According NASA, Opportunity became the champion of mileage among all extraterrestrial spacecraft




Here's a way done «Opportunity» for 10 years i>

NASA has reported that Mars rover Opportunity, located on Mars for over 10 years, covered the distance in 40, 25 kilometers. According to the agency, this is more than was "Lunokhod-2" (39 kilometers) over 40 years ago.

However, the "Lunokhod-2" to overcome 39 kilometers took only about 5 months, and the rover «Opportunity» - ten years, as mentioned above.

And yes, there is an interesting point - in the same Wikipedia states that & quot; Луноход-2" held a total of about 42 kilometers, not 39. If so, the "Lunokhod" still holds the record for "extraterrestrial mileage."

If you remember, it was initially planned that the life of the rover will be 90 days, and he had to drive only 1 kilometer. Any problems with the operation of the rover is not now, despite the more than 40-fold excess of the previously planned life of the product.



Currently, the rover is a veteran in the area of ​​Endeavour crater, and continues to move forward. About this crater was discovered freshwater clay, which is a direct proof of the existence of fresh water in the past of Mars.

It turned out that in the breed - a high content of elements such as silicon and aluminum, and some of the parameters suggest that it is - clay, formed under the influence of fresh water. Note that earlier also found traces of water, but it was salt water with high levels of acidity, which, according to some scholars, was not suitable for life.



NASA expects that it will soon be able to overcome the rover marathon in 42, 2 kilometers. If the rover will be a "marathon" that doubt his leadership will not be none.

Via nasa

Source: habrahabr.ru/post/231481/

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