quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
One day- sometime in the next two decades, I imagine- the rover will be recovered, bought back to Earth and put into a museum. It's not "goodbye". It's "see ya later".

Hoping the Chinese don’t beat us to it.

My name is one of many scribed onto a plaque secured to Opportunity, I had a certificate around here somewhere proclaiming that.

quote:

Originally posted by arfmel:
Guess it has a selfie stick

I think it's this guy:

No to take anything away from NASA, but wasn't it built by Boeing?

quote:

Originally posted by Strambo:
It boggles my mind that something like that could last and be operational for 15 years!

How about Voyager 2, launched in 1977 and flying around in deep space still taking pictures.

I still kind of remember when Spirit went. I actually got a tad choked up then, and got a tad choked up again when I read about this today.

quote:

Originally posted by GWbiker:

quote:

Originally posted by Strambo:
It boggles my mind that something like that could last and be operational for 15 years!

How about Voyager 2, launched in 1977 and flying around in deep space still taking pictures.

Pretty sure that came back in a Star Trek movie. Or will come back...hmmm not sure which is correct...

All these fantastic space accomplishments and Dish Network still can't send me a TV image when it rains out!
I do hope, in the future, we see a image of an American Astronaut cradling the Rover in there arms,and bring it back to Earth.
I could not take a image of a Chinese Astronaut drop kicking it.

quote:

Originally posted by smlsig:
Say what you will about NASA but they accomplish some amazing engineering feats.

Actually NASA doesn’t really build anything. It’s their contractors that do all the work. I was part of the Boeing Delta II team that built the rockets for opportunity and spirit back in 2002.

NASA gets all the credit but doesn’t do any of the work and yes, I tell this too my friends that work at NASA.

Is that the one the guy in The Martian used to communicate back to Earth that he was still alive?

It landed January 24, 2004...Let's see, the 15 year warranty just expired - sorry sir, nothing we can do to help you.

*Me, whenever I have a warranty on something**

quote:

Originally posted by Hound Dog:

Something in my eye I swear.

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
Is that the one the guy in The Martian used to communicate back to Earth that he was still alive?

That was Pathfinder. Sojourner was the name of the actual wheeled rover.

quote:

Originally posted by Rob Decker:
Something in my eye I swear.

Oh, come on.

It's a box on wheels. Do you shed tears for satellites which burn up in the atmosphere? Discarded booster rockets?

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:

quote:

Originally posted by Rob Decker:
Something in my eye I swear.

Oh, come on.

It's a box on wheels. Do you shed tears for satellites which burn up in the atmosphere? Discarded booster rockets?

Well, I do, on occasion, find myself thinking wistfully of Telstar. Heck, it even had its own song on the ‘ol Dumont.

“My Instructor was Dr. Langley, and he taught me to sing a song. Would you like to hear it? Its called Daisy Bell.”
“Daisy,...... Daisy,
Give...me...your... answer... do....”

It's not dead. It's just lying in wait for Skynet to become self aware.

https://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/m...KtjJ2HvZn4l6CnwODqII

Mighty V'ger scoffs at Opportunity from beyond the solar system. Know all that is knowable. Learn all that is learnable...

But seriously, more than 40 years operational. 11 BILLION miles traveled. Moving at 34,000 mph. We got our money's worth out of those probes.