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06/29/2004:
NF . 188 million miles of upgradin'


WHOA... while this might be a ten day old news already, still... this gives a new level to the word 'upgrade'.

The new software, beamed across 188 million miles of space, should permit Spirit to travel longer distances across the rocky terrain by allowing it to independently negotiate obstacles that previously stumped its navigation software. Opportunity's landing site on the far side of the planet is relatively obstacle-free.

A second part of the software package should allow the rovers to recover from computer memory problems like the one that struck Spirit less than three weeks into its mission.

The third portion should allow Opportunity to enter into "deep sleep" mode at night. That will cut off electricity to a stuck heater that had been coming on unnecessarily.

Link

How about giving 'interception' and 'cracking' a new meaning too? Something like a bored 25 year old 'hacker' decides to patch the twin rovers with an algorithm that makes them dance the rumba for a couple of minutes every 12 earth hours.

Ah... even Yoda will rejoice.