Want to feel old? Remember the Opportunity rover we sent to Mars? It was one of the solar-powered twins (along with the rover Spirit) that was sent to Mars back in 2004. Today is Opportunity’s birthday, and if it wasn’t a robot on another planet it could be ready for its Bat Mitzvah. Opportunity is 13. The average car in America is almost 12.
To celebrate the robot’s birthday, NASA/JPL made this charmingly dorky video that outlines all the ways Opportunity has become teenager-like, which mostly has to do with increased autonomy, overconfidence, and a compulsion to send pictures electronically at all times.
Most teenagers, though, are much worse at assessing the chemical content of minerals.
Happy birthday, robot!