Storm delays Mars rover's crater descent

PASADENA, Calif., July 5 (UPI) -- A dust storm on Mars has cut solar power to NASA's rover Opportunity, delaying the U.S.-operated space vehicle from its scheduled decent into Victoria crater.

Opportunity and twin rover Spirit -- exploring the other side of the planet -- are powered by solar energy. Dust storms obscure the sun, reducing the amount of power available to the rovers.

Mission managers had planned to send Opportunity into Victoria crater as early as Saturday, New Scientist reported Thursday. The team said July 13 now is the earliest the rover can venture into the crater.

The storm cut Opportunity's power by nearly half, from 765 watt-hours a day to 402 watt-hours a day. Dust storms also are occurring in Spirit's location, but aren't as severe.

"We have not seen dust measurements this high on either rover before," said rover manager John Callas of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, in Pasadena, Calif. "If the dust levels were to increase further, and stay elevated for several days, there is a risk to how well Opportunity could continue to work in this darkened environment."

However, the atmosphere's transparency appears to be improving, Callas said. "The storm might have peaked and we may have passed the worst of this," he said.