The storm is considered the most severe of the storms encountered by the pair of rovers while they have been traveling around on the surface of Mars—for the past three-and-one-half years. Scientists tracking the dust storm state that it is thousands of miles across.

Because of its huge size and intensity, the storm is blocking most of the sunlight that is needed to recharge the rovers’ batteries through their solar panels. According to Opportunity, which is able to measure atmospheric dust on a daily basis, the dust storm has decreased the brightness of the noon day Sun on Mars by about 96%. However, MER researchers state that the power levels on Opportunity have not dropped that much because some of its power is garnered from sunlight that is scattered from the dust.

The project manager for the MER project, John Callas, of the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California states that the mission into the Victoria Crater on Mars will be delayed at least until July 13, 2007. It was originally scheduled to descent into the crater between July 7 and 9. He is basing this estimate on the fact that the intensity of the dust storm seems to have decreased over the past few days, according to data sent back from NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, which is orbiting above the planet.

Currently, Opportunity is situated on Duck Bay, which is on the edge of the Victoria Crater on Meridiani Planum. And, Spirit is positioned on the opposite side of the planet—at Gusev Crater. It is reported that dust is also picking up in this section of the planet.

The MER mission is a part of NASA’s ongoing Mars Exploration Program, which includes the two Viking landers in 1976 and the Pathfinder in 1997. MER has cost NASA about $820 million but the information sent back by Spirit and Opportunity has been enormous. Funding of the mission has been extended at least until September 2007.

NASA's MER website is: http://www.itwire.com.au/.

{moscomment}