Spirit and Opportunity

[Mr. Brightside]

The 2 Mars Rovers Spirit and Opportunity that NASA placed on Mars in 2004 are still going strong traipsing across the wastelands of Mars, I find it amazing that they have been roaming about all that time.

http://www.techshout.com/images/mars-rover-1.jpg

Their mission was only expected to last 3 months. Maybe they have been upgraded by the Borg :D

Spirit is exploring a 150km-wide bowl-shaped depression known as Gusev Crater. It has found an abundance of rocks and soils bearing evidence of extensive exposure to water.

Opportunity is on the other side of the planet, in a flat region known as Meridiani Planum.

Spirit has to drive backwards everywhere it goes because of a jammed wheel; and Opportunity's robotic arm has a glitch in a shoulder joint because of a broken electrical wire.

They remind me of Wall:E or Johnny 5 from Short Circuit

I have visons of them bumping into each other in the mars wilderness and one shouting to the other

"Your mother was a snow blower" :D

As you can probably tell my imagination runs riot when I read stories like this, comes from watching too much Science Fiction ;)

[Narnia]

Oh, Sean, please let your imagination run wild....I love it!

"Your mother was a snow blower!" :laugh: OMG, that's f-ing hilarious...:laugh:

And, their Dad would be a FORD Escort....you know....FORDs are always breaking down....

F.O.R.D. = Found On the Road Dead....or Fix Or Repair Daily.

[SoulChild]

wait a minute!...LOl uh oh..sort of off topic...but Sphinx....I have been a ford woman for a long time....I still have a 1973 dump truck!...LOL My fords/chevy's never let me down! (besides small issues like right now, my drivers side window is off it's track, so I don't use it)..LOL But, I love American vehicles (except dodge)!

Sooooo.....spirit and Opportunity..what great names for rovers...so, who made them? are they made in America? ( had to say something back on topic...LOL):gathering:

[Narnia]

wait a minute!...LOl uh oh..sort of off topic...but Sphinx....I have been a ford woman for a long time....I still have a 1973 dump truck!...LOL My fords/chevy's never let me down! (besides small issues like right now, my drivers side window is off it's track, so I don't use it)

HE-HE! :laugh: Oh, SoulChild you are so funny and so cute! :)


....LOL But, I love American vehicles (except dodge)!....

Well, I agree with you on the part about Dodge....although their Viper is really sweet looking! ;) I was practically born in Volvo, and both my parents drove European vechiles, I drove a VW Jetta, so I am kinda partial to favouring European vechiles, myself, and like poking fun at American cars. he-he! :)

Yes, I have driven a few Fords in my life. Ford trucks and vans are great, it's because their so darn simple and lack all the fancy electrical gadgets! I drove a Ford Probe for 4 years, it saved my life when I had a car accident! :) Paul, has two Fords, an Econoline Van (the classic van) and an Explorer.



Sooooo.....spirit and Opportunity..what great names for rovers...so, who made them? are they made in America? ( had to say something back on topic...LOL):gathering:

I believe both Rovers were made by a team of American Scientists....maybe there is something on Wikipedia about them....well, I'll go look and post a link for you, if I find anything.

[LATER EDIT]

More information on Spirit and Opportunity.

www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirit_and_Opportunity

[God's Toy]

Along the lines, this is a question, How do you guys drive in auto cars?

Man speaking for me (and everyone I know) having an 'auto' gearbox takes all the fun out of driving!... Suppose thats just what your use too but I could never use it, I need to 'feel' to be in control while driving not just 'push and go'.


...and no, we dont call it 'stick shift' here...

[Narnia]

Along the lines, this is a question, How do you guys drive in auto cars?

I was wondering if you might ask that at some point...? :)


...Man speaking for me (and everyone I know) having an 'auto' gearbox takes all the fun out of driving!... Suppose thats just what your use too but I could never use it, I need to 'feel' to be in control while driving not just 'push and go'....

Well, this is going to sound really lame, but 85 > 90% of the vehicles in the US are the 'push n' gos' aka Automatics and aka 'auto' gearbox....which I don't understand...because 'standards' and or 'manuals' are always less expensive to purchase.

But, if your Automatic transmission kicks it, be prepared to spend a lot or buy a new car!

Yes, driving an Automatic, does take out all the fun in driving, so I've been told. My Dad, drove a Manual and I was supposed to learn from him, but he passed away before he could and I was given a free automatic car for my college days.

I did try on my Mom's car and my friend's cars, but I've never really had the opportunity to one everday. I would like to very much drive a 'Standard' and or Manual...whatever you want to use!

Paul's 1993 Ford Explorer is a Manual, I would acquire/fine tune the skills to drive a manual, if the car wasn't so darn old....you see it has the original clutch....and it's no good for a 'beginner' to re-learn on an old clutch.....:Eeksign:

So, yeah, I am totally lame, I get around using an automatic....or as you like to say....a "push and go'...he-hee! :)



...and no, we dont call it 'stick shift' here...

Yes, I remember that when I was in Ireland....boy it's funny being on the left side of the road and being a passenger in the left hand side of the car.....hmmmm?!

[Rana]

thanks for the laugh mate ..i needed that ..