Daily Updates - February 18, 2004 - Mars rovers, Opportunity, Spirit . . .

NASA - JPL ^ | 02-18-2004 | NASA

[Phil V.]

Daily Updates - February 18, 2004

Spirit Status for sol 45 Spirit Does a "Wheel Wiggle" posted Feb. 18, 10:45 am PST

Spirit began sol 45, ending at 11:17 a.m. February 18, 2004 PST, at its previous target, Halo, by conducting analysis with the alpha particle x-ray spectrometer, microscopic imager and Moessbauer spectrometer. Spirit also took panoramic camera images and miniature thermal emission spectrometer observations before its arm was stowed for the northeast drive toward a circular depression dubbed Laguna Hollow.

The first 19 meters of the drive toward Laguna Hollow was commanded using go-to waypoint commands with the hazard avoidance system turned off. This mode – which was used for the first time this sol – provides automatic heading correction during a blind drive. Some fine-tuning toward the target brought the total drive for this sol to 22.7 meters (74.5 feet).

After reaching Laguna Hollow, Spirit "wiggled" its wheels to disturb or scuff the fine dust-like soil at this location, which allows for more detailed observations with the instruments on the robotic arm. After adjusting position to put the disturbed soil in reach of the arm, Spirit backed up and completed a miniature thermal emission spectrometer scan of the new work area. Before the sol ended, Spirit made one more adjustment, putting it in perfect position to analyze the scuffed area beginning on sol 46

The plan for sol 46, which will end at 11:57 a.m., February 19, 2004 PST, is to conduct observations on Laguna Hollow with the instruments on the robotic arm, including some higher resolution analysis that will involve an overnight tool change.

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Opportunity Status for sol 24 Peering into the Hole posted Feb. 18, 10:45 am PST

On sol 24, which ended at 10:59 p.m. Tuesday, PST, Opportunity used science instruments on its robotic arm to examine the hole it dug with its right front wheel on sol 23. The trench is about 50 centimeters (20 inches) long by 20 centimeters (8 inches) wide by 10 centimeters (4 inches) deep.

Sol 24's wake-up music was "Trench Town Rock" by Bob Marley.

The plan for sol 25, which will end at 11:38 p.m. Wednesday, PST, is to continue examining the walls and floor of the trench for clues about the history of Mars. Opportunity will also peek at its right front wheel with the panoramic camera to see what materials got stuck on the wheel from the trenching activity. Then, Opportunity will use the panoramic camera high on the rover’s mast to check out a former piece of itself -- the heat shield, which is sitting off in the distance. The heat shield protected the rover during cruise and during descent through the atmosphere on Jan. 4, 2004, PST.

[Phil V.]

Video Update from Opportunity Flight Director -- Requires RealPlayer (Feb. 18)

[Phil V.]

If you'd like to be on or off this MARS ping list please FRail me

[GeronL]

Laguna Hollow and the headless horseman!!

[GeronL]

um. never mind.

[Phil V.]

This front hazard-avoidance image taken by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit on sol 45 shows Spirit in its new location after a drive totaling about 20 meters (65.6 feet). The circular depression that Spirit is in, dubbed "Laguna Hollow," was most likely formed by a small impact. Scientists were interested in reaching Laguna Hollow because of the location's abundance of very fine, dust-like soil. The fine material could be atmospheric dust that has settled into the depression, or a salt-based material that causes crusts in the soils and coating on rocks. Either way, scientists hope to be able to characterize the material and broaden their understanding of this foreign world. To help scientists get a better look at the variations in the fine-grained dust at different depths, controllers commanded Spirit to "jiggle" its wheels in the soil before backing away to a distance that allows the area to be reached with the robotic arm. Spirit will likely spend part of sol 46 analyzing this area with the instruments on its robotic arm. Image Credit: NASA/JPL

High resolution TIF

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[blam]

Mars bump.

[jpsb]

Bump. thanks for keeping us informed, very cool stuff.

[Lokibob]

 

Anybody want to speculate on what this is?

 

I spotted the item and it looked out of place in the image.  I blew up the thing that looked out of place, and it looks like a hole in it.  I'll be the first to guess, a rock with a hole in it.

 

 

 

Right Panoramic Camera Non-linearized Full frame EDR acquired on Sol 45 of Spirit's mission to Gusev Crater at approximately 13:32:57 Mars local solar time, camera commanded to use Filter 1 (179 nm). NASA/JPL/Cornell

[Phil V.]

today's stereo strip - sol 45 Spirit - crater destination in background, right? . . .

[Indie]

Computer enhanced image of above telephoto shot:

[Lokibob]

Looks good to me.

[adaven]

It's The Guardian of Forever!

[Phil V.]

speculation . . . a stereo view suggests that it's not a hole. I see a "dimple" reflecting light . . .

[Phil V.]

I don't mean to pester all you guys & gals but here's a neat stereo pic. As I was browsing the latest from Spirit sol 45 I saw what I thought was a small cluster of "bad data" . . . a white mark in http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all/2/n/045/2N130364919EFF0900P1817L0M1.JPG or perhaps a lens problem. But then I looked at it's right "twin" shot through the right lens. . . a similar white "burn". A kid would run over to the shiny object. Will JPL?

[GeronL]

I'll be the first to guess, a rock with a hole in it.

That thought would have never occured to me... I would have guessed a liberal's head...

[Simmy2.5]

YES, more files to add to the Hoagland conspiracy list! The rock with the "hole" above, and this one.

[LibWhacker]

Looks kind of like the "rabbit" Opportunity saw. That turned out to be torn fabric from the lander, or at least that seemed to be the consensus here on FR. I don't know if NASA ever addressed the issue. The rabbit had a shadow. I don't see one here. I think you're correct about it being a splotch of dropped data.

Check this out, though, Phil . . . Click on your link and look at that big white rock under magnification on the right hand side (about 1/4 of the way down from the top of the picture) . . . Immediately to the right of that rock, it looks like Richard Simmons is peeking out of a hidey hole at the Spirit rover! I can just see the top of his head and his eyes. LOL . . . I'm seeing things again.

[GeronL]

Privatize the Hubble??

[djf]

Looks extremely similar to the rabbit at the Oportunity site.

Too similar to be insulation, unless a windstorm blew it around the planet like 100 miles or so... This is very, very interesting.