Last June there was a dust storm on Mars.
The Mars Rover designated as Opportunity was lost.
A few days ago NASA finally quietly shut down trying to get back in touch.
https://scroll.in/latest/913234/mars...after-15-years

The original mission was supposed to go 90 days and 1 kilometer.
Instead like the intrepid WALL-E in the movie of the same name, it just kept working.
for another 15 years and 45 kilometers.

RIP Opportunity. Generations from now we may walk on Mars. Hopefully this little unit will be found and a memorial to those who put in inordinate effort to create and operate this machine will be recognized.
They sure as hell deserve it.

 

Well said. I agree.

 

Yes, well said indeed.

 

NASA remains one of the more functional federal agencies these days. They may not have even close to a perfect record but their batting average isn't too bad and they do some simply amazing stuff.

 

The simple scale of the things they do is mind boggling.
voyager for example. or vegr to star trek fans.

 

Given the nature of these projects, they are entitled to their failures. I read that SpaceX has become a big subcontractor. They are working on sending people to Mars. I can't wait until we can send Jerry to Mars to pick up Opportunity. I'll be cheering for you here on earth, Jerry.

 

Sadly, in the words of Danny Glover in Lethal Weapon, 'I'm getting to old for that shit."
while the take off and landing would be interesting, that would be quite the long boring flight.