NASA to cut Mars rover budget, put Spirit to rest

[DaveJ]

Source: cbanews.ca

Scientists plan to put one of the twin Mars rovers to sleep and limit the activities of the other robot to fulfil a NASA order to cut $4 million US from the program's budget.

...

"We're not done. There is still a lot to explore," Arvidson said.

Besides resting Spirit, scientists will also likely have to reduce exploration by Opportunity, which is probing a large crater near the equator. Instead of sending up commands to Opportunity every day to drive or explore a rock, its activities may be limited to every other day, said John Callas, the Mars Exploration Rover project manager at JPL.

"Any cut at any time when these rovers are healthy would be bad timing," Callas said. "These rovers are still viable capable vehicles in very good health."


Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2008/03/25/tech-rover-sleep.html

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$4 million = 15 minutes in Iraq.


Edit: Well apparently the decision was reversed about a minute after I posted this.

[villager]

1. well, certainly we know Mars can't be older than 6,000 years either, right?

n/t

[trusty elf]

2. This I know, 'cuz the Bible tells me so!

[ramapo]

3. This move would prove how stupid we are

Shutting down one of the most, if not the most, successful space mission of all time in order to save pocket change would be incredibly shortsighted and stupid, much like the decision to shut down the lunar landing program. Given that, the story is probably right on mark.

[PittPoliSci]

4. i agree completely.

[Penndems]

7. Unfortunately, we have no choice here BUT to cut the space program

The majority of the Federal budget is being diverted from domestic expenditures to war funding. Space exploration always seems to be at the top of the list in terms of "discretionary spending".

Senator Obama has also stated that he intends to make cuts in NASA funding - specifically, delaying the Constellation Program, which is the successor to the current shuttle program, when the latter begins its phase-out in 2010:

Links:

NASA: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/constellation/main/index.html

Baltimore Sun Political Weblog: http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/politics/blog/2007/11/obama_plan_rewards_for_teacher.html

[ramapo]

9. I must disagree with the Senator

NASA should get more, not less. Make space, not war

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

5. I wonder if money could be raised via internet contributions

to keep the program going? It worked for Obama's campaign fund, why not something else?

[ohio2007]

6. they got their money worth from that 90 day guarantee model

and still the battery is able to continue onward. Time to land and observe the polar explorers that are on the NASA clock

[annabanana]

8. WHAT? 4 lousy million? Those poor little over-acheiver robots!

The "I think I can" engines of the 21st Century and we can't find a crappy little 4 mil to keep them going?

Talk about your pennywise & pound foolish!

[emperor124]

14. Well if Ron Paul can raise 6 million in a single day...

Then what do we have to worry about? Oh right, that silly little war of ours..

[Vidar]

10. NASA finally has something that works well. Of course it will be scrapped.

[thecrow]

11. Answer me this:

If we can send robots into space, land them on a distant planet and have them run for years,
WHY CAN'T WE MAKE A CAR THAT DOESN'T USE GASOLINE?

[librechik]

12. It's like an anonymous benefactor sends you millions in the mail--and you send it back

because you don't have a matching 4 million bucks.

It's a total fluke those robots are still active. It's a CRIME not to continue the project.

[LeftyMom]

13. Four million?

Doesn't shutting down a program for lack of so little seem penny wise and pound foolish? I mean, it'd cost a hell of a lot more to send more rovers later.