# End of an era: Mars rover Opportunity dead after 15 years



## qubit (Feb 13, 2019)

Nasa declared the 15-year mission of the veteran Mars rover Opportunity finally over on Wednesday, crediting the robot as having “transformed our understanding of our planet”.

The golf buggy-sized vehicle last made contact with Earth eight months ago, after being caught in a global dust storm.

Announcing the mission’s end, Thomas Zurbuchen, the associate administrator of the Science Mission Directorate at Nasa, said the rover had “remained silent” after a last-ditch effort to contact Opportunity on Tuesday.

Despite the loss, the mood at the press conference at Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, was one of celebration on Wednesday.

Shame, but nothing lasts forever, especially not in the extreme environment of Mars. Great mission and all who were involved with it should feel proud.

https://www.theguardian.com/science...pt-to-communicate-with-mars-rover-opportunity


----------



## rtwjunkie (Feb 13, 2019)

So sad.  It far outlived it’s expected life and has given us a ton of knowledge!


----------



## the54thvoid (Feb 13, 2019)

NASA frankly wins. I hugely admire what they do and the devotion the scientists have. Makes you proud to be America... oh crap. I'm a Brit and our space program is doomed in about one month... sad face. 

Our next planetary mission is a couple of burgers at Planet Hollywood.


----------



## Wavetrex (Feb 13, 2019)

When something lasts almost 60 times more than what was designed for, you just take your hat off and never put it back on.

Imagine if a smartphone would last 60 times more than the typical maximum 3 to 5 years of use...


----------



## sneekypeet (Feb 13, 2019)

Next time they need more horse power! I saw another article on social media where they said it traveled around 28 miles in that time.

Not taking away from the effort or results, but such a small amount of travel is but a drop in the bucket.

HUGE image of the path can be found on this site...
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive...Nnkz6B_HxoMa5dAu7Q218JsAbKOR2lbFyL-FMlwDu6Rfk


----------



## qubit (Feb 13, 2019)

sneekypeet said:


> Next time they need more horse power! I saw another article on social media where they said it traveled around 28 miles in that time.
> 
> Not taking away from the effort or results, but such a small amount of travel is but a drop int he bucket.
> 
> ...


Yeah, I was surprised when I saw that a while back.

These things move at an absolute _snail's_ pace. I mean seriously, you couldn't walk that slow. And despite that extreme caution, they can still get themselves in trouble. I reckon better AI in the future will help with performance and staying out of trouble. What we might find obvious, the AI may not be able to handle at all.


----------



## sneekypeet (Feb 13, 2019)

qubit said:


> These things move at an absolute _snail's_ pace.



I guess, if you have to turn 14 minutes ahead of time, even a whole MPH would cause a ton more problems...lol


----------



## Deleted member 67555 (Feb 13, 2019)

sneekypeet said:


> Next time they need more horse power! I saw another article on social media where they said it traveled around 28 miles in that time.
> 
> Not taking away from the effort or results, but such a small amount of travel is but a drop int he bucket.
> 
> ...


28 miles of rugged crators...but yeah right.


----------



## FreedomEclipse (Feb 13, 2019)

Now it can keep the three Russian Doggos Dezik, Tsygan, and Lisa company in the depths of space.


----------



## sneekypeet (Feb 13, 2019)

Just a random thought....

Any bets as to if Musk says he will go and get it?


----------



## Flyordie (Feb 14, 2019)

sneekypeet said:


> Just a random thought....
> 
> Any bets as to if Musk says he will go and get it?




I hate the fact NASA calls the rover dead.  Its not dead that we KNOW of.  In 6 months a wind storm could brush its solar panels off and it could re-awaken and phone home as its programmed to do.  As long as the MRO is up there, NASA/DSN will hear its call.  There is also a possibility of another rover being landed near enough to it..  give its arm a small brush and brush them damn panels off. lol.


----------



## R-T-B (Feb 14, 2019)

Flyordie said:


> I hate the fact NASA calls the rover dead.  Its not dead that we KNOW of.  In 6 months a wind storm could brush its solar panels off and it could re-awaken and phone home as its programmed to do.  As long as the MRO is up there, NASA/DSN will hear its call.  There is also a possibility of another rover being landed near enough to it..  give its arm a small brush and brush them damn panels off. lol.



I agree.  It would be more appropriate to say it's "mission has been a success," which given it was only supposed to last 90 days, damn right it has been!


----------



## Boatvan (Feb 14, 2019)

I don't know much about this type of thing, but I heard the last message received from Opportunity was basically "My battery is low and it is getting dark". That hit me right in the feels. In all seriousness I think the mission lasting as long as it did was a success in itself.


----------



## Nuckles56 (Feb 14, 2019)

The problem is that most likely the batteries are now cactus as the batteries were heated by two different methods, power from the batteries themselves powering electric heaters and a small RTG (Radioisotope thermal generator) to function the whole time, when the RTGs were new, they'd be enough but they have decayed too much to key the batteries warm enough on their own.


----------



## OneMoar (Feb 14, 2019)

nasa may attempt to periodically wake the rover again if we get anouther dust storm

the mission is over yea

the batteries are fine they won't work well enough todo useful work without the heaters but if the rover gets light again at some point there should be enough power to restart the systems after which we will see what comes back online if anything

you don't just abandon equipment on a anouther planet without checking every so often to see if something has changed


----------



## rtwjunkie (Feb 14, 2019)

sneekypeet said:


> Just a random thought....
> 
> Any bets as to if Musk says he will go and get it?


I say no. Musk has said his Mars missions aren’t round trip. The will be one way colonization missions.  I don’t think his holdings can get spread any further.


----------



## GoldenX (Feb 14, 2019)

FreedomEclipse said:


> Now it can keep the three Russian Doggos Dezik, Tsygan, and Lisa company in the depths of space.


Isn't one of them Kudryavka?


----------



## remixedcat (Feb 14, 2019)

so sad about this  good doggo doe. yah did good son!


----------



## Jetster (Feb 14, 2019)

I wonder what processor it had  15 years that's like single core era or Pentium D


----------



## qubit (Feb 14, 2019)

Jetster said:


> I wonder what processor it had  15 years that's like single core era or Pentium D


Indeed, it's easy to forget how far technology has come since this probe was designed.


----------



## E-Bear (Feb 14, 2019)

Wavetrex said:


> When something lasts almost 60 times more than what was designed for, you just take your hat off and never put it back on.
> 
> Imagine if a smartphone would last 60 times more than the typical maximum 3 to 5 years of use...



That's how things were made back then that's why you have machines and appliances for the past two centuries still working.


----------



## FordGT90Concept (Feb 14, 2019)

sneekypeet said:


> Next time they need more horse power! I saw another article on social media where they said it traveled around 28 miles in that time.
> 
> Not taking away from the effort or results, but such a small amount of travel is but a drop in the bucket.
> 
> ...


The problem isn't power, it's panic.  The computers in it can only do so much to pilot it.  If it runs into an obstacle it can't figure out a solution for, it sends a message to JPL with footage of the obstacle, NASA then has to give it instructions on how to proceed.  All operations were tested on an identical rover here on Earth before they were sent to the rover.  That process, if memory serves, took about a day.  I think there were three teams working around the clock on it and their schedules were synchronized to the satellites that communicate with it (~25 hour days if memory serves).  

Some day, the rover may end up in a museum.  Someone will eventually mount a rescue mission.


----------



## qubit (Feb 14, 2019)

FordGT90Concept said:


> For all we know, it could have fallen into a crevasse and lost communication. It could still be operational...just waiting for instructions again. They know that but there's nothing that can be done about it at this point. Some day, the rover may end up in a museum. Someone will eventually mount a rescue mission.


Aww shucks, they just need to send a mechanic to fix it. I've got a mate who's up for it. 

But seriously, with the improvement in hardware and software since this was designed, I'd hope that a modern equivalent rover would be able to handle more difficult problems and also move faster.


----------



## FordGT90Concept (Feb 14, 2019)

It ran on solar panels and lithium-ion batteries.  Solar panels were likely covered in dust and the lithium-ion batteries are 3-5 years beyond their service life (hopefully they didn't explode while it hibernated).  So yes, it desperately needs maintenance.  Assuming the batteries didn't explode, it likely just needs them replaced and the solar panels cleaned.  The more time that passes though, the worse shape it will be in...


Here is Mars rovers' Earthborn twins (left to right: Spirit/Opportunity, Sojourner, Curiosity):
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/spaceimages/details.php?id=PIA15280






Where it presumably sits (end of the trail):






Curiosity lost contact yesterday due to storm.  It's got an RTG power source though so doesn't need the sun at all.  It'll probably report back in when the storm clears.


----------



## blobster21 (Feb 14, 2019)

> I'd hope that a modern equivalent rover would be able to handle more difficult problems and also move faster.



Something like Boston Dynamics doggy to cover more distance ?


----------



## arnold_al_qadr (Feb 14, 2019)

slightly oot, but I really hope we have come contact with aliens before I die..


----------



## FordGT90Concept (Feb 14, 2019)

blobster21 said:


> Something like Boston Dynamics doggy to cover more distance ?


Was literally thinking the same thing.  Send a robot to fix the other robot...

But not likely because Curiosity...


----------



## qubit (Feb 14, 2019)

blobster21 said:


> Something like Boston Dynamics doggy to cover more distance ?


Yeah, quite possibly. Creepy as hell. Love it.


----------



## blobster21 (Feb 14, 2019)

> But not likely because Curiosity...



...killed the doggy


----------



## bug (Feb 14, 2019)

It is assumed it's not dead, but that the storm has covered its solar panels so it can't fuel itself anymore. Though it's possible the storm did other damage as well.


----------



## Wavetrex (Feb 14, 2019)

blobster21 said:


> Something like Boston Dynamics doggy to cover more distance ?


Not sure if you know, but that robot is powered by an ICE (gasoline engine).

It requires quite a lot of mechanical effort to move and jump, and it gets all it's power from converting torque of the ICE, via multiple specialized automatic transmissions. It's literally a car with legs.
(Also why it's so noisy in operation).


----------



## Bones (Feb 14, 2019)

I guess when NASA finally lands guys on Mars they'll make sure they pop over to the one that got dusted and hit it with a swiffer to restart it. 

See - Good as new. 
It's amazing that a machine only designed to last just 90 days stretched that out into years but again NASA is known for over-engineering things to make sure it works at all. 

I mean look at the Voyager probes. 
One is still functioning to this day, abelit very limitedly but still works. If there was a way to "Refuel" it, could probrably go another 40 years or so and the other one probrably could too.


----------



## FordGT90Concept (Feb 15, 2019)

Lithium-ion batteries can only handle upwards of 4000 charge cycles.  It was on 4831.

Voyager probes use an RTG like Curiosity does.  They are expected to not produce enough power to run instruments around 2025 which is when the program will be canceled.


----------



## Boatvan (Feb 15, 2019)

I almost cried when I saw this. Sorry in advance...


----------



## Divide Overflow (Feb 15, 2019)

Opportunity died a noble death.
How amazing this sturdy little rover kept on chugging is only eclipsed by the data it provided.


----------



## Lorec (Feb 15, 2019)

Boatvan said:


> I almost cried when I saw this. Sorry in advance...


I did shed a small tear whilst double checking data in my office.


----------



## Solaris17 (Feb 15, 2019)

qubit said:


> Indeed, it's easy to forget how far technology has come since this probe was designed.



Not to mention its probably running some radiation hardened 400mhz RISC CPU. Alot of people forget we are ultra far away from startrek because they dont send our tech into space.


----------



## OneMoar (Feb 15, 2019)

Solaris17 said:


> Not to mention its probably running some radiation hardened 400mhz RISC CPU. Alot of people forget we are ultra far away from startrek because they dont send our tech into space.


try more like 20mhz

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_RAD6000


----------



## FordGT90Concept (Feb 15, 2019)

For giggles, Voyager computers don't even have a clock chip to give it a frequency...
https://web.archive.org/web/20110721050617/http://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/faq.html


> There are three different computer types on the Voyager spacecraft and there are two of each kind. Total number of words among the six computers is about 32K.
> 
> Computer Command System (CCS) - 18-bit word, interrupt type processors (2) with 4096 words each of plated wire, non-volatile memory.
> 
> ...



Curiosity has a newer RAD750 which is clocked between 110-200 MHz.


----------

