Il piccolo veicolo Opportunity, che dal 2004 per conto della NASA, l'agenzia spaziale statunitense, scorrazza sulla superficie di Marte, ha percorso in questi anni una distanza che nessun altro mezzo in missione su un corpo celeste è mai riuscito ad uguagliare.
Spinto dall'energia solare, l'esploratore meccanico ha ormai superato i 40 chilometri, battendo il primato stabilito dal sovietico Lunokhod 2, lanciato sul nostro satellite nel 1973.
E pensare che la minuscola "astromobile" è stata programmata per non andare oltre il chilometro e per una durata di vita 25 volte inferiore. Spirit, il gemello lanciato poche settimane prima, è d'altronde fuori uso dal 2010, dopo sei anni di duro lavoro sull'opposta faccia del pianeta rosso.
AFP/dg
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