[meteorite-list] NASA Concludes Attempts To Contact Mars Rover Spirit

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue, 24 May 2011 17:05:57 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <201105250005.p4P05voa008326_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

May 24, 2011

Dwayne Brown
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1726
dwayne.c.brown at nasa.gov

Guy Webster
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
818-354-6278
guy.webster at jpl.nasa.gov

RELEASE: 11-167

NASA CONCLUDES ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT MARS ROVER SPIRIT

WASHINGTON -- NASA is ending attempts to regain contact with the
long-lived Mars Exploration Rover Spirit, which last communicated on
March 22, 2010.

A transmission that will end on Wednesday, May 25, will be the last in
a series of attempts. Extensive communications activities during the
past 10 months also have explored the possibility that Spirit might
reawaken as the solar energy available to it increased after a
stressful Martian winter without much sunlight. With inadequate
energy to run its survival heaters, the rover likely experienced
colder internal temperatures last year than in any of its prior six
years on Mars. Many critical components and connections would have
been susceptible to damage from the cold.

Engineers' assessments in recent months have shown a very low
probability for recovering communications with Spirit. Communications
assets that have been used by the Spirit mission in the past,
including NASA's Deep Space Network of antennas on Earth, plus two
NASA Mars orbiters that can relay communications, now are needed to
prepare for NASA's Mars Science Laboratory mission. MSL is scheduled
to launch later this year.

"We're now transitioning assets to support the November launch of our
next generation Mars rover, Curiosity," said Dave Lavery, program
executive for solar system exploration. "However, while we no longer
believe there is a realistic probability of hearing from Spirit, the
Deep Space Network may occasionally listen for any faint signals when
the schedule permits."

Spirit landed on Mars on Jan. 3, 2004, for a mission designed to last
three months. After accomplishing its prime-mission goals, Spirit
worked to accomplish additional objectives. Its twin, Opportunity,
continues active exploration of Mars.

For more information on the Mars rovers, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/rovers
        
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Received on Tue 24 May 2011 08:05:57 PM PDT