The rover, which first landed on the Red Planet in 2004, was originally expected to last only 90 days. However, Opportunity and its partner rover, Spirit, which kicked it back in 2010, far exceeded that prognosis. In the 15 years it spent on Mars, Opportunity covered more than 28 miles, exploring multiple craters and taking samples that helped determine that the planet once held water. The rover was profoundly influential in shaping the ways in which scientists remotely explore other planets, highlighting the importance of having equipment that is mobile.
What happened to NASA’s Mars rover Opportunity?
Answer: It finally died.
NASA made the official announcement at a press conference Wednesday, after more than eight months trying to re-establish communication. The Opportunity rover was last heard from June 10, 2018, when a massive dust storm blocked its solar panels.
The rover, which first landed on the Red Planet in 2004, was originally expected to last only 90 days. However, Opportunity and its partner rover, Spirit, which kicked it back in 2010, far exceeded that prognosis. In the 15 years it spent on Mars, Opportunity covered more than 28 miles, exploring multiple craters and taking samples that helped determine that the planet once held water. The rover was profoundly influential in shaping the ways in which scientists remotely explore other planets, highlighting the importance of having equipment that is mobile.
The rover, which first landed on the Red Planet in 2004, was originally expected to last only 90 days. However, Opportunity and its partner rover, Spirit, which kicked it back in 2010, far exceeded that prognosis. In the 15 years it spent on Mars, Opportunity covered more than 28 miles, exploring multiple craters and taking samples that helped determine that the planet once held water. The rover was profoundly influential in shaping the ways in which scientists remotely explore other planets, highlighting the importance of having equipment that is mobile.
