NASA Considers Sending Mars Rover On One-Way Mission

From ClickToNews

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Scientists at NASA consider sending the mars rover Opportunity to explore a large crater knowing that they may not be able to get the rover out of it once in.

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Opportunity, one of the two remote operated rovers on mars, stands poised on the edge of a large crater, awaiting a decision from NASA as to whether to risk sending the rover into the crater to explore. The rover, which is much better at going down hills than it is at going up, may not be able to crawl out of the crater once in has crawled in.

Scientists hope to learn many secrets of Mars past by examaing the layers of dirt and rock that have been exposed along the craters inner edge.

For now, NASA will continue to study the problem, trying to get all the details, facts and possible entry and any exit plans for the crater before making a final decision. Still, the idea of sending the rover into the crater without any known means of it crawling out may still be worth the cost of the rover if the knowledged gained helps answer questions about Mars' past, and Earth's possible future.