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An artist concept depicts a NASA rover exploring the surface of Mars.
Courtesy of NASA / JPL-Caltech
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Courtesy of NASA / JPL-Caltech
An artist concept depicts a NASA rover exploring the surface of Mars.
Courtesy of NASA / JPL-Caltech
NASA's rover robot, called Opportunity, has been on Mars for almost 15 years, a little longer than the 90 days it was designed for.
He has traveled 28 miles to the surface, taken thousands of pictures and improved scientists' understanding of the red planet.
But NASA has not heard from this brave rover since June.
"I have to admit I'm getting a little worried," said Bill Nelson, rover technical manager. "I thought it was at that time that I was waiting to hear from the vehicle."
According to Nelson, an intense dust storm that erupted in May almost completely erased the sun. The solar panels of the mobile could not generate the energy necessary for its operation. When this happens, the mobile is designed to fall asleep.
When the sun comes back, the mobile must wake up and transmit a signal to the Earth, but this is not the case.
"It must have some minimum energy threshold, and we think it does not reach that level," Nelson said. It may be that the storm has covered the solar panel with so much dust that it "can not really recharge at a level that would allow it to work."
In recent weeks, mission managers have tried a different tactic. Instead of waiting passively for the mobile to wake up alone, they send him commands. The idea is that he may wake up, but go back to sleep before he can transmit a signal.
It takes about six minutes for a radio signal to go to Mars and another six minutes to come back.
The sign above the console of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, where the first signal from the rover will be heard, if any.
Ashton Vaughs / NASA / JPL-Caltech
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Ashton Vaughs / NASA / JPL-Caltech
The sign above the console of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, where the first signal from the rover will be heard, if any.
Ashton Vaughs / NASA / JPL-Caltech
"About 12 minutes after sending the order, we expected to hear from the rover," says Ashton Vaughs, Opportunity Ace. "The ace" is the one that presses the button that sends commands to the mobile via the Deep Space Network, a collection of large radio antennas around the world.
If the mobile returns a signal, Vaughs will be the first to hear it.
"We hope that he will share this information quickly," Nelson said.
Hearing nothing was troubling for scientists and engineers working on Opportunity.
"At the moment, we are in this state of uncertainty," says Abigail Fraeman, project scientist. "What will happen next, we do not know it."
Fraeman has a long history with the rover. In 2004, at the age of 16, she was in a control room at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory when Opportunity landed. JPL is the place where the mission is managed. She was present as part of an awareness program called Red Rover Goes to Mars, led by the Planetary Society.
She says that even if the rover is never heard again, it's important to remember that it should only last 90 days.
"The result is much better than we could have imagined," says Fraeman. "I mean the fact that I could be in the room when he landed when I was in high school, and now I have my PhD, I'm at JPL and I'm the deputy scientist The project ran, and everything that happened, and so it's sad, but it's not terribly sad.It's terribly happy to see the mission so wonderful. "
The team working on Opportunity considers the silence of the rover not as a problem, but as an opportunity.
Ashley Stroupe is a rover pilot. She designs the controls to move the robotic arm of the robot on Mars. She is part of a team that was creating new software packages for the rover when it became silent.
"We are at least taking the time off to finish all of this, so when we say" when, "Opportunity will talk to us again, we'll be ready to go," she says.
You can call it optimism of opportunity.
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