After 10 years on Mars, rover Opportunity makes big water find

[Eugene]

Source: Computerworld

After 10 years on Mars, rover Opportunity makes big water find

By Sharon Gaudin
January 24, 2014 06:28 AM ET

Computerworld - After 10 years on Mars, NASA's rover Opportunity has discovered evidence of an ancient wet and mild environment that is much older than previously thought.

The discovery is giving scientists further indication that the Red Planet might have been able to sustain life.

"These rocks are older than any we examined earlier in the mission, and they reveal more favorable conditions for microbial life than any evidence previously examined by investigations with Opportunity," said Ray Arvidson, Opportunity's deputy principal investigator and a professor at Washington University in St. Louis.

Arvidson called Opportunity's latest finding a "landmark" and added that he's excited to see what Opportunity will discover next.

[font size=1]-snip-[/font]

Read more: http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9245688/After_10_years_on_Mars_rover_Opportunity_makes_big_water_find

[tridim]

1. Did NASA just give up on the jelly donut?

Last edited Fri Jan 24, 2014, 06:23 PM - Edit history (1)

I am stunned that we haven't seen even a macro photo yet. It makes no sense.

[frogmarch]

2. Sounds like most at NASA

think it's a rock that the rover kicked up.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/20/tech/innovation/mars-mystery-rock/

[jakeXT]

3. not much to see

http://roadtoendeavour.wordpress.com/2014/01/21/more-on-pinnacle-island/

[defacto7]

4. So I guess the rover does wheelies in it's sleep.

There are no tracks, no disturbance in any direction around it. I wolud think it would have to be very light to have gotten there without any disturbance. It also has multiple layers it seems, like the white surface partly showing. I think it's likely some insulation or impact material that was stuck on one of the arms out of camera view since the landing and finally blew off during the long winter sleep. It probably hit the ground very lightly and... there is is. That would mean it will likely blow away in one of then next big winds. But pushed there by the wheels doesn't explain a lot of other surrounding features. That's my 2 cents.

Oh... not to forget the point of the OP... I really exited that Opportunity is still cranking out great new data. The confirmation of the existence of water is just about the holy grail of any mars mission so far.