captainignis:

captainsuckass:

ren-of-rationality:

heyyitsinky:

en-shaedn:

kasaron:

glitchlight:

glitchlight:

glitchlight:

theres a big martian dust storm rn and its not clear if opportunity will survive

sci fi writers: humans dont care about robots

me, crying: OPPORTUNITY HONEY YOU CAN DO IT I BELIEVE IN YOU

Important clarification 

1)  Mars Rovers have to run heaters constantly (especially at night) because Mars is cold and they have sensitive electronics.  Opportunity has had to shut down its heater because it hasn’t been able to draw enough power over the past few weeks; the danger is that Opportunity may not survive the few days its expected for the dust storm to clear up. The other currently operating rover, Curiosity is younger and has more advanced panels, batteries, and, most importantly, an onboard RTG (tl;dr: nuclear power source) that means dust storms aren’t as threatening to it. Opportunity has some radioactive heaters too, but they’re older, smaller, and have less power output. It’s survived dust storms in the past but every one is always a risk.

and 2)

THEIR OFFICIAL TWITTER CALLS IT OPPY, OPPY I BELIEVE IN YOU!!! 

This is why I constantly say the whole trope of “robots as slaves to humans” and all that is bullshit because the instant one of our cute idiot mechanical children is in danger we have a goddamn conniption, even WITHOUT AI. 

Oppy has stopped responding as of last night (it’s currently Wednesday, June 13, 2018). There is some hope that he will recharge when the dust storm passes, but that’s going to take a while

In a press conference last week, NASA officials said they expect Opportunity will survive the dust storm. Without a steady supply of sunlight, the biggest risk for Opportunity would be freezing in the Martian cold. But it’s almost Martian summer at Opportunity’s location, and temperatures are not expected to dip below the danger level, NASA officials have said.

@captainignis

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