Opportunity, the Mars rover, succumbed to a planet-wide dust storm in 2018 that blocked sunlight from reaching its solar panels, causing it to lose power and establish communication. The rover operated long past its original 90-sol (Martian day) mission, ultimately spending nearly 15 years on the Martian surface.
Theoretically, if Opportunity’s solar panels were cleaned and could once again gather sufficient sunlight to charge its batteries, the rover might start up again. Its systems were designed to be resilient, and Opportunity often entered a low-power mode to conserve energy, waking when sunlight was plentiful. However, there are several factors to consider: severe exposure to the harsh Martian environment without proper heating and power for an extended period likely degraded many of its components. Electronic systems can suffer damage due to extreme cold, possible corrosion, and other environmental factors, and without regular self-maintenance routines (such as warming circuits or memory refresh cycles), critical components may have failed beyond recovery.
Moreover, the rover relied on regular software updates and commands from Earth to perform functions and manage any unforeseen issues. After years of inactivity, communication systems or memory storage might not be operational. While the concept of revived functionality is hopeful, the extent of environmental damage and system constraints implies that a spontaneous return to functionality would be highly improbable without comprehensive maintenance and diagnostics.