In 2004 the United States sent twin rovers, Spirit and
Opportunity, to Mars on a 90 day mission to discover if water ever existed on
the red planet. Soon after their arrival, Spirit and Opportunity parted ways to
explore opposite ends of Mars and gather all the data possible about the
landscape, rocks, and soil. A wealth of photographs and important information
began to flood into NASA. An ancient volcano was discovered and, beneath a
layer of red dust, silica. Silica is an extremely important find because it
indicates there was once hot springs of salty, sulfuric water made acidic by
volcanic eruptions. Though most likely alive with microbes in the beginning, it
did not have the necessary elements to support a higher evolutionary climb.
Expecting only 90 days to gather data, the scientists worked as quickly as
possible to learn all they could. They felt the solar panels on the rovers
would cover with dust and block them from recharging from sunlight. Turns out,
there is wind on Mars and the wind swept away the dusty layer on the panels.
In 2010 Spirit faltered and went silent. The scientist
tried to revive her, but turned to Opportunity when they could not get Spirit
to wake up. Well, Opportunity turned out to be quite a champion. He worked and
worked and worked over the years and the scientific community began to think he
would never die as they collected the invaluable information from the
mechanical little soldier.
Then, in June 2018 a global dust storm overtook the
planet and rover Opportunity was buried under the dust. Still, scientists hoped
he would revive so they waited and waited for a recovery. Opportunity never
replied to any of their commands after that.
At the
end of the night on Tuesday Dr. Callas phoned operators of a radio dish in
Australia, part of the network that NASA uses to communicate with its
interplanetary voyagers.
He
thanked them for 15 years of work with Spirit and Opportunity, and said he was
now signing off.
“There
had been a lot of talking and laughing and whatnot between crying and
hugging,” Dr. Harrison said. “As soon as that moment happened, it
just went silent.”
On February 13, 2019, Opportunity’s
mission official ended. The last message sent to Opportunity was a song, “I’ll
Be Seeing You,” sung by Billie Holiday in an original recording. Opportunity did not reply. When I heard
that song played on NPR radio as a last farewell to the brave rover,
Opportunity, I have to confess, I broke down and cried.
Link to Billie Holiday singing "I'll Be Seeing You"
On a positive note, NASA plans to send another rover, a
more sophisticated one that can analyze mineral content to Mars in 2020. I have
missed the hope, knowledge, and excitement of space program since it ended. But
at least we have rovers and dedicated scientists still exploring the unknown.
Are you a science enthusiast? Do you miss the space
program? Were you sad to learn of Opportunity’s death? What are your thoughts
about future adventures to explore space?
Diverse stories filled with heart
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