"Cardman" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 29 Jan 2004 14:06:12 GMT, "Bruce Sterling Woodcock"
wrote:

No, designed lifetime target is 90 days... project
lifespan based on current performance could
be many more months.

The Viking landers were also made to last a minimum of 90 days, where
they actually lasted for a couple of years.

True. And Viking 1 could have lasted even longer, if they hadn't
accidentally turned it off. Longest-lived interplanetary spacecraft
on record:

Pioneer 10: March 2 1972 -- Apr 27 2002 (or Jan 23 2003)
IMP-8: Oct 25 1973 -- Oct 30 2001
Pioneer 11: Apr 5 1973 -- Sep 29 1995 (or Nov ?? 1995)
Voyager 2: Aug 20 1977 -- today
Voyager 1: Sep 5 1977 -- today

One could argue that Pioneer 10 and 11 are still "alive" but
simply beyond our ability to communicate with currently given
their low-power states. Some of the various other probes
fromt he 60s and 70s that are still in solar orbit may
theoretically be functional but I don't know of any attempts
to contact them.

Bruce