Re: How are Spirit and Opportunty able to operate for so long?

> killerclick@xxxxxxxxx wrote: 
The original mission plan was that they would last up to 90 days. I
haven't been counting but it seems they are managing to last a lot
longer than. Why is it that I can't find an explanation on the NASA
site or anywhere else?

If you left an open carton of milk in the sun for two weeks and if
after those two weeks the milk was still fresh and drinkable, you'd
have the National Enquirer, CNN and Discovery Channel all over it for
months. How is it then that if those rovers last on mars like three
times more than expected, you can get no info about it? Anybody? Come
on, conspiracy theorists? What, are there Exxon stations on Mars??


I seem to remember JPL saying they just lasted longer than they were expecting (and initially planned for).

It shows that they were designed very well! Like Pioneer and Voyager the Rovers were built well. You can be proud!

There is a book by Dr. Schuyers (sp?) out now on the Rovers. I saw copies at Barnes & Noble book store yesterday.
.

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