Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity Update
NASA to Host June 7 Mars Rover Opportunity Teleconference, NASA
NASA will hold a media teleconference at 9 a.m. PDT (noon EDT) on Friday, June 7, to provide an update about the long-lived Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity. The 10th anniversary of this rover’s launch is next month.
The briefing participants will be:
— John Callas, project manager for Opportunity, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
— Steve Squyres, principal investigator for Opportunity, Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y.
— Ray Arvidson, deputy principal investigator, Washington University, St. Louis, Mo.
Tough isn’t a good enough description, for this superb off-world off-roader!!
Its sister, Spirit, is still in deep slumber; probably half buried by now, too. I understand NASA’s still trying to send signals to it, without luck — although the techno-romantic in me would hope they’ll get a ‘good morning’ response back someday.
Ten years out of a rover designed for 90 days is impressive to say the least. And Steve Squires has done an excellent job of brining a sense of presence to the public that does not seem to depend on whether our avatars on Mars are human or robotic.