Mars Dust Storm Now ‘Planet-Encircling,’ Dimming Hopes For NASA Rover

A dust storm has reduced sunlight and visibility on Mars. But NASA’s Curiosity rover, seen in a self-portrait taken last week in the Gale Crater, runs on nuclear energy and is powering through.

AP

Opportunity, phone home!

NASA scientists are still holding out hope they will hear from the surprisingly long-lived Mars rover. It went into snooze mode earlier this month, thanks to a gargantuan dust storm on the Red Planet that’s blocking beams from reaching the solar panels that recharge the rover’s batteries.

But like light on Mars, hopes of hearing from Opportunity anytime soon have dimmed.