Today NASA will end its attempt to re-establish radio contact with Mars Rover Spirit. The intrepid rover was last heard from on March 22, 2010 and it is almost certain that the "little rover that could" did not survive the Martian winter.
NASA has been sending a variety of commands to Spirit for the past 10 months but has received no response or signals from her. Spirit has been on Mars since January 4, 2003 and was rated for a 90-day mission lifetime. Spirit's 7+ years on Mars has been matched and exceeded by her still operating twin rover Opportunity.
I will miss Spirit as she has provided us with many pictures, discoveries and a persona of a close friend. Opportunity will be our only Martian rover until "Curiosity", NASA's newest and most capable rover arrives. Lauch is scheduled between November and December of this year.
Read More About It: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2011-156&cid=release_2011-156,
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html, and http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/index.html.
NASA will occassionally use the Deep Space Network when its schedule permits to listen for a signal from Spirit.
Farewell Spirit and thank you.....
Sky Guy in VA
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