In memoriam, Opportunity rover, 2004-2018

[redbird]

NASA has pulled the plug on the Mars rover Opportunity, several months after it was last heard from. That rover did a lot of science (as did its sister rover Spirit, which "only" managed six years of their original 90-sol mission. Landing on Mars is difficult, but JPL builds good hardware: the Voyager space probes are still functional and doing science after more than forty years.

Comments

[otter]

Aw, sad.

[minoanmiss]

*raises a light to Opportunity's good work and cherished memory*

Someone on Tumblr posted this poem in its honor and it's perfect:

So, we’ll go no more a-roving

So late into the night,

Though the heart be still as loving,

And the moon be still as bright.



For the sword outwears its sheath,

And the soul wears out the breast,

And the heart must pause to breathe,

And love itself have rest.



Though the night was made for loving,

And the day returns too soon,

Yet we’ll go no more a-roving

By the light of the moon.



-Lord Byron