Opportunity on the Move Again
Mars Rover Opportunity Trekking Toward More Layers, NASA
“Approaching its 10th anniversary of leaving Earth, NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity is on the move again, trekking to a new study area still many weeks away.
The destination, called “Solander Point,” offers Opportunity access to a much taller stack of geological layering than the area where the rover has worked for the past 20 months, called “Cape York.” Both areas are raised segments of the western rim of Endeavour Crater, which is about 14 miles (22 kilometers) in diameter.
“Getting to Solander Point will be like walking up to a road cut where you see a cross section of the rock layers,” said Ray Arvidson of Washington University, St. Louis, deputy principal investigator for the mission.”
The MER Opportunity is the probe that just keeps rolling and just keeps delivering, even though it is currently at something like 20 times its predicted operational lifespan. They really are going to have to work out who at JPL did what so very, very right.
Or, if you were cynical, ask who spent more than they needed to. Personally, I’m pleased to see this fantastic example of engineering excellence still charting new territory..
“Damn it, John, I told you a hundred microns was enough! But no you had to have ten microns. Sheesh, damn thing’s still going. You better not be this wasteful on your next project.”
What’s worrying is that I can see some in authority regarding this as a negative thing. A mission lasting far longer than expected and thus bringing extra mission operations costs that could be better spent on new execution-proof vanity projects back on Earth.