NASA gives rover missions 18 more months

PASADENA, Calif., April 5 (UPI) -- NASA officials said Tuesday they approved up to 18 more months of operations for Spirit and Opportunity, the twin Mars rovers.

Officials at the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory said the rovers already have surprised engineers and scientists by continuing active exploration of the Martian surface for more than 14 months.

"The rovers have proven their value with major discoveries about ancient watery environments on Mars that might have harbored life," said Ghassem Asrar, deputy associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. "We are extending their mission through September 2006 to take advantage of having such capable resources still healthy and in excellent position to continue their adventures."

Both rovers have operated 11 months beyond their successful three-month prime missions and although both have experienced mechanical or software problems from time to time, both continue to perform sufficiently well to continue their missions.

"Spirit and Opportunity are approaching targets that a year ago seemed well out of reach," said Doug McCuistion, director of NASA's Mars Exploration Program. "Their successes strengthen NASA's commitment to a vision with the ambitious targets of returning samples from Mars and sending human explorers to Mars."