Whether we realize it or not, people project emotions and human-like traits on machines. This leads to us forming attachments with them. Whether those machines are more commonplace like a Roomba or as far away as a rover on another planet, people love the idea of a machine feeling emotions.
“My battery is low and it’s getting dark.” The poetic interpretation of the Opportunity rover’s- nicknamed Oppy- last transmission spoke volumes as people mourn the ending of Oppy’s mission to collect data on Mars. In June of last year, most of Mars was experiencing a dust storm and because of this, Oppy broke down in a ravine “on the western rim of the Endeavour Crater” where it was not able to recharge its batteries due to her solar panel being blocked.
Oppy’s slowly dying battery was a heartbreaking experience that was mourned by people involved with the project and by the general public. But the fact that she “died” isn’t even the saddest part of all of this. The saddest part is that the mission control for Oppy played “I’ll Be Seeing You” by Billie Holiday. The last transmission that Oppy received was “I’ll find you In the morning sun And when the night is new. I’ll be looking at the moon, But I’ll be seeing you.” If that doesn’t make you want to cry, I don’t know what will.
Dr. Tanya Harrison, a former Curiosity ops team member, tweeted “Spent the evening at JPL as the last ever commands were sent to the Opportunity rover on #Mars. There was silence. There were tears. There were hugs. There were memories and laughs shared. #ThankYouOppy #GoodnightOppy”
Oppy may not have been alive, but her “death” is definitely being mourned.
