Mars rovers showing signs of age

calidan · Dec 6, 2005, 03:50 AM

SAN FRANCISCO--The Mars rovers continue to chug along, but how long they will last is anyone's guess.

The two robotic vehicles , Spirit and Opportunity, roving the red planet have lasted more than 22 months, far longer than anyone anticipated, said scientists and program managers from the Mars rover program speaking at the American Geophysical Union, an annual conference of earth scientists taking place here this week.

Nonetheless, signs of fatigue are beginning to show. Around 10 days ago, the mechanical arm on Opportunity stopped moving. The problem, the rover teams believe, lies with the shoulder joint of the arm. If they can get the elbow of the arm out of the T-shaped housing where the arm rests, the arm can still collect samples.

"If it has failed, it will be a significant hit. It is the contact arm of the mission," said John Callas, deputy project manager for the NASA Mars Exploration Rovers project.

One of the steering actuators has also blown on Opportunity, but it can still be driven.

Spirit, which has roamed Mars for 684 days, is faring better, Callas said. The only complication right now is with the rock abrasion tool. It has worn out. Made to only take three samples, Spirit has conducted 15 rock scrapings.

Other components, however, could blow. The mission was supposed to last only 90 days, and most of the components were stress-tested for a lifetime of 270 days. With temperatures that can swing 100 degrees Celsius in a day, Mars is a tough environment for electrical components.

"We drive it every day as if there were no tomorrow," said Stephen Squyres, a Cornell University professor and the principal investigator on the rover project.

____________
Read More / Source: News.com

Dec 6, 2005, 03:50 AM	#1
calidan Frozen in Carbonite Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 1,409 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	Mars rovers showing signs of age SAN FRANCISCO--The Mars rovers continue to chug along, but how long they will last is anyone's guess. The two robotic vehicles , Spirit and Opportunity, roving the red planet have lasted more than 22 months, far longer than anyone anticipated, said scientists and program managers from the Mars rover program speaking at the American Geophysical Union, an annual conference of earth scientists taking place here this week. Nonetheless, signs of fatigue are beginning to show. Around 10 days ago, the mechanical arm on Opportunity stopped moving. The problem, the rover teams believe, lies with the shoulder joint of the arm. If they can get the elbow of the arm out of the T-shaped housing where the arm rests, the arm can still collect samples. "If it has failed, it will be a significant hit. It is the contact arm of the mission," said John Callas, deputy project manager for the NASA Mars Exploration Rovers project. One of the steering actuators has also blown on Opportunity, but it can still be driven. Spirit, which has roamed Mars for 684 days, is faring better, Callas said. The only complication right now is with the rock abrasion tool. It has worn out. Made to only take three samples, Spirit has conducted 15 rock scrapings. Other components, however, could blow. The mission was supposed to last only 90 days, and most of the components were stress-tested for a lifetime of 270 days. With temperatures that can swing 100 degrees Celsius in a day, Mars is a tough environment for electrical components. "We drive it every day as if there were no tomorrow," said Stephen Squyres, a Cornell University professor and the principal investigator on the rover project. ____________ Read More / Source: News.com __________________ Steam Community :: ID :: calidan "Don't try to be like Jackie. There is only one Jackie.... Study computers instead." - Jackie Chan