Sunday, December 21, 2025

NASA Certifies Perseverance for Many More Years (and Miles)

NASA's ongoing testing and management of the Perseverance Mars rover has confirmed it should be able to continue its journeys on the Red Planet for many years and miles to come.

Posted by LampLighter at 04:31 PM | 5 COMMENTS | permalink

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Unusual "helmet-shaped" rock composed entirely of smaller spherules. This image was taken by NASA's Perseverance rover on Mars. This image is also up for the planetary science image of 2025: bsky.app/profile/spac ... NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/ @jackiebranc.site #SciComm

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-- Dr. Raphael Marschall (@spacemarschall.net) Dec 16, 2025 at 1:17 PM

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More from the article ...

... The Perseverance rover has been traversing the surface of Mars since 2021 and is currently en route to a new sampling location, "Lac de Charmes."

NASA continues to monitor its progress, including the health of key components, to determine how long it will last in the harsh conditions of that far-flung planet.

To aid in that endeavor, NASA has duplicates of the rover here on Earth, which it can subject to similar conditions to judge wear and tear.

Based on its testing, NASA has certified the motor actuators for almost 40 miles more. On top of that, evaluation of the rover's other subsystems suggests it should be able to continue to operate as normal until at least 2031, giving it plenty of time to complete more exciting missions. ...



#1 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-12-21 02:26 AM

Dennis McCarthy - Where My Heart Will Take Me (2012)
www.youtube.com

(no lyrics seem to be available ...)

#2 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-12-21 02:36 AM

@#2

fwiw, from what I remember, the first Star-Trek series TV show theme song that had lyrics.


#3 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-12-21 02:49 AM

NASA Certifies Perseverance for Many More Years (and Miles)

Don't they teach the Theory of Jinxology in rocket scientist school?

#4 | Posted by censored at 2025-12-21 09:12 AM

@#2
fwiw, from what I remember, the first Star-Trek series TV show theme song that had lyrics.
#3 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-12-21 02:49 AM

Yes, perhaps the most hated, reviled theme song in history.

The decision to use that was the largest nail in the Enterprise coffin.

Some people are so selfish they would just destroy a thing so noone can enjoy it any longer.

Brannon Braga and Rick Berman were the "executives" making that decision.

Star Trek was that thing.

Here are their lyrics to us haters:

It's been a long road, getting from there to here
It's been a long time, but my time is finally near
And I can feel the change in the wind right now
Nothing's in my way
And they're not gonna hold me down no more
No they're not gonna hold me down

[Refrain]
Cause I've got faith of the heart
I'm going where my heart will take me
I've got faith to believe. I can do anything
I've got strength of the soul
And no one's gonna bend or break me
I can reach any star
I've got faith, I've got faith
Faith of the heart

[Verse 2]
It's been a long night. Trying to find my way
Been through the darkness. Now I finally have my day
And I will see my dream come alive at night
I will touch the sky
And they're not gonna hold me down no more
No they're not gonna change my mind

[Refrain]
Cause I've got faith of the heart
I'm going where my heart will take me
I've got faith to believe. I can do anything
I've got strength of the soul
And no one's gonna bend or break me
I can reach any star
I've got faith
Faith of the heart

[Bridge]
I've known the wind so cold, I've seen the darkest days
But now the winds I feel, are only winds of change
I've been through the fire and I've been through the rain
But I'll be fine...

[Refrain]
Cause I've got faith of the heart
I'm going where my heart will take me
I've got faith to believe. I can do anything
I've got strength of the soul
And no one's gonna bend or break me
I can reach any star
I've got faith

I've got faith of the heart
I'm going where my heart will take me
I've got strength of the soul
And no one's gonna bend or break me
I can reach any star
I've got faith, I've got faith
Faith of the heart
It's been a long road...

Since that decision I really lost all interest in Star Trek, and television in general.

Of the very, very few things I related to whatsoever Star Trek was sacred. I never wanted it to become NASA's projection like some jingoistic applause sign.

#5 | Posted by redlightrobot at 2025-12-21 01:26 PM

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