The Hindu : International / Globescan : More time for Mars rovers

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 10, 2004

International

International - Globescan

More time for Mars rovers

PASADENA (California): NASA gave its twin Mars rovers the green light to continue searching the Red Planet for evidence it was once a wetter place hospitable to life. The five-month, $15-million extension to the already $820-million mission means Opportunity and Spirit could keep exploring Mars through September — nearly three times longer than originally budgeted. Dust, cold and mechanical wear-and-tear could curtail the lifetime of either or both rovers, however, said Firouz Naderi, manager of the Mars exploration programme at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. For Opportunity, the move gives it time to build on the evidence it already has found that water once bathed its landing site on Mars, allowing it to visit at least four outcrops of rock. The first outcrop Opportunity analysed, within the small crater it landed in January 24, revealing that standing water, perhaps a salty sea or swamp, once covered Meridiani Planum. For Spirit, working since January 3 in Gusev Crater on the other side of the planet, similar evidence of abundant past water activity had been elusive.

- AP

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