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First pictures of Mars Rover (Opportunity) "trenching" . . . comments/speculation encouraged
NASA - JPL ^ | 2-16-2004 | NASA/JPL

Posted on 02/16/2004 5:00:05 PM PST by Phil V.

Comments/speculation?

stereo strip of trench . . .



TOPICS: Breaking News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: mars
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To: Prince Charles
I like your observations and when I saw the picture I thought the same thing.
Maybe Mars is one big permafrost ball that has earth on it due to all the space matter falling on it over the decades?
121 posted on 02/16/2004 7:01:40 PM PST by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: Phil V.
Uh oh. I think they uncovered Marvin the Martian's leach field...
122 posted on 02/16/2004 7:08:24 PM PST by LRS
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To: BykrBayb
If my memory is not faulty. Mars gravity is about .38-G or there abouts.

Water, I would think, would be in the atmosphere if it were that close to the surface, and they have have not found any that I know of. they think it may be in the form of ice at the poles.

I had posted that perhaps the sticky soil was from a liquid mineral of some sort, like silica.

But I figure that they will have something on that soon.

123 posted on 02/16/2004 7:12:25 PM PST by Cold Heat ("It is easier for an ass to succeed in that trade than any other." [Samuel Clemens, on lawyers])
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To: shaggy eel
",,, not the mailman!"

Yep..that's the guy. I just know that he's trying to distract me, so his cat can get at my kibble.

Didn't know he had made a Horror Picture, though.

Hey...just noticed we're still here! We 'd better get on-topic soon...or we'll get in trouble again.

Soo....how come Rover doesn't get in trouble for digging holes...just me.

124 posted on 02/16/2004 7:15:41 PM PST by PoorMuttly ("Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in." -- Twain)
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To: PoorMuttly
...how come Rover doesn't get in trouble for digging holes...just me.

,,, inclusion has it's downside.

125 posted on 02/16/2004 7:18:43 PM PST by shaggy eel
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To: Neets
Cool! Thanks Neets.
126 posted on 02/16/2004 7:36:59 PM PST by lysie
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To: Phil V.
It appears to me the trenching exposed a rock, not unlike the rock ledge lining the crater's edge (visible in the background).

It appears so bright (like talc, or magnesium silicate) because of the abrasive effect of the wheel. And it's soft enough (again, like talc) that, as the wheel climbed out of the trench, it left a trail of powder from the rock.

127 posted on 02/16/2004 7:39:20 PM PST by okie01 (www.ArmorforCongress.com...because Congress isn't for the morally halt and the mentally lame.)
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To: tet68
Well, yeah! Haven't you seen the new deck of terrorist cards?
128 posted on 02/16/2004 7:41:11 PM PST by BykrBayb (Temporary tagline. Applied to State of New Jersey for permanent tagline (12/24/03).)
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To: Clara Lou
"If you wanna go out you gotta take her out...." per Eric Clapton. If that is the case, look for Clinton to "volunteer" to set up business on mars, for a percentage of the product...
129 posted on 02/16/2004 7:44:09 PM PST by Robert_Paulson2 (hillary's running folks.)
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To: tet68
I know it looks nice and sunny but keep in mind it's way below freezing. -70f on average.


130 posted on 02/16/2004 7:46:19 PM PST by AndrewC (I am a Bertrand Russell agnostic, even an atheist.</sarcasm>)
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To: tet68
LOL...You Got It!
131 posted on 02/16/2004 7:48:17 PM PST by Khurkris (Ranger On...)
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To: AndrewC
Video Presentation of Rock Outcrop
132 posted on 02/16/2004 7:48:18 PM PST by AndrewC (I am a Bertrand Russell agnostic, even an atheist.</sarcasm>)
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To: AndrewC
so we hit a balmy 35 degrees faraheit today eh?
break out the suntan oil. 0 degrees C = 32 F right?
2C= 35.8 F about?
133 posted on 02/16/2004 7:50:43 PM PST by Robert_Paulson2 (hillary's running folks.)
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To: okie01
Here's another pic from the pancam . . .


134 posted on 02/16/2004 7:56:22 PM PST by Phil V.
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To: NeonKnight
Looks like steering corrections, i.e., go straight, then twitch the traction differential a tad, and go straight in the corrected direction.

This sucker doesn't appear to do curves well. It doesn't appear to do curves, period. Looks like it "turns" by executing a series of straight lines, each at an incremental angle from the other. If it drove in a circle, and you looked at its tracks, you'd see a series of straight lines in the approximate shape of a circle, rather than a continuously curved line.

Why they do it that way is beyond me, but it sure looks like that's how they do it. All I've seen are straight-line tracks, with direction changes marked by an angular break in the tracks, rather than a curved section.
135 posted on 02/16/2004 7:56:37 PM PST by Don Joe (I own my vote. It's for rent to the highest bidder, paid in adherence to the Constitution.)
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AND SOME MORE STEREO SETS . . . haz cam NOT pancam left - right

right - left


136 posted on 02/16/2004 8:02:29 PM PST by Phil V.
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To: Phil V.
powdered CHEESE !
137 posted on 02/16/2004 8:08:47 PM PST by gdc61
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To: Clara Lou
OK, what's the white stuff in the tracks?

Remains of an ancient snail darter? Shut em down!

138 posted on 02/16/2004 8:16:02 PM PST by OrioleFan (Republicans believe every day is July 4th, DemocRATs believe every day is April 15th. - Reagan)
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To: Phil V.
Don't show the top picture to Kerry - it might turn him on...
139 posted on 02/16/2004 8:17:54 PM PST by OrioleFan (Republicans believe every day is July 4th, DemocRATs believe every day is April 15th. - Reagan)
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To: Phil V.
Looks like more of the surface material but compacted so it loses its powdery dark character.
140 posted on 02/16/2004 8:18:17 PM PST by RightWhale (Repeal the law of the excluded middle)
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