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Published online 25 March 2008 |
Nature
| doi:10.1038/news.2008.681
Updated online: 25 March 2008
News
Mars rovers under strain from cuts
Overspending on a new rover threatens other Mars projects at NASA.
Escalating costs from the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL), the next-generation Mars rover due to launch in 2009, have forced NASA to ask current Mars missions to look for savings. This includes the mission running the rovers Spirit and Opportunity, still going strong four years after their initial three-month mission ended.
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That the rovers continue today is the most exciting news in space exploration since Armstrong landed on the moon. The success of the project is a rare opportunity for sustained exploration and provides valuable insight into similar explorations elsewhere in the solar system. I am pleased to hear that NASA remain committed. The amount it takes to maintain the rovers project is insignificant in the overall cost of the project.
The update is excellent news, but I think it is meant to read $4 million, is it not?