14 DAY TRIAL // Ever since it got more autonomy from Mission Control, the rover Opportunity has been leaving new types of tracks on the surface of Mars. They can be seen clearly in a new image released by its mission controllers, and they represent a testimony of the fact that new capabilities can go on an old robot.
The exploration vehicle has been roaming the surface of the Red Planet for more than seven years, after arriving there in 2004. It was originally supposed to last for only three months, but amazing designs and construction craftsmanship enabled it to remain functional for a lot longer.
Last year, mission controllers at the Pasadena, California-based NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) enabled a new capability on the rover. An innovative software allows the machine to steer itself, and deem what targets are important for further exploration all on its own.
The reason why this ability was installed is because it took a long time for data sent by the machine to reach Earth, get processed, and then undergo analysis at JPL. The controllers then had to write lines of code to put the rover in the right direction, and wait until the data reached Mars.
Now, the machine can drive itself. However, it must abide by the same precautionary measures as it always did. Keeping in mind its sister spacecraft's fate, Opportunity is stopping at regular intervals to analyze the ground ahead of it.
This is done regardless of whether the machine is driving forwards or backwards. However, in the latter case, an obstacle obstructs the view, an Earth-communications antenna that obscures the center of the view. The rover drives backwards to spare its front-right wheel, which is a bit damaged.
In order to ensure that it doesn't walk into a trap – like Spirit did on the other side of Mars – the robot needs to get an unobstructed view of its surroundings. Given that the antenna blocks some of the view, the machine pivots around its central axis every time it stops while driving backwards.
As such, its straight tracks can be seen dotted with spots where this maneuver was executed. This is clearly visible in the new image released by the JPL. The machine is still relentlessly heading towards the Endeavour crater, its target for the past couple of years.
Since January 2004, Opportunity has traveled more than 18 miles (29 kilometers) on the surface of the Red Planet. It still has a long way to go until it reaches Endeavour, but it managed to travel 1.6 miles (2.6 kilometers) since late March alone.
On the other side of the planet, the rover Spirit has been stuck in a patch of loose sand called Troy since May 2009. Even as the last Martian winter came to an end, and spring arrived at its location, the rover has yet to contact Earth.