06-Aug-2004
"Endurance Crater's" Dazzling Dunes (false-color)
Posted on 01/03/2007 2:06:00 PM PST by NormsRevenge
The twin Mars rovers are getting wiser with age.
Engineers have transmitted new flight software to the rovers' onboard computers - just in time for the third anniversary of their landings. The software is aimed at boosting their intelligence and independence so that they can roll around the Red Planet with less help from humans.
"We're teaching an old dog new tricks," said John Callas, the mission project manager with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, which is in charge of the rovers.
Among the rovers' new skills is the ability to automatically recognize and transmit to Earth photographs that they take of swirling dust devils or floating clouds. They can also independently decide whether it is safe to extend their robotic arms to sample rocks.
Before, scientists had to painstakingly dissect thousands of images just to find the frames they need and decide for the rovers whether to use their arms. The high-tech upgrades should help save time - as much as a day because scientists on Earth don't have to study a rock before sending commands to the robot to use science instruments on it.
If successful, the changes could get incorporated into future Mars missions.
Spirit and Opportunity were also fitted with a new navigation system that allows them to think several steps ahead when faced with an obstacle, allowing them to back out of a dead end or even navigate a maze on their own, Callas said. The robot geologists have previously tackled one problem at a time.
Spirit landed three years ago Wednesday and Opportunity on Jan. 24, 2004. Entering their fourth year of exploration, both golf cart-sized vehicles have long outlasted their primary missions, originally planned for about three months. While scientists are impressed by the rovers' longevity, they admit the robots could die at any time.
The rovers' biggest accomplishment is uncovering geologic evidence that water once flowed on Mars. Spirit is currently studying rocks and soil samples near a Martian ridge while Opportunity is circling the rim of a massive crater for possible ways in.
article is also on the wire and news sites titled
Upgrade makes aging Mars rovers smarter
On the Net:
Mars rovers: http://marsrovers.nasa.gov/home
This is one of several threads on this topic. The new NASA moon and Mars program was supposed to be a joint effort man + robot. So far I have seen next to nothing on the robotics side. Have you seen anything robotic in the new NASA?
Getting my tax dollars worth out of these amazing guys.
Now if they could just upload the smart software to the brain dead new Congress.
Perhaps on Mars, nothing ages?
06-Aug-2004
"Endurance Crater's" Dazzling Dunes (false-color)
Amazing! These rovers just keep on truckin'. Hey Beagle 2, did you hear that? Beagle 2...beagle2...are you there beagle2...?
Opportunity :: Microscopic Imager :: Sol 014
Microscopic Imager Non-linearized Full frame EDR acquired on Sol 14 of Opportunity's mission to Meridiani Planum at approximately at approximately 11:41:00 Mars local solar time, Microscopic Imager dust cover commanded to be CLOSED. NASA/JPL/Cornell/USGS
The circular shapes seen on the martian surface in these images are "footprints" left by the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's airbags during landing as the spacecraft gently rolled to a stop. Opportunity landed at approximately 9:05 p.m. PST on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2004, Earth-received time. The circular region of the flower-like feature on the right is about the size of a basketball. Scientists are studying the prints for more clues about the makeup of martian soil. The images were taken at Meridiani Planum, Mars, by the panoramic camera on the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity. Image credit: NASA/JPL
Have you seen anything robotic in the new NASA?
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Not that I can think of, at least radical-wise.. they have a lot of stuff lying around in the old robotics lab.. a new series of rovers are in the works, there are lots of interesting approaches that have been presented..
Then again, maybe not.
I put myself on some of NASA's procurement notifications in the hopes that something robotic might scroll by, but so far it is just valves, heatshields, the usual manned spacecraft things. I even got the Lego robotics kit to get into the mood. So far though, nothing.
There is the new Mars Science Laboratory rover due to be launched in 2009.
Check out the radical ARES aerial Mars rover on the drawing boards.
It's one thing to get all the science data, which is fabulous. But consider the engineering and operational data, which only experience of this kind brings. We'll be way ahead of anyone who wants to operate a robot in environments like this, or at such a remote distance.
Isn't the shuttle arm a Canada production? I know a robotic proposal to rescue the Hubble was worked on up there.. but kaboshed.
The Japanese are pretty up on robotics as well but we don't seem to see much of their style here either.. not that we are bad in design and such, just slow and very risk averse which is good but imagination is pretty much MIA.
Legos ,, now you're talking. ;-)
The 2009 rover is a nuclear powered or isotope fueled version as I recall, has a pretty sophisticated payload.. the aerial rover concept needs to be rung out, and if the wings don't open,, can you say Beagle.
Thanks for the info and links.
There is also a robot arm in the ISS. It too is Canadian. It is quite the thing. It can walk all over the place, hang on with one hand at one end and work with the other hand at the other end.
Java code, I believe.
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