It is likely that Spirit has experienced a low-power fault and has turned off all sub-systems, including communication and gone into a deep sleep.

While sleeping, the rover will use the available solar array energy to recharge her batteries. The rover electronics module (REM) is expected to get colder than ever before.

When the batteries recover to a sufficient state of charge, Spirit will wake up and begin to communicate over X-band and Ultra-High Frequency (UHF).

Although the rover may not wake for some time, the project has been listening every day for any X-band signal from Spirit through the Deep Space Network (DSN) using the radio science receiver (RSR). The Mars Odyssey orbiter is also listening for any scheduled UHF relay passes.

If energy levels for the rover are even lower than estimated, there is the additional risk that the rover may trip a mission clock fault.

If that happens, the rover would remain asleep until the batteries have recharged sufficiently and there is enough sunlight on the solar arrays to wake the rover. With the passing of the southern winter solstice (on May 13, 2010), solar energy levels and temperatures should begin to improve.

Total odometry is unchanged at 7,730.50 meters (4.80 miles).

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