NASA has green lighted the decent of the Martian Rover 'Opportunity' into a large crater dubbed Victoria. The go ahead was given when it was determined that the scientific returns out weighed the risk to the rover. Opportunity and it's sister, 'Spirit', have been roving the Martian landscape since January of 2004, in what was to be a 90 day mission. Victoria is said to have been formed as the result of a collision with a meteor and is some 200 to 230 feet deep. Opportunity will first edge its way up to the rim of the crater and then back away to see how it performs, if it is determined to go forward the first target will be a ring about 10 feet down which represents the pre-impact surface of the planet, perhaps billions of years ago. Good luck little rover! CNN story here.
http://www.nasa.gov/rovers
http://www.nasa.gov/rovers
