The Mars Exploration Rover "Opportunity" will perform a risky descent into the red planet's giant Victoria Crater early next month. The announcement was delivered during a NASA teleconference today, and came after months of debate about whether or not to proceed. Officials said the decision has been difficult to make because some scientists think the crater may become the aging rover's final resting place.
NASA's Mars rover Opportunity is scheduled to begin a descent down a rock-paved slope into the Red Planet's massive Victoria Crater. This latest trek carries real risk for the long-lived robotic explorer, but NASA and the Mars Rover science team expect it to provide valuable science.
Image right: The route followed by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity during its exploration partway around the rim of Victoria Crater is marked on this map. Image credit: ASA/JPL/Cornell/University of Arizona/Ohio State University
Opportunity already has been exploring layered rocks in cliffs around Victoria Crater. The team has planned the descent carefully to enable an eventual exit, but Opportunity could become trapped inside the crater or lose some capabilities. The rover has operated more than 12 times longer than its originally intended 90 days.
NASA's Mars rover Opportunity is scheduled to begin a descent down a rock-paved slope into the Red Planet's massive Victoria Crater. This latest trek carries real risk for the long-lived robotic explorer, but NASA and the Mars Rover science team expect it to provide valuable science. Opportunity already has been exploring layered rocks in cliffs around Victoria Crater. The team has planned the descent carefully to enable an eventual exit, but Opportunity could become trapped inside the crater or lose some capabilities. The rover has operated more than 12 times longer than its originally intended 90 days. The scientific allure is the chance to examine and investigate the compositions and textures of exposed materials in the crater's depths for clues about ancient, wet environments. As the rover travels farther down the slope, it will be able to examine increasingly older rocks in the exposed walls of the crater.
NASA will hold a media teleconference at 1 p.m. EDT, Thursday, June 28, to discuss the scientific reasoning and risks related to the Mars rover Opportunity's planned descent into the massive "Victoria Crater." Opportunity has been exploring layered rocks in cliffs around the Martian crater. Briefing participants are: -- Alan Stern, NASA associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters, Washington -- Michael Meyer, lead Mars program scientist, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters, Washington -- John Callas, Mars Exploration Rover project manager, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. -- Steve Squyres, principal investigator, Mars Exploration Rover science instruments, Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y.
Media interested in participating in the teleconference should call 888-398-6118. International media should call 210-234-0018. The passcode is "crater."