Permanently Stationary Spirit

Spirit's Last Tracks Before It Got Stuck
NASA/JPL-Caltech

Previously, I wrote about the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit being embedded in a patch of rocky Martian soil. NASA today designated Spirit to be no longer fully mobile. The decision is taking place after months of effort and numerous commands for movement that have failed at moving the robot.

Spirit's Rocky Situation

Spirit, one of the Mars Exploration Rovers, is in a very rocky situation. Since April 2009, the rover has been embedded in a patch of rocky Martian soil. The dark and crusty ground, captured in the picture above by Spirit before its current predicament, broke through under the rover's wheels to reveal loose sandy soil, which trapped the wheels. Furthermore, when Spirit photographed its undercarriage (image at right) with its robotic arm, it revealed a rock potentially touching the robot.