Where are you, Opportunity rover?

Science



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Have you heard that NASA is trying to reach you? Your friends on Earth, we just want to make sure everything is fine after this giant storm that surrounds the planet. We assume that there is no Facebook security check on Mars.

You see, we are worried. Before, you regularly send us beautiful images of Mars. Even though NASA has designed you for a 90-day mission to Mars, you have challenged those expectations and kept talking to us for 15 years.

But then the storm came. You have already gone through storms, like the one of 2007. You stayed silent for a few days, then the storm passed and you continued your historic mission.

Of course, it was not so intense. This time, a global dust storm completely blocked the sun. We had imagined you, ready to get you out.

June 10 was the last time we heard from you.
A rover of opportunity threatened by a giant storm on Mars
You did exactly what you had to do, setting yourself up for a long nap by closing. Unlike our friend Curiosity rover, you are a solar creature who needs sunlight to do his best. You had historic energy lows. We understood – it was time to rest.

You were stuck in the dark in the Valley of Perseverance, which you explored with joy, trying to understand how it was created. You've always been a bit of Martian history, and that's what's best for you.

The scientists at the mission tried to contact you every day after the end of the silence. Days, weeks and even months have passed. They have increased their frequency to contact you. First of all, it was just three times a week, not wanting to disturb your rest. You would not want to be awakened by a monstrous dust storm, even in a place as nice as Perseverance Valley. It would be a nightmare awake, and rather lonely.

Now they send you messages several times a day, but you always change them. NASA has even approved a strategy allowing them to listen to you until January.

The Martian dust storm has become

You should hear the beautiful things that everyone says about you. Your team has such a strong connection with you. They want you to persevere. You must! You are in Perseverance Valley, for shouting loudly.

This sounds painfully like what we have stopped hearing from your twin, Spirit. Spirit was so brave that he challenged that 90-day plan and that it ran until March 22, 2010. NASA has been trying to join Spirit for over a year and has held an official farewell all around Memorial Day in 2011. It was beautiful. Do you remember?

It's autumn here now. (It's different here, we know it.) People are sipping PSL and are wearing corduroy again. Soon you will be at the winter solstice there.

They think that your solar panels are covered with dust, which will not let you recharge. But there is good news! The team said that you would feel very windy during the windy period from November to January, which could cause dust to fall off the panels.

Maybe we'll hear from you again then?

We have already glimpsed you, thanks to the HiRISE camera of the reconnaissance orbiter. It fits you well.

NASA's Rover Opportunity Celebrates March Marathon
We are not the only ones to write, you know. People on Earth sent you postcards. And you do not want this new curiosity to get all the good results, now, is not it? I laugh. Curiosity was worried and tweeting a storm around you.

Sorry. No pun.

Meanwhile, NASA has taken over your Twitter account. They even use the hashtag #OppyPhoneHome.
And hey, you're not the only one with problems. The Hubble Space Telescope and the Chandra X-ray Observatory are both in safe mode. Your Buddy Curiosity had to go to his "second brain" to be able to diagnose a problem with the first one.
You missed some very good things. The Nobel Prize in Physics 2018 was shared by a woman for the first time – what we thought, a femaleI would appreciate it.

You are robust. We believe in you. Get well soon. Maybe we will discuss in November.

Better,

Preoccupied Lands

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