Working well, the Mars probe has yet to become cosmic garbage

Five years ago, it was assumed that age and technical problems caused two Mars probes, Spirit and Opportunity, to be universal waste. However, up to now, the two ships still work quite well and still send back to Earth the pictures they collected. This is one of the most outstanding technical achievements of our time.

The Opportunity probe is still in operation, but the Spirit ship is stuck in the stone and will probably end its journey here. Experts on reconnaissance ships at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California hope that they can extend the life of one or both of these vessels by one season. east on the harsh Mars.

John Callas, the project director of the probe, said: 'I find myself attached to these ships. They have the same quality as humans. The existence process also has ups and downs. Like aging people, their joints are no longer good, they are forgotten and vision is no longer the same. When something goes wrong, you will have a feeling of restlessness in your stomach. '

Like a golf car, the Mars probe does not carry drivers. They are full of cameras and scientific instruments.These 6-wheeled robots bring to the world a valuable treasure of Mars.

These two probes help scientists get an overview of the history of Mars - formerly warm and moist, now dry and dusty. In addition, they also provide many details about chemistry, geology and atmosphere. They have proven that on the surface of Mars once had water.

However, the most important question has yet to find the answer: Has life ever existed on Mars, or is there any living thing still hiding beneath the surface of Mars? There have been indications - both positive and negative - however, nothing has been determined.

Exploration stars Opportunity. (Photo: Razorvine)

However, after sending more than half a million photos to Earth, these two probes "made Mars a familiar place." Callas said. 'Thanks to them, Mars is no longer a remote, strange world. It seems, Mars is as familiar as the neighborhood around us. '

Ashley Stroupe, JPL member confided on her blog: 'The ship scouts like my children. Just like the parents of grown-up children, we were worried, we tried to make sure they were safe, trying to teach what we knew and setting directions for them. Sometimes they listen, sometimes. But overall, they made great discoveries. '

Two ships landed three weeks apart in January 2004 on opposite sides on Mars. It is expected that they can last for 90 days.But more than that, they have survived for nearly 2000 days even though the maintenance period is long gone.

The operation of the two scouts also has ups and downs. There was a peak when they found the first evidence of water. But also when a fierce dust storm covered the sun in the summer of 2007, covered dust on solar panels and reduced their energy supply.

Until recently, two new reconnaissance ships recovered. Currently, the Spirit ship is in serious trouble and may no longer return to operation.

This ship's right front wheel was broken in 2006, so it had to go back, dragging the broken cake behind. It no longer climbed the slopes. Its 'forgetful' times happen in cycles, it even forgets the collected data. In the mornings, he forgot to wake up to talk to the executive on earth.

Worse, since May 7, the Spirit ship was caught in a rock below it. The wheel is half buried in loose soil and cannot be moved. NASA engineers tried to simulate this malfunction with a spy ship model placed in a laboratory 'sandbox'. However, it will take several weeks before knowing whether this model works well.

Callas said: 'We want to make sure we don't do something stupid and don't make things worse.'

Opportunity probe is luckier than its brother. It made the operators extremely surprised and happy to land right inside a small hole named Eagle.

Since then, Opportunity has explored two larger holes named Endurance and Victoria. Now, even though the joint is no longer good and the electric motor on the right front wheel is shaken, Opportunity still proceeds to explore the fourth hole called Endeavor, 20 times wider than Victoria.

Endeavor hole is 14 miles wide and 250 feet deep. Perhaps, a collision with a giant meteorite millions of years ago has left traces of this hole. Like other pits, the pit is like a 'time door'. Callas said: 'Deep down in the pit, we go back in time. The deeper you go, the higher the stone age. '

Opportunity left Victoria in August and on March 18 the ship made its first observation of the crater Endeavor, although it was still 7 miles from Endeavor. If the ship's problem is resolved soon, the vessel may approach Endeavor in the fall of 2010.

On March 25, the ship spied Opportunity to mark an important event when sending Earth the image of Mars during its 10-mile journey. Due to technical problems, the Spirit only covers nearly 5 miles.

Every year, NASA reviews the exploration program to decide whether it is worth spending $ 20 million to maintain in a year.'Until now, the answer is yes,' Callas said.