Comments on: Will This Mars Rover Ever Rove Again? Spirit Gets Stuck in the Sand

By: Bruce Doxey

Bruce Doxey — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 01:14:22 +0000

Certainly they could call in some desert racers to help out with the manuver to get the Rover un-stuck. It’s not rocket science you know!

By: Hal9000

Hal9000 — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 10:57:17 +0000

I’m watching MER’s website on a daily basis since they landed (landing that I watched live on Nasa TV). These robonauts (I love this term) survived more than 20 times their expected lifetime, they drove distances never achieved before, etc. This is perhaps the most successful mission to Mars ever. Now that Spirit is embedded, chance is also on her side because of the recent dust cleaning event. So the smart guys at Nasa will do everything possible while the energy level is high to free Spirit out of this sand/rock trap. Go Spirit!

By: Jo

Jo — Tue, 26 May 2009 21:02:28 +0000

@luke: I’m sure any recovery mission would leave more debris behind than a little rover. And … they’re not trash!

Let them remain up there in the sky above us, waiting patiently for other explorers to join them. Far more romantic. They were created for Mars. Mars is home.

By: luke

luke — Tue, 26 May 2009 02:03:25 +0000

Paul Wieland:
we should 100% bring the rovers back one day as a desplay for themselves! plus, we already trash our planet enough do we really need to trash mars now with the scrap metal from the bots??

p.s. GET OUT SPIRIT (poor little girl is right they must be so scared all alone)

By: buddy

buddy — Wed, 20 May 2009 20:42:28 +0000

i really hope the little guy survives and has many more happpy miles left in him. if not maybe he can just sit there and send us all kind of neat data and enjoy life on mars. he has earned a nice retirement

By: brotim

brotim — Thu, 14 May 2009 01:59:07 +0000

There are many ways the rover could either get its self free or the Martian wind might do the job. As it is, the dead wheel is an anchor though…

I think that leaving them on Mars is best. Like burial at sea!

With the new propulsion systems, robots will soon reach some very interesting vistas, solar system wise, anyway. These rovers may have us spoiled though…

By: Lisette Root

Lisette Root — Wed, 13 May 2009 04:39:37 +0000

Nick, I love the name you just coined, “robonauts”. It creates a link emotionally between humans and machines. They are , after, all extensions of ourselves. These little robonauts have extended our conciousness in ways barely imagined a few years ago. Any info gained now is a bonus! It also makes a great case for the near future of unmanned space exploration. Machines are great scouts!

By: Paul Wieland

Paul Wieland — Tue, 12 May 2009 21:58:09 +0000

To Nick:

These rovers should stay on Mars – they deserve a memorial done by us human settlers.

By: p

Tue, 12 May 2009 18:49:42 +0000

poor little guy

By: Nick

Nick — Tue, 12 May 2009 17:14:38 +0000

Well, if it’s running Windows and has been for the last 5 years, that would explain all the computer problems. ;)

I hope Spirit gets free – Oppy had the same problem a while back and they managed to get him out by driving backwards – but Spirit already does that as a matter of course.

If they can’t get her out, I’m sure the funeral service will be touching. Everyone worried about a robotic uprising destroying humanity needs to see how the people responsible for them act towards the bots.

It’s funny, I follow both the rovers on twitter. I realize it’s just some humans sittin around updating for them with cute messages… but at the rate we’re going, within a few generations we’ll have AI bots actually twittering from mars.. or wherever else we send these little robonauts. One thing’s for certain though – any exotic locales we get to in space, robots will have been there first, paving the way. Heck, maybe one day a return mission from mars will bring one of these little troupers back and they can be put on display, as a statue commemorating themselves.

By: BillyNomates

BillyNomates — Tue, 12 May 2009 13:31:18 +0000

Presumably it can still make weather observations as long as the electrics hold out ?
Or is it in a location that mean its long-term survival is not likely ?
They may be slow but the science that these tough little critters have been doing is very special indeed.
Whatever happens to Spirit, its done its parents proud over the last 5 years. I hope it gets unstuck and continues.