NASA's Mars rover Opportunity threatened by a massive dust storm

Authored by cnbc.com and submitted by thesheetztweetz

One of the biggest aerospace companies is close to building a $830 million Mars lander for NASA 6:51 PM ET Wed, 31 Jan 2018 | 01:18

With the temperature on Mars falling as low as minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit, Callas explained how Opportunity must stay warm enough to keep from freezing its computer – a fate which NASA believes befell sister rover Spirit in 2010 after getting stuck in sand. Opportunity rolls around the surface, which helps it keep warm, but won't be able to move again until the storm passes.

Callas was optimistic, however, as he thinks the rover will be able to hibernate without freezing. The dust storm brought warmer temperatures with it and the region on Mars is entering the summer season.

"It should be able to ride out this storm," he said.

The rover, about the size of a golf cart, landed on Mars on Jan. 25, 2004. The initial mission was expected to last only 90 days but has now lasted nearly 15 years.

Opportunity will remain in its "low power mode" until it can collect more solar energy, Callas said. Then it will autonomously attempt to wake up and try to re-establish communications with its human drivers on Earth.

"By no means are we out of the woods here. This storm is threatening. We have no idea how long it will last and we don't know what the environment will be like once it clears," Callas said.

BloosCorn on June 14th, 2018 at 00:56 UTC »

We're gonna land on Mars and that little guy is gonna waddle up to the astronauts like a lost puppy.

PMYourFavoriteOutfit on June 13rd, 2018 at 20:57 UTC »

This is this century's The Little Engine that Could.

thesheetztweetz on June 13rd, 2018 at 20:57 UTC »

Explanation of what’s happening, from JPL’s John Callas:

With the temperature on Mars falling as low as minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit, Callas explained how Opportunity must stay warm enough to keep from freezing its computer – a fate which NASA believes befell sister rover Spirit in 2010 after getting stuck in sand. Opportunity rolls around the surface, which helps it keep warm, but won't be able to move again until the storm passes.

Callas was optimistic, however, as he thinks the rover will be able to hibernate without freezing. The dust storm brought warmer temperatures with it and the region on Mars is entering the summer season.