back to article Opportunity rover breaks Mars longevity record

NASA's Opportunity rover today breaks the "longevity record" for operating on the surface of Mars, passing the six years and 116 days set by the agency's Viking 1 Lander. Opportunity arrived on the Red Planet on 24 January 2004. Its twin Spirit arrived three weeks earlier, but has been silent since 22 March this year after …

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  1. ravenviz Silver badge
    Thumb Up

    Brilliant

    Good stuff!

    1. Nuno

      just wait for tomorrow

      It will break it's own record, with 117 days...

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Amazing achievement

    These rovers have been one of the most amazing things NASA has done in recent years and in my opinion should be followed up. Not with the "nuclear tank" that's being prepared at the moment but more of the same type of rover - damn, it works!

    NASA should commision something like a dozen more of these, perhaps with different equipment fits for different locations but keeping the basic chassis and landing system.

    This would be an excellent way to explore the red planent and would save millions.

  3. James 5

    Good stuff...

    ... but no spiders?

  4. Geoff 25
    Happy

    Amazing

    Can't believe they're still working. They clearly didn't have enough features.

  5. LuMan
    Thumb Up

    Quality

    This is a truly fantastic achievement. Well done NASA - my schoolboy dreams of seeing the Red Planet get ever closer to fruition.

  6. P.Nutt
    Thumb Up

    Now could you imagine

    The size of the rovers and the cost if NASA had originally given the brief saying they must survive 6 years on Mars. Sounds like they got a bargain.

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Up

    Pretty great stuff...

    ...sounds like they need to rename Opportunity 'Fucking Awesome'. I wonder if the engineers and operators have been getting bonuses?

    1. I didn't do IT.
      Coat

      Re: Getting Bonuses

      Well, at least they get to keep their jobs...

  8. Tim #3

    Well done

    That's very impressive indeed. And clearly a sign that the correct threads were chosen for all bolts and fixings.

  9. some vaguely opinionated bloke
    Thumb Up

    If Opportunity's lasted 6 years...

    ... lets hope it survives the 2 years 4 months it'll take to get to the edge of Endeavour at its current rate.

    I can just see the cake they'll bring in if they hit 100ft/day...

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    maybe

    http://www.xkcd.com/695/

  11. Boris the Cockroach Silver badge
    Black Helicopters

    Its all a fake

    Just images taken from next door to the fake moon landing site at area 51

    It was really Mars these pictures were taken from, then we'd be able to see the native martian population.... after all... one comments on here nearly every day

  12. justkyle
    Joke

    Re: Ivan 4

    I'll raise you your xkcd link, and match it with an onion link.

    http://www.theonion.com/articles/mars-rover-beginning-to-hate-mars,2072/

  13. Winkypop Silver badge
    Coat

    That picture lacks just one thing...

    ....Bugs Bunny popping up, carrot in mouth, saying:

    "Hey, this ain't Pismo Beach, I must have made a wrong turn at Albuquerque"....

  14. Radelix
    Pint

    Opportunity...

    may be effing awesome but I would like to raise a glass for Spirit...for I wish her all the best

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