New discoveries Opportunity.

Opportunity, the rover US space agency NASA, under the direction of the orbital probe Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter examines the areas of Mars that could give more information on the development of the planet, according to an official press release on the site NASA.





Tool probe that monitors the minerals on the surface of the planet, lets you define particularly promising place in a huge ancient crater Endeavour and send to the rover. "This is the first time the detection of minerals from orbit is used for tactical decisions regarding the further movement," - said Ray Arvidson (Ray Arvidson) from the University of Washington (Washington University) in St. Louis, USA, is a leading researcher in the field of work with the rovers.
Recall that two rovers NASA (Spirit and Opportunity) fulfilled its original mission to Mars exploration as early as April 2004. The primary program of their stay on Mars has been calculated only for 90 days. However, after completing the main mission and finding evidence of water on the planet, the unit will resume its work on the study of the surface of Mars.
However, this winter, NASA decided to leave the mars rover Spirit in a sand pit in the Gusev Crater, from which he tried unsuccessfully to pull within six months. The basis for such a decision in the first place, was the approach of Martian winter. This meant that the Spirit will not receive enough solar energy to maintain operating temperature and move around. It was assumed that if the rover safely transfer the winter, then with the onset of heat transferred to its operating mode, but will be used as a stationary science lab.
Earthlings learn Mars is not the first decade. We are working on creation of the Mars rovers, which could be not only the laboratory, but also home to people.

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