United States.-the death of the robot Opportunity, which developed a mission on Mars since 2004 but that stopped communicating with Earth in June 2018, was made official by NASA. “Declare the Opportunity Mission completed”, said the Chief Scientist at the U.S. Space Agency, Thomas Zurbuchen, at a press conference in Pasadena, California. The administrator of NASA, Jim Bridenstine, added “it is a celebration,” referring to the duration of the mission and its contribution to knowledge about the history of Mars.
John Callas, Manager of the program, explained that the mission was initially scheduled to last only three months. Engineers knew that one day would end, “but do not imagine that it would take both”, said.
Although it is a machine, it is hard to say goodbye, it is heartbreaking, admitted Callas.
Opportunity left to signal when a long dust storm darkened the Martian atmosphere and prevent the Sun’s rays recharged their batteries.
For eight months, NASA sent more than a thousand messages and orders to try to wake up to the robot, and the last attempt was carried out on Tuesday night.
We have not heard anything in response, so it’s time to say goodbye, recognized Callas.
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