News


Mars Rovers refuse to accept expiry date

27 June 2007 News

Spirit and Opportunity are still surveying the Martian surface, over 1100 sols (Martian days) after their initial 90 day mission was officially completed. Both Rovers are still collecting sample data and photographs of the red planet with no end in sight for the extended mission.

Spirit landed on Mars on 3 January 2004 with Opportunity landing only three weeks later on the opposite side of the planet. This initial mission was set to last just 90 days. June marks over one 1100 days since the end of that first mission - when the Rovers were expected to expire.

The two mobile robots, running on Wind River's mission-critical VxWorks realtime operating system (RTOS), have roamed Mars in search of signs that it once supported liquid water on the surface. Indicators of water on the Martian surface would mean that it may have once supported life. Any water found could also be used to manufacture rocket fuel on Mars.

The Rovers have now endured two harsh Martian winters, when lack of sunlight forces both machines into a hibernation phase. The mission has now been extended four times because of the indomitable resilience of the two robots. This has allowed the Rovers to delve much deeper into the history of the Martian landscape and environment than engineers had originally planned.

Spirit and Opportunity have identical suites of five scientific instruments: a panoramic camera and a microscopic imager provided by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratories; a miniature thermal emission spectrometer from Arizona State University; an alpha particle X-ray spectrometer from Max Planck Institute for Chemistry and a Moessbauer spectrometer from the Johannes Gutenberg University in Germany.

These are augmented by a rock abrasion tool for removing the weathered surfaces of rocks to expose fresh interiors for examination. The payload also includes magnetic targets provided by the Niels Bohr Institute in Denmark to catch samples of Martian dust for examination. The spectrometers, microscopic imager and abrasion tool share a turret at the end of a robotic arm.

The series of Mars Rover missions has not been completely problem-free. Spirit has driven 7 kilometres on the Martian surface, 11 times the goal set as part of a successful initial mission. At one point one of its six wheels had developed a malfunction. However, controllers were able to drive Spirit with only five fully-functioning wheels.

Mike Deliman, Wind River's engineering specialist on the Mars Rover project, explains: "Mission critical systems need to be flexible to accommodate any hardware that has to run off the device and continue to work under changing conditions. It is robust enough that Spirit continues to function with only five wheels - long after its initial mission was completed."

For more information contact Andrew Palmer, Embedded Industrial Solutions, +27 (0)12 547 6071, [email protected], www.eisol.co.za



Credit(s)



Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page

Further reading:

From the editor's desk: AI – a double-edged sword
Technews Publishing News
As with any powerful tool, AI presents challenges, some of which, if not carefully managed, threaten to undo the potential that it can offer.

Read more...
Global semiconductor sales increase
News
The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) has announced global semiconductor sales were $57,0 billion during the month of April 2025, an increase of 2,5% compared to the March 2025.

Read more...
Avnet Abacus announced new president
Avnet Abacus News
Avnet Abacus has announced that Mario Merino will succeed Rudy Van Parijs as president of Avnet Abacus, effective 1 July 2025.

Read more...
Avnet Abacus wins multiple prestigious awards
Avnet Abacus News
The awards from Molex recognise outstanding performance, collaboration, and significant growth in the challenging market conditions of 2024.

Read more...
Components distribution slowdown Q1 2025
News
European components distribution (DMASS) experienced a continued slowdown in the first quarter 2025.

Read more...
Semiconductor sales increase 17% YoY
News
The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) recently announced global semiconductor sales were $54,9 billion during the month of February 2025, an increase of 17,1% compared to the February 2024 total.

Read more...
Silicon Labs – Q1 results
News
Silicon Labs, a leading innovator in low-power wireless, recently reported financial results for the first quarter, which ended April 5, 2025.

Read more...
Strengthening industry through strategic partnerships at KITE 2025
Specialised Exhibitions News
The KwaZulu-Natal Industrial Technology Exhibition is not just an exhibition, it is a powerhouse of industry collaboration where visitors and exhibitors gain access to authoritative insights, technical expertise, and high-impact networking opportunities.

Read more...
Solar Youth Project calls on industry to step up
News
With the second cohort completed training and the first cohort returning for their final module, host companies are urgently needed to turn the training into a long-term opportunity.

Read more...
Conlog powers SA’s future with national smart meter rollout
News
Conlog recently secured the RT29-2024 contract from National Treasury, which is seen to be a major milestone towards modernising SA’s utility infrastructure.

Read more...









While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.




© Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd | All Rights Reserved