Long-lived Mars rovers to keep on roving

They've dealt with software glitches, a damaged and useless front wheel, and fierce dust storms that cut their electrical power production. Still, the two NASA Mars rovers continue to explore the Red Planet and beam back scientific data.

Now, for the fifth time since they landed in January 2004 for what were expected to be two separate 90-day missions, NASA has extended the rovers' exploratory tasks again.

There are no guarantees that the two rovers, named Spirit and Opportunity, will keep working as they have, but NASA said their missions will continue "possibly through 2009."

"We are extremely happy to be able to further the exploration of Mars," Alan Stern, associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington, said in a statement. "The rovers are amazing machines, and they continue to produce amazing scientific results, operating far beyond their design life."

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9043220&intsrc=hm_list