity's thousand-year-old crater
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2010/01/29 10:59 CST
Since leaving Marquette Island on sol 2,122, Opportunity has been barreling southward on her journey toward Endeavour crater. On her horizon for the last several sols has been a very small but very fresh looking crater named Concepción.
What's up in the solar system in January 2010
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2010/01/04 01:29 CST
While we don't have Moon bases, we do have plenty of spacecraft. Before I get into my more detailed look at the activities of the 20-odd spacecraft wandering about the solar system, I thought I'd look ahead to 2010 more generally and see what the year has in store for us.
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2009/12/31 11:00 CST
The Mars Exploration Rovers quietly wrapped up 2009 this month: Spirit continued to valiantly spin its wheels in an attempt to get out of its embedded location on the west side of Home Plate in Gusev Crater; and Opportunity continued its investigation of Marquette Island, perhaps the oldest Martian rock it's found to date at Meridiani Planum.
Mars Exploration Rovers Update: Spirit Turns Wheels, Opportunity Rests at Rare Martian Rock
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2009/11/30 11:00 CST
The Mars Exploration Rovers managed to make history and uncover history in November and that put both Spirit and Opportunity in the planetary exploration spotlight during the 71st month of an overland expedition that was supposed to be a three-month tour.
Opportunity's poking at Marquette Island; Cassini's catching dancing moons
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2009/11/18 04:58 CST
Mars Exploration Rovers Update: Spirit Begins Extraction Process
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2009/11/12 11:00 CST
On Monday, November 16, 2009, Mars Exploration Rover Spirit will begin the much-anticipated, weeks-long process of extricating itself from a patch of powdery soil that stopped it in its tracks six months ago. It will begin by driving forward to the north, following its tracks out, even though its right front wheel is broken and immobilized.
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2009/10/31 12:00 CDT
The Mars Exploration Rover mission logged another textbook-rewriting month in October 2009 with more discoveries of geologic gems, new robot achievements balanced with equal amounts of challenges and frustrations overcome, topped off with special honors.
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2009/09/30 12:00 CDT
From notable achievements and new discoveries to trials and tribulations and harbingers of hope, the Mars Exploration Rovers seemed to experience the gamut on the Red Planet this September, their 69th month on an expedition that originally set out back in 2004 for a three-month tour.
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2009/08/31 12:00 CDT
The Mars Exploration Rovers hunkered down in place in August and delivered more mission "gold" as they achieved new milestones and uncovered more scientific gems, not the least of which was a blockbuster of a meteorite. But August proved to be a stormy month, uniquely challenging and one that many on the Mars Exploration Team will never forget.
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2009/07/31 12:00 CDT
The Mars Exploration Rovers maintained a busy schedule in July: Spirit worked day and night doing whatever it could to make use of its abundant energy; Opportunity effectively treated its “hot” right front wheel and got back to making some consecutive long drives toward the still distant Endeavour Crater.
Mars Exploration Rovers Update: Spirit Embedded in Paydirt, Opportunity Roving on 'Hot' Wheel
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2009/06/30 12:00 CDT
It's been a relatively quiet but scientifically significant month on the Red Planet for the Mars Exploration Rovers. While Opportunity continued its long journey to Endeavour Crater, forced to take it slower and make longer stops to rest its 'hot' front wheel, Spirit, seemingly just biding its time embedded in a sand pit it slipped into in April, turned up one of the most intriguing discoveries on the mission to date.
Mars Exploration Rovers Update: Spirit Sand Snared and Dusted, Opportunity Rests and Roves
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2009/05/31 12:00 CDT
The Mars Exploration Rovers hit some rough patches in May as Spirit sat stuck in a sand patch all month and Opportunity had to stop again to rest its right front wheel but with a little help from Mars, the intrepid, twin robot field geologists cruised through the summer solstice with the energy and invincibility of a couple of teenage robots.
Mars Exploration Rovers Update: Spirit Endures Reboots and Amnesia, Opportunity Races Forward
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2009/04/30 12:00 CDT
The Mars Exploration Rovers challenged their ground crews with an April full of high drama, a little suspense, and a lot of energy. While Spirit lived through a kind of robot soap opera, complete with bewildering reboots and bouts of amnesia, Opportunity roved forward and back into the fast lane on a restored front wheel, slowing down for a brief visit to a series of small, intriguing craters and an unplanned close encounter with a pesky little purgatoid.
Mars Exploration Rovers Update: Spirit Breaks Rove Record, Opportunity Sees Endeavour's Distant Rim
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2009/03/31 12:00 CDT
The Mars Exploration Rovers logged a memorable March, with Spirit finally making some serious tracks and setting a new driving record for a five-wheeled rover, and Opportunity getting a first glimpse on the distant horizon of its next big attraction, Endeavour Crater as it crossed a geologic boundary into a new field of "blueberries."
Mars Exploration Rovers Update: Spirit Gains A little Power, Opportunity Loses a Little Steam
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2009/02/28 11:00 CST
Despite some struggles with terrain and technology, the Mars Exploration Rovers moved their missions forward in February, as Spirit and Opportunity pressed on toward their next major Martian attractions.
Mars Exploration Rovers Update: Spirit and Opportunity Begin Sixth Year of Exploration
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2009/01/31 11:00 CST
The Mars Exploration Rover mission crossed the finish line of another major milestone this month, marking its fifth anniversary of exploring the Red Planet. As team members celebrated and shared stories in events all around Los Angeles, Spirit and Opportunity kept on roving, bucking up under the inevitable pains of growing older. They're heading now for their next major destinations.
Mars Exploration Rovers Update: As Spirit and Opportunity Rove On, We Look Back on 2008
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2008/12/31 11:00 CST
As 2008 fades to the pages of history, Spirit and Opportunity are closing in on the end of their fifth year of exploration on the Red Planet and moving the Mars Exploration Rover mission forward into a new year of bold scientific objectives.
Mars Exploration Rovers Update: Spirit Recuperates from Dust Storm, Opportunity Hits on Santorini
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2008/11/30 11:00 CST
The Mars Exploration Rovers are nearing the end of their fifth year of exploring the Red Planet in dramatically different ways.
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