Engineers are optimistic they can free the Opportunity Mars rover, perhaps as early as this week, from fluffy soil that trapped it dur- ing a long run over flat terrain late last month. Under a thin top crust, the soil appears to be as fine as flour and at least as fine as anything Opportunity or its twin Spirit has driven on. Opportunity's wheels are sunk up to about three-fourths of their 10-in. dia., deeper than rover wheels have ever been, including when they were digging trenches.
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