Mars Rover Missions Extended Again
Posted on: Thursday, 23 September 2004, 06:00 CDT
NASA has decided to fund the missions of the Spirit and Opportunity rovers on Mars for an additional six months -- as long as the craft continue to operate.
The twin rovers recently resumed contact with Earth after a period when Mars passed behind the sun, NASA officials said Thursday. Both completed their primary, three-month missions successfully on the Martian surface last April and already have added about five months of additional exploration.
Spirit and Opportunity appear ready to continue their remarkable adventures, said Andrew Dantzler, director of NASA's solar system division. We're taking advantage of that good news by adding more support for the teamwork here on Earth that's necessary for operating the rovers.
Neither robotic craft rolled over the Martian surface during a 12-day period this month, because the sun's position blocked radio communications between the rovers and mission headquarters at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Controllers restarted daily planning and commanding of rover activities Monday for Opportunity and Thursday for Spirit.
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