Mars Rover Spirit: Challenges and Measurements

NASA's Mars Rover Spirit celebrated its six-year anniversary but faces challenges due to the Martian winter and being trapped in sand. Despite these issues, Spirit has far exceeded its expected lifespan of 90 days. NASA is attempting to adjust its solar panels to maintain power. Spirit's twin, Opportunity, continues to explore Mars. While Spirit is stationary, it can still conduct valuable scientific research, such as measuring Mars' spin to determine its core composition.

What significant event did the Mars Rover Spirit celebrate on January 3rd?

• The completion of its mission

• The discovery of water on Mars

• Its six-year anniversary

• Its first successful landing

What issue did Spirit encounter with its wheels?

• They stopped functioning

• They overheated

• They got stuck in loose sand

• They broke off completely

How long after Spirit did its twin Rover Opportunity land on Mars?

• 4 weeks

• 1 week

• 2 weeks

• 3 weeks

What is the combined distance traveled by Spirit and Opportunity on Mars?

• 20 miles

• 25 miles

• 16 miles

• 10 miles

What challenge does Spirit face with the approaching Martian winter?

• Lack of communication with Earth

• Decreased solar energy

• Increased dust storms

• Extreme temperature drops

What could help Spirit's solar panels regain efficiency?

• A new solar panel installation

• Manual cleaning by astronauts

• A gust of Martian wind

• A software update

What was the originally expected lifespan of the Mars Rover Spirit?

• 60 days

• 30 days

• 120 days

• 90 days

What is one advantage of Spirit being stationary?

• It can conserve energy

• It can avoid dust storms

• It can communicate better with Earth

• It can make fine measurements

What scientific measurement can Spirit perform while stationary?

• Monitor variations in Mars' spin

• Detect water presence

• Analyze Martian soil composition

• Measure Mars' temperature

What will scientists determine by monitoring Mars' spin?

• The age of Mars

• If Mars has a liquid or solid core

• Mars' atmospheric composition

• The presence of life on Mars