As someone who loves the idea of space exploration and all that is unknown, following the developments from NASA is part of my joy. I wasn’t so joyful when I found out that NASA’s rover Opportunity, that was designed to take in information on Mars, had died. On February 13th, NASA confirmed that the rover was done for, and we’re still not okay with it.
We have already talked about how Opportunity, unfortunately, passed away this week, and we’ve even discussed what the rover’s final words were. “My battery is low, and it is getting dark out” is about an ominous as one little robot can get, but just to make the story that much worse, NASA gave the little rover that could—lasting years past its designed operational period—quite the send off.
As Opportunity’s battery was dying, apparently “I’ll Be Seeing You” by Billie Holiday played to sign the rover off. You know, the song that is essentially saying that, even though you’re gone, we’ll still be seeing you in all the familiar places we used to go together.
Maybe the saddest part of this is that NASA tried to revive Opportunity using the Billie Holiday hit and couldn’t. And yes, at the end of the day, Opportunity was a rover meant for a science expedition, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have an emotional connection to the story.
It’s all about learning new things and trying to expand our reach as human beings. So to have part of that come to an end is sad, and it doesn’t help that Opportunity had maybe the most depressing last sentence of all time.
So, of course, we all wanted to share our love for Opportunity.
To the robot who turned 90 days into 15 years of exploration:
You were, and are, the Opportunity of a lifetime.
Rest well, rover. Your mission is complete.
(2004-2019)https://t.co/POzRmYauHo#ThanksOppy pic.twitter.com/oZLBc7XMJD
— Spirit and Oppy (@MarsRovers) February 13, 2019
reading about the mars opportunity rover and finding out what oppy’s last words were pic.twitter.com/sv2DYMB29r
— indi 💭 (@indiqos) February 14, 2019
Good bye to our friend out in space. Enjoy the view and give us a call when you get the chance. @NASA @MarsRovers #ThanksOppy pic.twitter.com/peKKqA8Ick
— TABBY (@TABBYthis) February 14, 2019
goodnight, opportunity. #ThanksOppy pic.twitter.com/95LRWoz9G8
— jason 👻 @katsucon !! (@deucesclay) February 14, 2019
For fifteen years, we stood by Opportunity. The little rover did its job, investigating Mars and doing the best that it could. So, may you rest in peace, little Opportunity. You were vibrant, determined, and the best damn robot for the job, and I’ll always think of you that way. I’ll be looking at the Moon, but I’ll be seeing you.
(image: NASA/JPL/Cornell University)
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