Tag Archives: Opportunity

Just Too Cool: Panoramic View on MARS!

Posted on 7 July 2012 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From poor little Spirit’s twin, Opportunity, comes this panoramic view. HERE.
It is stitched together from 817 images taken between 12 Dec 2011 and 8 May 2012 while Opportunity was stationed on an outcrop called “Greeley Haven” during the Martian winter.
According … Continue reading →

Posted in Just Too Cool, Look! Up in the sky! | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Curiosity about Curiosity is not just Curiosity

Posted on 29 June 2012 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

After posting about the Seven Minutes of Terror, I was curious about Curiosity, the newest Mars Rover heading to the Red Planet.
Intrepid little Spirit isn’t working any more, since it became mired and died.  Opportunity is working, but depends on … Continue reading →

Posted in SESSIUNCULA | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Seven Minutes of Terror

Posted on 28 June 2012 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Those of you who have been reading here for a long while know of my admiration for poor little Spirit.  Opportunity keeps rolling, of course.  But …
Curiosity is coming.
And when I mean “Seven Minutes of Terror”, I don’t mean what … Continue reading →

Posted in Just Too Cool, Look! Up in the sky! | Tagged , , , , , | 11 Comments

Spirit spotted on Mars

Posted on 15 February 2012 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

The intreprid little Mars rover Spirit, which began its mission in 2004 died, mired in sand, in 2009. It couldn’t capture enough sunlight to power up.
Spirit’s twin Opportunity is still going strong!
The orbiting Phoenix, circling Mars since 2006, recently … Continue reading →

Posted in Just Too Cool, Look! Up in the sky! | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Opportunity has reached Endeavour!

Posted on 10 August 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

We’ve lost poor Spirit, but intrepid little Opportunity keeps motoring along.
NASA reports that Opportunity has after a 3 year portion of its already 8 year anabasis has crawled up to Endeavour crater, 14 miles in diameter.  We should be able … Continue reading →

Posted in Just Too Cool, Look! Up in the sky! | Tagged , , , , | 10 Comments

We’ve got Spirit, yes we do! We’ve got Spirit… well… not so much.

Posted on 25 May 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Sad news from NASA:
NASA Concludes Attempts to Contact Mars Rover Spirit
The full version of this story with accompanying images is HERE.
PASADENA, Calif. — NASA is ending attempts to regain contact with the long-lived Mars Exploration Rover Spirit, which last communicated … Continue reading →

Posted in Look! Up in the sky! | Tagged , , , , | 16 Comments

Just too cool stuff

Posted on 28 January 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I remain a real fan of the Mars Rover missions.  One of the readers here, who works for NASA actually sent me a Spirit mission patch!
Poor Spirit… sniff.
Opportunity is still chugging along.
I tune in once in a while to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Just Too Cool | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Older, Smarter

Posted on 24 March 2010 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From NASA comes this about one of the intrepid Mars Rovers… Opportunity:
NASA Mars Rover Getting Smarter as it Gets Older
NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity, now in its seventh year on Mars, has a new capability to make its own choices … Continue reading →

Posted in Just Too Cool, SESSIUNCULA | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

“Do I get to come home?”

Posted on 29 January 2010 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

President Obama wants to kill NASA and the space program.
In reference to the poor little rover Spirit, stuck on Mars, a reader sent this cartoon:

Sniff.
I must admit I also hated Toy Story, one of the saddest movies ever made.

Technorati Tags: … Continue reading →

Posted in SESSIUNCULA | Tagged , , , , , | 14 Comments

“I think I can! I think I can!”

Posted on 19 October 2009 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From Astronomy Pic of the Day comes a tale about The Little Mars Rover That Could!
Nereus Crater on Mars Credit: Mars Exploration Rover Mission, JPL, NASA; Image Processing: Kenneth Kremer
Explanation: … Continue reading →

Posted in Just Too Cool | Tagged , , | 2 Comments