Death of a Titan

[reimk4526]

NASA has announced that that are abandoning the attempt to free Spirit. Spirit is destined to remain stuck, not a fitting end for such a titan of expiration.

 

[MeteorWayne]

First of all, it's not dead, it just probably will never leave it's current location. Recall that it's lasted 5 years instead of the 90 days it was designed for already.

There's a thread in Missions and Launches on Spirit with more details on the announcement today, including potential science going forward.

 

[CalliArcale]

First of all, it's not dead, it just probably will never leave it's current location. Recall that it's lasted 5 years instead of the 90 days it was designed for already.

Actually, it just celebrated the 6th anniversary (Earth time) of its landing! It's closing in on the record for Mars surface operations, currently held by Viking 1. It just has to make it another 100 days or so, which means if it makes it through winter, it's probably gonna do it.

And what makes that extra special cool is that Viking 1 was actually *nuclear* powered and consequently didn't need to worry about waning sunlight or even nighttime. Spirit is awesome, and while it won't be truckin' any more, it will keep doing valuable science for a good while yet.

 

[OleNewt]

Spirit is destined to remain stuck, not a fitting end for such a titan of expiration.

Nice typo. :lol:

Strangely enough, though, in either his Mars or Return to Mars book Ben Bova described a stuck Spirit (or perhaps it was Opportunity) rover that the mission stumbled across. Talk about life imitating art!

 

[menellom]

XKCD remembers Spirit in what may be one of the most depressing ****ing strips I've ever read.

I might seriously cry... I need to go hug a machine, make it feel useful. Where's my toaster?

 

[CalliArcale]

That's exactly how I felt. And on the day after the Challenger anniversary, to read that.....

XKCD is a surprisingly emotional strip. It gets at deep sentiments that we often try to ignore.

 

[menellom]

I'm calling for an immediate rescue mission of Spirit!

The Opportunity rover is about 9800 km away - if it changed course now and headed straight for Spirit, it could be there in a few months. NASA could then coordinate the two rovers in a rescue attempt.

 

[CalliArcale]

I'm not sure -- is that a joke?

In case you are serious, that would not be possible. Forgiving for a moment that there is very little Opportunity could do to help Spirit (it might try levering it out, but as Spirit lost yet another wheel, it's not in good roving shape anymore anyway), 9800 km is a long way. Opportunity travels a couple of meters on a really good day, and doesn't spend every day moving -- it stops to do science. It could not travel 9800 km in its entire lifespan, never mind a couple of months. Spirit is completely beyond its reach.

 

[Astro_Robert]

Thanks for posting the strip.

Part of me got a really good laugh out of it, but part of me was sad for the little rover that could.

 

[robnissen]

I'm not sure -- is that a joke?

In case you are serious, that would not be possible. Forgiving for a moment that there is very little Opportunity could do to help Spirit (it might try levering it out, but as Spirit lost yet another wheel, it's not in good roving shape anymore anyway), 9800 km is a long way. Opportunity travels a couple of meters on a really good day, and doesn't spend every day moving -- it stops to do science. It could not travel 9800 km in its entire lifespan, never mind a couple of months. Spirit is completely beyond its reach.

I'm sure its not a joke. Its highly doable. Oppy has done as much as 100 meters in a day.** So it would only take OPPY about 268 earth years (98,000 / 365) for the calvary (in the form of Oppy) to come charging to the rescue of the fair maiden Spirit. I can hardly wait for 2278 when Spirit once again becomes MOBILE!!

** Actually maybe it was 100 feet. In that case, we just will have to wait until about 2800 for the rescue to occur. Well worth the wait.

 

[menellom]

I think I must've had a brainfart or something. I was thinking meters, not kilometers.

Anyways, I'm sad to see Spirit stuck after all these years.

 

[SpaceTas]

I had an even more depressing thought: the Spirit and Opportunity missions will be killed rather than die. The NASA admin logic will be that they need the money saved to help fund the over-budget MSL rover. I've seen this before.

So the last panel of the cartoon: would read "You want me to kill myself .... sigh"