Opportunity's final messsage.

[barkis]

According to Nasa the last message from Opportunity set emotions running riot.It simply read, My Batteries are running low, and it is getting dark.

Sounds like something HAL might have said in.        2001, A Space Odyssey.

Ron.

 

[Floater]

Ooh I’d love to believe that ... ??

[mog3768]

Wow that is so spookey

[JamesF]

Nah.  "So long, and thanks for all the fish" would have been spooky

James

[mog3768]

Which I had thought of that James

[JamesF]

I'd probably get the sack if I worked for NASA as a programmer.  I think I'd be unavoidably tempted to sneak some code in for an amusing or mysterious message when a vehicle was about to shut down irretrievably.

Following barkis's theme it could have sent "My God!  It's full of stars!" or just have it start on "Daisy, Daisy...".  Or transmit a message back in Klingon.  Or, in fact, given the actual message, I'd probably have it as:

"My batteries are running low and it is getting dark.  Well, here's another nice mess you've gotten me into!"

James

[Tim]

There'll be a NASA programmer giving himself a mental high five i'm sure! And to be fair, he's waited long enough for it!

[Helen]

https://t.co/iEuCfbj91s

[Guest]

NASA has gone a bit weird IMO regarding the first person perspective tweets issued on some missions (Not in this instance I appreciate)  I personally find these FPP tweets quite odd and somewhat banal.  Though to be fair it must be quite emotional when a long duration mission such as this finally comes to an end.  Anyhow, I greatly respect NASA and the work they do,  it is one of humanity's more noble endeavors. 

[Demonperformer]

Went for eight months and continued working for fifteen years ... definitely one of the more successful Mars missions, methinks.

[Stu]

1 hour ago, Demonperformer said:

Went for eight months and continued working for fifteen years ... definitely one of the more successful Mars missions, methinks.

Didn't they only go for 90 days to start with? Pretty amazing engineering to last so long. I guess if you build it to survive at all then it is likely to last a while longer?

[reezeh]

If the solar panel got covered in dust, what'll happen if it suddenly gets uncovered again?

Assuming of course that the batteries aren't totally kaput (and so on) I can just see people getting freaked out by "Oi! I'm 'ere!!"! ?

[Guest]

Yep, one term describes NASA's engineering audacity. ...Sky Cane !!!!  

 

 

[Demonperformer]

1 hour ago, Stu said:

Didn't they only go for 90 days to start with? Pretty amazing engineering to last so long. I guess if you build it to survive at all then it is likely to last a while longer?

You may be right, Stu. I just got the "8 months" figure off a news broadcast and haven't checked it. In which case, the mission cost them only 1/60 (in terms of $$$/day of data) than they expected. Surely no one can complain at that rate of return.

[barkis]

Probably mysteriously come back online In a couple of months with big   'GOTCHA" 
"And Boy, have I had a good Kip."

[maw lod qan]

I thought I did read it was planned for 90 days and if my grey matter is functioning for 1 km of travel. 

When they thought dust on the SP''s along would come a clean wind and they were back in business.

It far exceeded that.

My question is, if you budgeted payroll for double that, 180 days, just to cover the chance of it lasting longer, where did the money come from for all these years?

[dannybgoode]