Mars Rover Finds Possible Lake Bed

It's one thing for JPL's twin Mars rovers to still be operating. It's another when, in overtime, they come upon what could be an ancient lake bed.

Spirit is now very close to the so-called Columbia Hills, facing a grade that, to its drivers on Earth, looks pretty doable. From the top of the hills, Spirit will survey what looks like an ancient lake bed.

At the Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena (CA), scientists are all a-giggle.

They're even more excited about formations found by Spirit which mirror those spotted by its twin rover halfway around the planet. In fact, one such outcropping is so spectacular that of the US Geological Survey's Larry Soderblom calls it "the pot of gold, the prize at the end of the rainbow," according to New Scientist Magazine's website.

Soderblom says the formation found by Spirit in the Gusev crater at the base of the Columbia Hills looks like "a loaf of bread that's under a state of decay." It has little nodules much like those found by Opportunity in Meridiani.

How did these formations get there? Soderblom said, "it's hard to imagine that water wasn't involved," but has no explanation about just how they were formed.

Opportunity has already provided what scientists call conclusive evidence that water once existed on the surface of Mars. The questions now include how much and where did it go?

Ailing, But Not Broken

Although still functioning, Opportunity's travels may soon come to an end. The plucky rover is showing signs of increased resistance in its left front wheel. Mission handlers are thinking about operating Opportunity on its five remaining wheels. If not, they speculate Opportunity's left front wheel may fail before the rover travels another 100 meters.

FMI: http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov