Mourning for Spirit
Sometime today, the efforts at contacting the Mars Spirit Rover will cease:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2011-156&cid=release_2011-156
While we've known this was going to happen, now it is official, Spirit has completed its traverse, its observations, its mission. And what a mission it was! This well designed robot exceeded every expectation, and then some.
From one geologist to another, I doff my dusty field hat to you, Spirit, and raise a beer in your honor. Rest well. Hope to see you again, someday.
UPDATE:
More here: http://marsrover.nasa.gov/newsroom/pressreleases/20110525a.html
The first panorama: