Durable Mars Rovers Sent Into Third Overtime Period

This image taken at JPL shows engineers testing the route by which the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity rolled off its lander - before the Opportunity had even left Planet Earth. mage Credit: NASA/JPL

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NASA has approved another 18 months of operations for Spirit and Opportunity, the twin Mars rovers that have already surprised engineers and scientists by continuing active exploration for more than 14 months. The rovers have already completed 11 months of extensions on top of their successful three-month prime missions. "We now have to make long-term plans for the vehicles because they may be around for quite a while," said Jim Erickson, rover project manager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

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