The mission of Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity has already come to an end, said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of the Directorate of Science Missions of NASA at a press conference that Wednesday in Pasadena, California.
NASA made a final attempt to contact Opportunity on Tuesday night, but failed.
The last time that Earth communicated with Opportunity with solar energy was on June 10, 2018 when a dust storm on the entire planet covered the planet and darkened the skies.
There was a bit of anguish this Wednesday, February 13, although the rover far exceeded its planned 90-day mission when it was launched in 2004. Opportunity discovered a part of Mars that could have been adequate to maintain microbial life, according to the website of JPL.
Opportunity’s twin vehicle, Spirit, helped scientists understand the Martian wind and found evidence that it was much more humid than it is today. Spirit’s mission ended in 2011.