Posted on 03/03/2004 6:08:37 PM PST by Phil V.
SPIRIT UPDATE: Grinding, Take Two - sol 58, Mar 02, 2004
On sol 58, which ends at 7:52 p.m., PST on March 2, the planned four-hour rock abrasion tool grind of "Humphrey" was limited to only 20 minutes. The intricate slopes and cracks of the rock make it a challenging target for instruments. When sensors indicated a loss of contact with surface material, the software perceived a problem and the rock abrasion tool was moved away from the rock. Engineers are amending the software limits to duplicate the rock abrasion tool's earlier operation on the rock "Adirondack," giving a higher likelihood of successful completion on the next sol.
The morning began with the completion of the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer integration on the previously brushed area. The panoramic camera then took a multi-spectral observation of the nearby ground, followed by a Mössbauer spectrometer integration on the same area.
Spirit's Sol 58 wake-up song was "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" by U2 to pay homage to its twin rover's amazing findings of water evidence at Meridiani Planum.
On sol 59, Spirit will attempt another rock abrasion tool grind on "Humphrey," followed by detailed observations of the hole.
Spirit Update Archive
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OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Opportunity Hits Pay Dirt - sol 38, Mar 03, 2004
On sol 38, which ended at 8:13 a.m. PST on Wednesday, March 3, Opportunity awoke to "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?" by Creedence Clearwater Revival in honor of the confirmation that liquid water once flowed through the rocks at Meridiani Planum.
In the morning of sol 38, Opportunity observed the atmosphere with the panoramic camera and miniature thermal emission spectrometer. Then, the rover turned the miniature thermal emission spectrometer to stare at the ground for science observations. Later, Opportunity took stereo microscopic images and Mössbauer spectrometer readings of the soil target dubbed "Pay Dirt."
In the early afternoon Local Solar Time, Opportunity stowed the rover arm, took a panoramic camera image of "Last Chance," and drove a very short distance of 0.4 meters (16 inches) toward "Last Chance" to prepare for the deployment of the robotic arm.
The proposed plan for sol 39, which will end at 8:52 a.m. PST on Thursday, March 4, is to start the morning by taking images of a rare solar transit of the martian moon, Deimos. The solar transit of Deimos causes a solar eclipse only twice per Mars year (one Mars year equals roughly two Earth years). Later in the sol, Opportunity is scheduled to take a microscopic panorama of the layers in the "Last Chance" rock formation.
I agree with you on the goofy terminology, but since you brought it up: How do you know when it's night on the Sun? When the Galactic core sets?
It appears to be two different colors, light on top and darker below the fracture in the middle. The split across the top is very unusual and I can't recall ever seeing basalt with that sort of fracturing. I'd say it doesn't appear to be basalt unless it's been weathered a lot by water or sandstorm abrasion. I've seen river-worn basalts with somewhat the same look. My gut reaction says it isn't basalt.
If there is, I hope they break the contract and dare NASA to do anything about it. There was an incident on a Soviet space station (the one before Mir) in which the astronauts got so fed up with the crap being fed their way by ground control that they simply turned off the comms for a few days and went on strike. When they turned the radios back on they were treated much nicer.
It's bad enough having to watch pretty much the whole damn country go down the tubes, but to have NASA actively feeding the national case of arrested development... argh.
The Mister Rogers and Sesame Street pedantry is just a bit too much.
Its's one thing if they limit it to "NASA for Kidz" or somesuch. But they don't. It's like walking into the bank and having the people there speak to you in babytalk. Woooodums wanna pwettie home impwooovement woan? Wanna wowwiepop? Say pweeze!
Playing songs to R/C cars?
WTF???
On my dollar?
WTF'nF???
At this rate, the next time around it'll be, "Our favorite Mars Robot, Wally the Wanderer, is playing near some very exciting rocks today! Wally was upset earlier. His special electronic brain was going "Ow! Ow!" Wally must have eaten a rock that did not taste good! We played Wally's favorite tune to him -- The Big Rock Candy Mountain -- while our Space Doctors worked on Wally's insides using very complicated tools. Hey, Space Doctor! Don't tickle Wally!"
Same way you know it's night anywhere else, of course. It gets dark!
LOL I agree 100%. It's assinine and either totally sophomoric or incredibly condescending (I vote for both). Now see how long it is before some ninny flames you for daring to criticize the hogs in the public trough at NASA. Welfare for PhDs and Engineers.
For some Unfathomable reason, those who publicise NASA revelations have been taught that the "General Public" are the Classic, "Ignorant Masses."
"The Elites" cannot understand that the Vast Majority of us are Quite Capable of understanding the Science & It's Implications!
& the "Elites" simply Don'T Believe that "the General "run" of Humanity is "On Their Side!!"
We WANT to go "Back to the Moon--& On to Mars!!"
It is our "Genetic Predisposition" to Explore our Environment.
& Besides, a Moon Colony & a Mars Colony will be a FUN ADVENTURE!!
Doc
IF we Must Live under the THREAT OF ANNIHILATION by Forces Inimical to the very Basis of our Existence,--we might as well turn our attention Outward, & embrace the Instincts of our Species, that we "Go OUT!!"
There are Those who believe that, as we are "Under Attack," we should "hunker Down,--& Try to survive."
There are Others of Us who believe that DESPITE predatory attacks, we should pursue oue "Destiny,"--that we should "Go on to the Moon & Mars, & Beyond!"
There is MUCH EVIDENCE that our Species is designed to Expand;--that for us to "retreat & Consolidate" is a form of Species Suicide!!
We shall see.
Doc
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