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As a planet-wide dust storm enveloped Mars, many were concerned about the fate of the Opportunity rover. After all, Opportunity is dependent on solar panels; the opacity of the dust storm meant that she wasn't getting enough light to stay powered. The team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory last heard from Opportunity on June 10th. Now, the storm is lifting, and once its opacity reaches a tau level of 1.5, the little rover will have 45 days to respond to the team's signals. Otherwise, NASA will stop actively listening for the rover.
a reply to: SorrowSong
Im with you on her surviving the storm. Crazy its been 13 years! unbelievable!
originally posted by: firerescue
a reply to: SorrowSong
Im with you on her surviving the storm. Crazy its been 13 years! unbelievable!
NASA Voyager probes are still going strong after more than 40 years Both are several billion miles from earth heading into interstellar space
The radio isotope power generators are estimated to be good for another 15 years before the power output falls below
level needed to run instruments and transmitter
what do you want them to do? Blame it on the incoming Decepticon invasion?
originally posted by: LightSpeedDriver
Over 9000 trazillion dollars and
"Yep, it's all over folks! Nothing more to see here, move along please. Dust storm, move along...thank you."
How very convenient.
originally posted by: LookingAtMars
a reply to: SorrowSong
It would be hard to do and I am pretty sure it is all encrypted now. There are so many instruments at Mars now sending data back you wouldn't know what craft you were picking up.
I think if they end giving up on her then they should give some amateur astronomers the encryption key. So just in case she does respond, say in a few more months, then at least someone will be listening.
Looks like NASA is only going to give Oppy 45 days to make contact after the dust storm clears.