Mars Rover Spirit still has Spirit

 Artist's concept of Spirit on Mars. (NASA)

After months of unsuccessful attempts at freeing the rover from a sandtrap, NASA on Tuesday said it has decided to make the best of the situation and instruct it to conduct scientific experiments from its current location.

The rover became trapped last April when one of its wheels broke through a crusty Martian surface and dug into the fine, powdery soil beneath it. After many so-called extraction activities, including wiggling the wheels and rotating them very slowly, NASA scientists have decided to stop trying to extract the rover and refocus their efforts.

"Spirit is not dead; it has just entered another phase of its long life," Doug McCuistion, director of the Mars Exploration Program at NASA Headquarters in Washington, said in a statement. "We told the world last year that attempts to set the beloved robot free may not be successful. It looks like Spirit's current location on Mars will be its final resting place."

Now, scientists will focus on getting Spirit through the upcoming Martian winter. The main concern is getting the solar-powered rover to store up enough energy that it can keep its onboard electronics sufficiently warm during the cold winter months.

It is now autumn on Mars, and the days are getting shorter, which means opportunities for Spirit to collect sunlight are dwindling. Now, scientists will use what power it has left to try to reposition the vehicle--and its solar panels--to maximize the amount of sunlight it can collect. It is currently tilting toward the south, but the sun is in the north. NASA said Tuesday that, at its current angle, the rover is not likely to be able to communicate with Earth through winter. If Spirit survives, it will continue its scientific research.

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