3000 Days on Mars - 5 Achievements of the Curiosity rOVER

[pillarsofcreation]

 

[Helio]

The original rovers (Spirit and Opportunity) had an expected life of just 90 days. The 2-year estimate for Curiosity likely came as a result of their success.

The dust storms were the expected death blows to the rovers as the solar panels would get covered in dust. But, fortuitously, dust devils would come along and clean them, though I am going on memory. Is this correct?

 

[pillarsofcreation]

The original rovers (Spirit and Opportunity) had an expected life of just 90 days. The 2-year estimate for Curiosity likely came as a result of their success.

The dust storms were the expected death blows to the rovers as the solar panels would get covered in dust. But, fortuitously, dust devils would come along and clean them, though I am going on memory. Is this correct?

Yeah correct, the two year estimate was actually one Martian year, so pretty close. Obviously, its well passed that milestone.

Yeah you are correct! Here is an article all the way back from 2005 - https://astronomy.com/news/2005/03/mars-dust-devil-whisks-spirit-clean

 

[Helio]

Yeah you are correct! Here is an article all the way back from 2005 - https://astronomy.com/news/2005/03/mars-dust-devil-whisks-spirit-clean

Thanks for hunting and bagging that article. It's easy to remember the peculiar and more serendipitious science results.

 

[pillarsofcreation]

Thanks for hunting and bagging that article. It's easy to remember the peculiar and more serendipitious science results.

Blast from the past