Four years into a mission to explore the surface of Mars, one of NASA’s twin rovers, Opportunity, is about to set out for a giant crater about 7 miles away, a trek that is expected to take two years.
Originally expected to survive a few months on the harsh surface of the Red Planet, Opportunity and its twin, Spirit, are still chalking up discoveries, even though both have suffered wear and tear.
Spirit has a gimpy wheel, while a balky shoulder motor on Opportunity requires it to roll along with its robotic arm extended in a constant salute.
To reach the new crater, called Endeavour, Opportunity must drive about 7 miles south from Victoria crater, where it has spent two years exploring. Seven miles may not seem like a long way, but that would match the total mileage Opportunity has driven since landing on Mars in January 2004.
“We may not get there, but it is scientifically the right direction to go anyway,” said Steve Squyres of Cornell University, the chief scientist for the science instruments on the rovers. Los Angeles Times
