Could We Have Saved the Opportunity Rover? - SciShow News

The Opportunity Rover's mission on Mars ended due to a planet-wide dust storm that blocked sunlight, preventing its solar panels from charging. Despite efforts to reestablish contact, NASA declared the mission over. Opportunity, designed for a 90-day mission, exceeded expectations by operating for 15 years, making significant scientific discoveries such as identifying sedimentary rocks and hematite spheres. The rover's design limitations, primarily its reliance on solar power, made it vulnerable to dust storms. Opportunity's legacy continues to inspire, with ongoing and future missions like the Curiosity Rover and Mars 2020 set to further explore the Red Planet.

What was the primary reason for the end of the Opportunity Rover's mission?

• A software malfunction

• A mechanical failure

• A planet-wide dust storm

• A collision with another rover

Why was the Opportunity Rover more vulnerable to dust storms compared to the Curiosity Rover?

• It was located in a different region of Mars

• It was smaller in size

• It had weaker communication systems

• It relied on solar panels for power

What type of energy source could have potentially allowed Opportunity to survive the dust storm?

• Wind energy

• Hydroelectric energy

• Geothermal energy

• Nuclear energy

What significant discovery did Opportunity make regarding Mars' geological history?

• Sedimentary rocks and minerals indicating past water

• Evidence of ancient life forms

• Volcanic activity

• Presence of methane gas

What is one of the future missions planned to continue Mars exploration?

• NASA's Voyager 3

• ESA's Rosalind Franklin Rover

• NASA's Apollo 18

• ESA's Galileo Probe