http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/space/01/02/mars.rovers.ap/index.html Pretty impressive that these rovers are still plugging along on MARS.
Significantly, the rover has determined that the Intelligent Designer created Mars no more than 5,000 years ago.
Well ID did, after all we are a product of the ID so wouldn't anything we design be a design of the ID as well? It is pretty impressive that these rovers are still going.
Bush says we'll be sending 6 men to Mars by 2030. In related news, the names of these 6 men are, .................
I bought DVD EYES ON MARS but cannot remember who design it. I think. I will watch it and come back for answer in a while.
This is a funny thread, but what is the real life expectancy of these rovers? The biggest thing that has kept them going is that NASA decided to fund their support longer than 3 months. Is this a case of managing our expectations? (BTW - kudos to the engineers anyway)
If I recall correctly, there was something said about the solar panels functioning more efficiently than had been calculated, providing the additional power.
They thought that the solar panels would become covered in dust and so the rovers would power down. Helpfully the winds on mars regularly blow this dust off and let rovers plod along somemore.
SPACE 2006: Clock Ticks for Shuttle's Return Private space companies start competing for cheaper tickets to the Moon From DVD Wheels on Mars Images, aninations and predictive simulations: NASA,ESA, Maas Digital, JPL, Cornell University, Malin Space Systems, Dana Berry / SkyWorks Digital compile information. That second artilce has alot of information. $100 million dollars to fly to moon and back. Russia makes. Its move.
While part of it is managing expectations (if you say the rover will work for 3 months and it works for 6 that's great, if you sday 6 months anbd it works for 3, some Congressman conplains), I doubt any of the designers thought 2 years!
I just watch The Science Channel and year task in 2007. A new Mars vehicle, Phenix/Phoenix. Both names might be correct. It will land in Polar Ice Caps and study for some type of salty rock maybe limestone. This could indicate. Clues has to how much water Mars once had on surface. Its decent will be different than the bouncing balls. It will rocket down for touch down and in 2009 Mars Science Labrotory (MSL) will land. It will drill and take samples. With more sufferance in equipment. It will rocket down to 30 ft. and lower vehicle by rope. This is subject to change/confuse.