Posted: Thu, Jan 29, 2004, 11:37 AM ET (1637 GMT)
Engineers at JPL said Wednesday they were optimistic that the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit, immobilized since a computer problem started a week ago, could resume scientific work next week. Efforts to regain complete control of the rover are in progress, officials said, but are not yet complete. One sign of the improved status of the rover was the release Wednesday of the first image taken by the rover since the problem started. Engineers believe the vehicle could restart its scientific observations early next week if the recovery work goes well. Meanwhile, controllers continue to prepare Opportunity to roll off its lander, an event that could take place as early as late Sunday night. On Wednesday the spacecraft started the process of "standing up" by deploying its front wheels and latching its suspension system in place. NASA announced Wednesday that the Opportunity landing site would be named the Challenger Memorial Station, after the shuttle lost in the STS-51L accident 18 years ago. One day earlier NASA named three hills visible around the Spirit landing site after the three members of the Apollo 1 crew killed in a pad accident on January 27, 1967.
