Astronomy current events question: incommunicado Opportunity rover spotted

Astronomy 210L, fall semester 2018
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Students are assigned to read online articles on current astronomy events, and take a short current events quiz during the first 10 minutes of lab. (This motivates students to show up promptly to lab, as the time cut-off for the quiz is strictly enforced!)

Andrew Good, "Opportunity Rover in Western Endeavour Crater" (September 25, 2018)
uahirise.org/ESP_056955_1775

NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter recently spotted the Opportunity rover, which has been unable to communicate after a planet-wide dust storm, due to:
(A) shorting out its electronics.
(B) its antenna blowing off.
(C) tipping over on its side.
(D) being buried in an avalanche.
(E) lack of solar power.

Correct answer: (E)

Student responses
Sections 70178, 70186
(A) : 2 students
(B) : 2 students
(C) : 0 students
(D) : 1 student
(E) : 20 students