Official News page 8

REAL LIFE NEWS: THEY JUST KEEP ROVING ALONG

by Hazed

Spirit and Opportunity, the Mars rovers, have had their missions extended yet again and could now keep on going until the end of 2009. That's pretty amazing, considering that when they landed on the planet in 2004, their job was to trundle around for just three months.

Alan Stern, associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, described the rovers as "amazing machines that continue to produce amazing scientific results operating far beyond their design life." During their stay on Mars, the two rovers have expanded our understanding of the red planet beyond all expectations. Both of them have found meteorites; Opportunity has identified rocks that match the composition of chunks of Mars rock that have been found on Earth; and Spirit has taken amazing pictures of dust devils whirling across the surface of the planet. We have also seen compelling evidence that Mars had water once upon a time.

Right now, interest is focused on Opportunity which has started to descend into the Victoria Crater. Mission scientists hope the crater's walls will reveal even more secrets of the planet's past.

We just have to hope that the two rovers don't develop any technical problems that prevent them from functioning.

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