At 5:05 UTC on January 25, 2004, the Mars Rover Opportunity landed on Mars. Therefore, it’s been 10 Earth years since this extraordinary robot started its 3-month mission. Two years ago, when I wrote an article celebrating the eighth anniversary of its landing, Opportunity was already the holder of the record for longevity for missions one the surface of Mars, today it’s also the robot that holds the record for the distance traveled on the surface of another world with 38.7 km (24 miles), more than the 37 km (23 miles) traveled by the Soviet Lunokhod 2 robot on the Moon.
Despite the arrival on Mars of Curiosity, a more sophisticated rover equipped with several instruments that allow more in-depth analysis, Opportunity continues its research mission in various areas of Endeavour crater. Even recently, the good old rover helped to discover the climatic conditions existing on Mars when it was young, confirming that for some time there was water and there were the conditions to support the existence of life forms.
A few days ago, a small rock that has been called “Pinnacle Island” appeared next to the Mars Rover Opportunity in a position where there was none a few days before. Since there are no photographs that suggest how it arrived at that location, there are various theories but no certainties. It’s the kind of event that triggers the imagination of many people who read the news, especially if they have a tendency to believe in conspiracies and the like.
It’s possible that the rock has been bumped by one of the wheels of the Mars Rover Opportunity and pushed into the position in which it was photographed. It’s also possible that it fell from a nearby deposit, maybe because of the wind, and it rolled downstream. Regardless, it’s interesting from a scientific point of view because it’s rich in sulfur and magnesium and contains twice as much manganese than other rocks analyzed.
The Mars Rover Opportunity is really a great machine that is going beyond all the most optimistic life expectations. It took a little luck because often the Martian winds have cleaned its solar panels allowing it to always receive enough power to operate. The most critical period is the Martian winter, when there’s a reduced amount of light, but if Opportunity is able to overcome these problems it will continue its exceptional mission.
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