Sep 7 2007
From The Space Library
NASA announced that its solar-powered Mars rover duo, Spirit and Opportunity, had survived severe dust storms and were ready to continue their mission. Spirit had awakened and, on 5 September, had climbed onto a plateau of layered bedrock, its long-term destination. On the plateau, known as Home Plate, Spirit would examine clues about an explosive mixture of lava and water. Meanwhile, Opportunity had begun preparing for its descent into Victoria Crater, where it would examine an exposed layer of bright rocks. The rocks might provide preserved evidence of an ancient interaction between the Martian atmosphere and surface. Dust storms in July had delayed Opportunity’s scheduled descent into the crater, blocking significant amounts of sunlight and causing researchers to become concerned that the rovers’ daily energy supplies might plunge too low for recovery.
NASA, “Mars Rovers Survive Severe Dust Storms, Ready for Next Objectives,” news release 07-187, 7 September 2007, http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2007/sep/HQ_07187_Mars_Rovers.html (accessed 4 August 2010).
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