Martian wind gives rover new life

CNN.com and Space.com are reporting that the dusty solar panels on NASA's Spirit rover were cleaned by martian winds, giving the rover new life.

Spirit encountered the whirlwind recently near its exploration site at Gusev crater. Scientists believe the Spirit's solar panels had become increasingly loaded with martian dust, but that a sudden wind gust, or dust devil, carried most of it away. The rover's available power increased markedly, and NASA believes Spirit's life expectancy has been extended as a result.