Rover Daily Updates-February 21, 2004-Down in the Trench(Spirit-Supersized Science(opportunity)

NASA - JPL ^ | 2/21/04 | NASA/JPL

[Phil V.]

Spirit examining "trench" . . .

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stereo strip - Spirit's "trench" . . .

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Opportunity at "El Capitan". . .

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Stereo strips - "El Capitan" . . .

      

[Phil V.]

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

[GeronL]

It still looks like old dried to me

[Viking2002]

Man, Spirit can lay one helluva holeshot...... LOL :-)

[Phil V.]

. . . looks like old dried . . .

The face of this rock (weathered cracks) remind me of the irregular cracks in mud as it dries and shrinks.

[GeronL]

It may be the prehistoric grounds where the RINO evolved.

[blam]

Excellent pictures.

[Phil V.]

thanks! . . . Here's another one - lower resolution stereo . . .

[Don Joe]

The face of this rock (weathered cracks) remind me of the irregular cracks in mud as it dries and shrinks.

I betcha a pound of steamed buttered mussels that they remind Hoaxland of Mesopotamian cuneiform. :)

You'll need to drive to Michigan to collect, in the rare case that I'm wrong, heheheheh. And be advised that I do cheat. If he says Sumerian cuneiform, I'll put that down as a win for me. :)

[75thOVI]

Any idea what the significance is of the small verical grooves? The first thing that came to my mind was "scratching post."

[eddie willers]

You know.....it still just blows my mind that we have TWO mobile robots running around on another world and that we are getting daily updates.

I mean... it just floors me to read, "Meanwhile, on the other side of the planet..."

Thanks again for your work with the ping list.
Much appreciated.

[Buffalo Head]

Thank you for the excellent post and photographs.

[Phil V.]

. . . it still just blows my mind that we have TWO mobile robots running around on another world . . . it just floors me to read, "Meanwhile, on the other side of the planet..."

I feel the same way, eddie. I'm sure that there are folks with vastly more IQ horsepower than I looking at this stuff but the stuff IS NEW - NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE!!! In a sense what you and I are looking at is fair game for interpretation. Who knows - a FReeper may look at these things from an angle that triggers a Completely unexpected new approach - a new mode of thinking or interpreting . . .

PLAY BALL!

[Phil V.]

I appreciate your appreciation. You are most welcome.

[Phil V.]

I appreciate . . . uh . . . STOP, ALREADY!

[Professional Engineer]

I mean... it just floors me to read, "Meanwhile, on the other side of the planet..."

Heh heh heh Isn't this cool stuff.

[Phil V.]

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Plotting and Scheming

This graphic is a planning tool used by Mars Exploration Rover engineers to plot and scheme the perfect location to place the rock abrasion tool on the rock collection dubbed "El Capitan" near Opportunity's landing site. "El Capitan" is located within a larger outcrop nicknamed "Opportunity Ledge."

The rover visualization team from NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif., initiated the graphics by putting two panoramic camera images of the "El Capitan" area into their three-dimensional model. The rock abrasion tool team from Honeybee Robotics then used the visualization tool to help target and orient their instrument on the safest and most scientifically interesting locations. The blue circle represents one of two current targets of interest, chosen because of its size, lack of dust, and most of all its distinct and intriguing geologic features. To see the second target location, see the image titled "Plotting and Scheming -2."

The rock abrasion tool is sensitive to the shape and texture of a rock, and must safely sit within the "footprint" indicated by the blue circles. The rock area must be large enough to fit the contact sensor and grounding mechanism within the area of the outer blue circle, and the rock must be smooth enough to get an even grind within the abrasion area of the inner blue circle. If the rock abrasion tool were not grounded by its support mechanism or if the surface were uneven, it could "run away" from its target. The rock abrasion tool is location on the rover's instrument deployment device, or arm.

Over the next few martian days, or sols, the rover team will use these and newer, similar graphics created with more recent, higher-resolution panoramic camera images and super-spectral data from the miniature thermal emission spectrometer. These data will be used to pick the best spots to apply the rock abrasion tool on two very distinct areas of "El Capitan." The upper and lower portions of "El Capitan" have different textures, and both areas should provide distinct and unique clues about the history of Mars. The rock abrasion tool will also enter the target areas from different perspectives, creating unique views simply by the way they grind into the different areas of the rocks. For the current upper target (seen here), the rock abrasion tool would go into the rock as if from the side of a layered cake, while at the bottom target, the instrument would enter from above as if going down the middle of a cake.

"El Capitan" was named after a mountain in Texas, but on Mars, it is about 10 centimeters (4 inches) high. Scientists are eager to use the rock abrasion tool to peer deeper into the history of the formation of "El Capitan," and the team will spend multiple sols taking pre- and post-measurements of the rock targets. Opportunity will spend one sol moving inbetween target locations.

Image credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell/Ames/Honeybee Robotics

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[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!