Huge Martian Dust Storm Threatens Rovers

Riding with Robots writes "NASA reports that a severe ongoing dust storm on the Red Planet has blocked 99 percent of the direct sunlight that powers the Opportunity rover. If these conditions persist for too long, it could finally bring an end to the marathon mission of this robot geologist, and perhaps of its partner Spirit as well. 'Before the dust storms began blocking sunlight last month, Opportunity's solar panels had been producing about 700 watt hours of electricity per day, enough to light a 100-watt bulb for seven hours. When dust in the air reduced the panels' daily output to less than 400 watt hours, the rover team suspended driving and most observations, including use of the robotic arm, cameras and spectrometers to study the site where Opportunity is located ... A possible outcome of this storm is that one or both rovers could be damaged permanently or even disabled. Engineers will assess the capability of each rover after the storm clears.'"

Oh no, we're ruined!

[eln]

Has anyone checked on the Buggalo? This could be another kidnap attempt by the native Martians.

Dust Devils

[MathFox]

When the storm has settled the dust devils will come to clean the rovers... no worry!

Turbines

[RunFatBoy.net]

It's too bad these rovers don't have some sort of wind turbines to be utilized for energy. They could have extended an already impressive run.

Jim
RunFatBoy ( http://www.runfatboy.net/ [runfatboy.net] ) - A workout system for beginners.

Cosmic Coincidence?

[Fedorpheux]

Is this related to the dust storm in Arizona [wcbd.com]? (photo and video) Maybe the giant face of Mars saw Arizona and decided he could out-dust-storm us.

Re:Dust Devils

[ArcherB]

When the storm has settled the dust devils will come to clean the rovers... no worry!

If you don't clean the red dust off, they become Red Rovers

Re:Well, look at the bright side

[Commander Doofus]

Yes, that would explain their weird behavior [theonion.com].

Poor little guy!

[The Media Mechanic]

Aw, poor little Rover needs a little snack or some munchies to give him a little pick-me-up! Rover is a very loyal and obedient friend... I think we need to blast a rocket off with a nice care package: send him some chew-toys and other treats.

Re:Oy.

[Loadmaster]

Maybe electric companies convert to a usable measurement like Library of Congress' or width of human hair. I know mine comes as a percent of how many dollars it would take to circle the earth.

Swi

Captain Obvious

[isomeme]

700 watt hours of electricity per day, enough to light a 100-watt bulb for seven hours

But it would light a nanowatt bulb for seven hundred billion hours -- that's nearly eighty million years! Isn't science amazing?

Re:Dust Devils

[alexj33]

Since Al Gore's crowd blames the dust storms on Martian global warming, (and not the Sun) the rovers should have nothing to fear in this arena.

Re:Do humans really *want* to go to Mars?

[R2.0]

Larry Niven tells a story about a NASA panel he was on in the 80's regarding future exploration. It was obvious that the NASA administrator was a bureaucratic hack, and Niven got irritated and started pushing him.

Niven asked him what the future plans for colonizing the Moon was, and the man replied, incredulously, "Why would anyone want to live on the moon?"

Niven turned to the assembled reporters and said "Why don't we ask? Let's have a show of hands: How many of you would want to live on the Moon" About 90% of the hands went up, baffling the administrator.

One reporter said out loud "I'd have to ask my wife". The reporter next to him turned and said "I'd leave my wife."