it would be really neat to see where they are at 50 years after launch.

...would be re-deployed to develop and maintain these powerful robots.

Maintaining us carbon-based life forms in the hostile environment of space carries too much overhead. Fifty years ago, Carl Sagan advocated a machines-only approach to space exploration.

I think he was right.

I mean yes, it's kind of sexy to have humans exploring space, but it's also pretty goddamn expensive. And modern computers can do so much more than we ever dreamed in the 1970's. The light speed delay problem with Mars exploration was considered a show stopper for rovers until we had computers that could independently evaluate the landscape around them and drive themselves. I did not really even believe that was possible until I saw the videos returned by Spirit and Odyssey.

They've both passed the leliopause and into interstellar space...my God, what amazing engineering. Hats of to NASA.

I remember machines of that class, though not rated for space travel obviously but younger people might have no way to even imagine how primitive those things are. They were truly miraculous feats of engineering for their age and the fact that they are still working today proves the skill of their designers.

how much of our rocketry and space programs began with guys on slide-rules. I doubt very many people today can use one. Almost like a dial telephone to some people. I guess somewhere there is probably a video of kids trying to tap the numbers on the dial to make it work. It's like people today being faced with a wringer washer. I'm not judging one over the other but just saying it is amusing to be a person familiar with those things and watching people try to figure it out after many years since they were commonly used.

Not only amazing that they can do it but someone thought of building that feature those many years ago.