Why NASA's Mars Missions Last Long After Their Expiration Dates

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Why NASA's Mars Missions Last Long After Their Expiration Dates - by John Wenz/ Space/ Moon-Mars/ PM/ popularmechanics.com

"Two words: conservative engineering.

NASA's Mars Opportunity rover was supposed to last 90 days on the red planet. That was 11 years ago, and it's still roving. The Mars Odyssey orbiter had a stated two-year mission, starting in 2002. Today it still collects data and acts as a communications hub for the rovers on the ground—and took the photos that proved near-conclusively that there's seasonal water on Mars.

It's not just that the missions last beyond their expiration dates. It's that they last for decades after, and it's not limited to Mars, either. Both Voyager probes are still kicking at the outer boundary of the solar system. Cassini was supposed to go offline seven years ago, but just keeps sending back stunning pictures of Saturn and its amazing moons. It will be retired into Saturn in 2017..."

Wikimedia Commons


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Earth to Send Final Postcard to Voyager - by Sarah Knapton/ Science Editor/ News/ Science/ The Telegraph/ telegraph.co.uk

"Scientists rush to write final brief note to alien species before spacecraft carrying information about earth leaves the solar system

When the Voyager twin spacecrafts set out in the 1970s they took with them a snapshot of life on Earth in the hope that aliens might one day happen upon the probes and gain a small glimpse into humanity.

Specially created gold records were placed on board, encoded with information about our history, geography, maths, physics, our greatest musical compositions and even the sound of someone falling in love.

Now, nearly four decades later scientists believe that enough has changed on our planet to warrant an update. They want to inform extra-terrestrials about the rise of the Internet, the doubling of Earth's population and our fears about climate change..."

One of the specially created gold records Photo: Nasa


Richard

 

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Wake Up, Oppy! NASA Sends New Commands to Mars Opportunity Rover
By Catie Keck/ Space/ Gizmodo/ gizmodo.com

"NASA’s beloved Mars rover Opportunity has been silent for months after getting swept up in an enormous dust storm on the Red Planet last summer, and NASA engineers have been pinging the rover to answer to no avail. Now, NASA says it will send new commands to the resilient explorer in hopes of making contact, even as the possibility that it will respond becomes increasingly uncertain.

These new efforts to contact the 15-year-old rover will go on for several weeks and will address three possibilities, according to an update from the space agency, namely that Opportunity is experiencing problems with its radios or internal clock. NASA called the circumstances that would have resulted in the specific problems it’s addressing “unlikely,” but Opportunity’s team hasn’t lost hope yet......"

An artist’s concept portrays a NASA Mars Exploration Rover on the surface of Mars.
Illustration: NASA/JPL/Cornell University



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