Nasa Mars probe in a ‘coma’ as powerful dust storm intensifies
IN THE Hollywood film The Martian, starring Matt Damon, a massive dust storm causes havoc for a manned mission to the Red Planet, forcing early human visitors to abandon the surface.
Last night, Nasa detailed how a real example of such a gigantic natural event left Opportunity, its solar-powered rover, uncontactable and possibly in danger.
Ground controllers at the space agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory were repeatedly trying to contact the rover but it appeared to have gone into “sleep mode”. It was last known to be near the middle of the storm inside Perseverance Valley.
A senior official there said: “It’s like having a loved one in a coma in the hospital. If it’s your 97-year-old grandmother, you’re going to be concerned.”
However, Opportunity is not expected to be buried in dust. Instead, it is likely to be coated with a fine layer of talcum powder-like material.
John Callas, the rover’s project manager, said: “The good news is that the dust storm has warmed temperatures on Mars. We’re also going into the summer season so the rover will not get as cold as it would normally.”
The storm has been growing since the end of May and now covers a quarter of the planet, blanketing 14million square miles, blotting out the sun.
Officials said it was days away from becoming a planet-wide event.
One said: “It’s unprecedented in the speed it has grown and spread across the globe.” Another said: “The storm is
‘It’s like having a loved one in a coma in the hospital … we’re all pulling for Opportunity’
one of the most intense ever observed on the Red Planet. It has blocked out so much sunlight and effectively turned day into night.”
There was a similar planet-enveloping dust storm on Mars in 2007, which Opportunity survived.
A key question for future human missions is why big storms happen in some years and not others. A Nasa scientist said: “Knowing how the dust storms happen is important for future missions. This is an unprecedented opportunity to study one.”
An official said the rover had “the finest batteries” but was operating at “historic low energy levels” with probably only its mission clock still going.
“We think we can ride this out for a while. We just hope clear skies will open up and we’re all pulling for Opportunity.”
Opportunity was launched in 2003 to study Martian rocks and soil. It was initially intended to only have a 90-day mission on Mars but has already lasted more than 50 times longer than that.