Martian Rovers Running Out of Money

Posted by Chris Jensen | Mar. 24, 2008 03:17PM PST | 279 views | 3 comments

FILED UNDER: News. Science.

NASA has ordered $4-million in funding for the Mars Exploration Rover program to be cut from its paltry $20-million annual budget, putting at least one of the rovers in serious jeopardy.

Steve Squyres, main man for the project, tells CNN that operations for Spirit will be the likely target, with Spirit entering a forced hibernation until more money is somehow found.

These poor rovers have managed to live well beyond their projected shelf life, returning amazing data that will aid humanity in the future, have faced perilous cliffs, dust-devils and wicked storms, yet good ole budget problems are going to do them in.

Sad. Sad. Sad.

$4-million is chump change when the advancement of human knowledge and understanding is involved, but for some reason, we can always find money if it involves killing people.

Surely we can have a cookie-drive or something?

(Source: CNN)

Tags space, opportunity, spirit, nasa, budget, rovers, martian, mars