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Washington, June 14 (IANS) An unprecedented sandstorm on Mars threatens the survival of NASA's solar-powered Opportunity rover, the US space agency announced.
"We are worried, but we hope that the storm will dissipate and the rover will be able to communicate with us," said John Callas, project manager at Opportunity.
The rover has run out of power since the storm – which began May 30 at the same place where the rover is parked – has removed its main source of energy, sunlight.
Opportunity is currently wrapped up in what NASA describes as "a dark and perpetual night".
According to NASA, Opportunity appears to be automatically entering an energy saving mode in which most of its functions are suspended.
Even so, the rover must maintain the temperature of his batteries to survive on frozen Mars.
"As long as the rover stays warm enough, and our predictions are such, we can go any number of days," Callas said, adding that summer on Mars is approaching and temperatures will rise .
The storm has already affected a quarter of the surface of Mars, which is equivalent to the size of the entire American continent and could surround the planet in a few days, as happened in 2001 and 2007 .
"It is unprecedented in the speed at which it has developed and spread around the world," said Jim Watzin, director of NASA's exploration program at the same conference .
Scientists do not know when the storm will end and the rover will be able to generate new solar energy if its systems are not affected.
Opportunity landed on Mars in 2004 and made discoveries about the past of the red planet.
For example, he found that at least a part of Mars had the necessary moisture conditions for mesophilic bacteria to live four billion years ago, and he also discovered that the planet had an acidic environment sometime later.
-IANS
"We are worried, but we hope that the storm will dissipate and the rover will be able to communicate with us," said John Callas, project manager at Opportunity.
The rover has run out of power since the storm – which began May 30 at the same place where the rover is parked – has removed its main source of energy, sunlight.
Opportunity is currently wrapped up in what NASA describes as "a dark and perpetual night".
According to NASA, Opportunity appears to be automatically entering an energy saving mode in which most of its functions are suspended.
Even so, the rover must maintain the temperature of his batteries to survive on frozen Mars.
"As long as the rover stays warm enough, and our predictions are such, we can go any number of days," Callas said, adding that summer on Mars is approaching and temperatures will rise .
The storm has already affected a quarter of the surface of Mars, which is equivalent to the size of the entire American continent and could surround the planet in a few days, as happened in 2001 and 2007 .
"It is unprecedented in the speed at which it has developed and spread around the world," said Jim Watzin, director of NASA's exploration program at the same conference .
Scientists do not know when the storm will end and the rover will be able to generate new solar energy if its systems are not affected.
Opportunity landed on Mars in 2004 and made discoveries about the past of the red planet.
For example, he found that at least a part of Mars had the necessary moisture conditions for mesophilic bacteria to live four billion years ago, and he also discovered that the planet had an acidic environment sometime later.
-IANS
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