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| Science & Technology |
| Mars Rover Takes "Selfie", Continues To Defy Odds |
| 2014-07-31 |
| This "self portrait" was taken by the Mars rover Opportunity in March, 2014 (false color added). It combines multiple frames and shows the cleaning effect of wind that blew off dust. (NASA) The Mars rover Opportunity, already astounding for its longevity, has another claim to fame. On July 27, Opportunity's odometer rolled over to 25.01 miles, a record for any vehicle in space, NASA said in a news release. The previous record holder was the Soviet Union's Lunokhod 2 rover, which landed on the moon on Jan. 15, 1973, and drove about 24.2 miles in less than five months, according to NASA. John Callas, NASA's California-based project manager for the Mars rovers, said Opportunity's record is remarkable, considering that it wasn't designed for distance and was intended to drive only about one kilometer. "But what is really important is not how many miles the rover has racked up, but how much exploration and discovery we have accomplished over that distance," Callas said in a statement. Not to mention the photos. Over the years, Opportunity and other rovers have beamed thousands of photos to Earth, which NASA has made available online. The images have captivated not only scientists but also those who believe the photos provide proof of life beyond Earth. Just this week, YouTube user "TRUTHSEEKER" psoted a video claiming to show two dinosaurs spotted in rover images show on Mars (see the slideshow above and judge for yourself). Last month, a blogger pointed out the shape of a cat in photos taken by the rover Curiosity. A few days earlier, someone saw a toy boat. The blog UFO Sightings Daily, maintained by Scott C. Waring, claimed in November to have spotted an iguana in images sent back by Curiosity. In earlier posts, Waring posited the existence of other animals on Mars, including a rat or lizard and squirrel. A "mystery rock" that showed up in photos in January had even NASA baffled at first. Analysis later showed that the rover probably moved the rock when it turned in place. Opportunity has been working on Mars since January 2004, far surpassing expectations for it. Its primary mission was complete in April 2004, |
| Posted by:Thineng Angailet7166 |
| #1 imho, the most newsworthy thing about this article is that Obama didn't commit a photobomb. |
| Posted by: Uncle Phester 2014-07-31 11:33 |