The twin Mars rovers are getting wiser with age. Engineers have transmitted new flight software to the rovers' onboard computers, just in time for the third anniversary of their landings. The software is aimed at boosting their intelligence and independence so that they can roll around the Red Planet with less help from humans.
Among the rovers' new skills is the ability to automatically recognize and transmit to Earth, photographs that they take of swirling dust devils or floating clouds. They can also independently decide whether it is safe to extend their robotic arms to sample rocks. Scientist were somewhat annoyed when the rovers would take several pictures of the same sample. Now they can tell if they have seen the sample and move on to the next.
"Spirit" and "Opportunity" were also fitted with a new navigation system that allows them to think several steps ahead when faced with an obstacle, allowing them to back out of a dead end or even navigate a maze on their own.
Spirit landed three years ago Wednesday and Opportunity on Jan. 24, 2004. Entering their fourth year of exploration, both golf cart-sized vehicles have long outlasted their primary missions, originally planned for about three months. While scientists are impressed by the rovers' longevity, I think they feel their life will end pretty soon.
The rovers' biggest accomplishment is uncovering geologic evidence that water once flowed on Mars. Spirit is currently studying rocks and soil samples near a Martian ridge while Opportunity is circling the rim of a massive crater for possible ways in.
Pretty soon, Mars will be the planet of robots and they'll all get together to take over Earth. Sound futuristic and farfetched, but it is possible...
Among the rovers' new skills is the ability to automatically recognize and transmit to Earth, photographs that they take of swirling dust devils or floating clouds. They can also independently decide whether it is safe to extend their robotic arms to sample rocks. Scientist were somewhat annoyed when the rovers would take several pictures of the same sample. Now they can tell if they have seen the sample and move on to the next.
"Spirit" and "Opportunity" were also fitted with a new navigation system that allows them to think several steps ahead when faced with an obstacle, allowing them to back out of a dead end or even navigate a maze on their own.
Spirit landed three years ago Wednesday and Opportunity on Jan. 24, 2004. Entering their fourth year of exploration, both golf cart-sized vehicles have long outlasted their primary missions, originally planned for about three months. While scientists are impressed by the rovers' longevity, I think they feel their life will end pretty soon.
The rovers' biggest accomplishment is uncovering geologic evidence that water once flowed on Mars. Spirit is currently studying rocks and soil samples near a Martian ridge while Opportunity is circling the rim of a massive crater for possible ways in.
Pretty soon, Mars will be the planet of robots and they'll all get together to take over Earth. Sound futuristic and farfetched, but it is possible...
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