Young Frankengeek

Move over, Energizer Bunny. They keep going and going and going....

Martian rovers Spirit and Opportunity are going strong 10 months after they began their geological study of the red planet, mission scientists said Thursday.

And with more sunlight as Mars' springtime begins, activity is picking up.

"The rovers are both in good shape," said Jim Erickson, the rover project manager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. "Normal science activities are increasing as we continue to get additional power out of the solar panels, primarily because the Martian day is getting longer." ...

Spirit is currently climbing high into the Columbia Hills, which rise above Gusev crater where the spacecraft landed. ...

After initial study of some so-called basaltic rocks near its landing site, Spirit embarked on a 10-week drive across the crater, more than a mile wide, to reach the Columbia Hills. Scientists hope to find older, more interesting rocks there, and perhaps tell-tale signs of water. ...

Opportunity is exploring in an area called Meridiani Planum on the other side of planet. The rover hit pay dirt early, landing inside a shallow crater ringed in layered rock outcroppings. In April, mission scientists announced Opportunity had found conclusive evidence that a salty sea once lapped the shores of Meridiani.

The rover now is studying rocks inside another, larger crater named Endurance. ...

The rovers, especially Spirit, are aging. Mission managers continue to grapple with a steering brake problem. And a new issue involves a sensor that monitors the status of a layer of insulation that guards against electrical shorts in the vehicle.

"It is an indication that more parts may be showing their age," Erickson said.

Engineers say operations should not be affected in the immediate future.

And even if they are, just remember this: The missions were supposed to last 90 days. It seems the rovers were well-named.