NASA’s Opportunity: The Golf cart seized rover on Mars that went beyond its mission life

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Question: Which of the following rover that was sent to Mars was recently declared dead?
(a) Opportunity
(b) Lunar
(c) Huygen
(d) Mangalyan
Answer: (a)
Related Facts:

  • After exploring the Mars surface for more than 14 years NASA Golf cart seized Rover Opportunity went dead on 20th February, 2019.
  • Opportunity is a robotic rover of NASA which was landed at the Gusev Crater on Mars on January, 2004.
  • Its mission was to search for wide range of rocks and soils for clues to past water activity on Mars.
  • It was designed to explore the surface of Mars for three months but went on for more than 14 years.
  • The rover has stopped communicating with earth after a global dust storm on Mars disrupted its functioning.
  • The last communication by Opportunity was received on 10th June, 2018.
  • As part of NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover (MER) mission, two identical solar-powered rovers: Opportunity and Spirit, landed at the Gusev Crater and Meridiani Planum respectively in January, 2004.

Link:
https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/science/nasa-mars-mission-opportunity-rover-5583355/