Sic Transit Spirit

On May 25th 2011, NASA declared Mars Exploration Rover A (MER-A), aka Spirit, deceased after its three-month mission -- which lasted almost six years.

Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientists kept up hope for almost a year that Spirit would somehow manage to reboot after the long Martian winter, like a hummingbird jump-starting itself after a cold autumn night, but those hopes were finally abandoned late last month when final attempts to contact the rover got no response.

Spirit is survived by its twin, Mars Exploration Rover B (MER-B), aka Opportunity.

Hat tip to Doctor Beyond.