NASA's Mars rovers set new longevity record

Washington, May 20 (ANI): NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Project has set a longevity record on the Red Planet.

The Opportunity rover will surpass the duration record set by NASA's Viking 1 Lander, which operated on Martian soil for six years and 116 days.

Although Spirit began working on Mars three weeks before Opportunity, it has been out of communication since March 22.

Only if it awakens from hibernation and resumes communication, will it attain the Martian surface longevity record.

NASA's Mars Odyssey, in orbit since in 2001, has been working at Mars longer than any other current mission and is on track to take the Mars longevity record later this year.

Discoveries by the Mars Exploration Rover have included Opportunity finding the first mineralogical evidence that Mars had liquid water and Spirit finding evidence for hot springs or steam vents and a past environment of explosive volcanism. (ANI)