I don't really know why, but I was hit really hard by the news of the official loss of the Opportunity rover. She'd been working her butt off on Mars for about 15 years on a 90 day mission (I'll save the "Gilligan's Island" joke). I know a lot of people have deeply felt her "death." Personally, I cried two or three times over a heap of metal and circuitry over her final message: "My battery is low and it's getting dark."
So, I just wanted to mention it as it seemed important somehow. Even though I really didn't follow Oppy's mission, I still had a strong reaction to the news of her final shutdown.
Here's to all the rovers who worked harder than any human on a planet farther than any human has ever gone. They truly executed their duty with distinction and honor. And here's to all the women and men who gave years of their lives to build and direct these creations. Perhaps someday, decades from now, we'll find their remains and make landmarks to their achievements when we reach Mars ourselves. For now, we can be grateful for the wealth of data they sent back to their makers and, perhaps, mourn their loss.
I'll just leave this here for pondering.
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