Opportunity Rover Fails to Dent Martian Rock; Scientists to Run Tests

AP ^ | Mar. 7, 2004

[nuconvert]

Opportunity Rover Fails to Dent Martian Rock; Scientists to Run Tests

Mar 7, 2004

By Gillian Flaccus/ Associated Press Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Scientists planned to run tests on the rover Opportunity after it failed to grind a hole in Martian rock on Sunday, NASA officials said. The rover tried, unsuccessfully, to use one of its many tools to grind away at an outcropping dubbed "Flat Rock," NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory said in a statement on its Web site.

Scientists hope to learn more about the rock's chemical composition from scrapings off of its exterior. Tests on the rover were planned for Monday and the rover could take another shot at Flat Rock later in the week, officials said.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the planet, Opportunity's twin rover, Spirit, maneuvered Sunday around several obstacles in a 72-foot trip toward a large depression scientists have nicknamed "Bonneville Crater."

NASA's $820 million rover mission was designed to seek geological clues on whether the dusty Red Planet ever had enough water to support life. In the past week the agency announced both rovers have found evidence of past water activity.

Spirit was expected to use an array of scientific tools to take measurements of its surroundings before continuing toward the crater.

In other developments, Opportunity viewed the sun through its panoramic camera in preparation for when the robot photographs the martian moon Phobos as it passes in front of the sun.

NASA announced Friday that Spirit's instruments found signs that water may have altered a volcanic rock in a region called Gusev crater. The crater is halfway around the planet from where Opportunity earlier uncovered evidence that its landing site was once drenched.

The amount of water suggested by the Spirit data is far less than what Opportunity found at its site.

[nuconvert]

Tough rock

[txzman]

Kryptonite?

[Diogenesis]

If Saddam knew, he would be jealous.

[nuconvert]

kryptonite :

The term used to designate any surviving fragment of the exploded planet Krypton, home world of Superman.

There are five distinct varieties of(green, red, gold, blue, and white), the first three of which are toxic to Superman.

*Green kryptonite, the only variety potentially fatal to Superman, induces lassitude and inertia followed by death if not removed in time from Superman's presence. It is also the most common.

*Red kryptonite inflicts bizarre and unpredictable - albeit temporary and nonfatal - symptoms, as when it divides Superman into twins or transforms him into an infant or a giant ant.

*Gold kryptonite would permanently rob Superman of his super-powers were he ever to be exposed to its radiations.

These three varieties of kryptonite are similarly hazardous to Supergirl, Krypto the Superdog, and all other surviving natives of Krypton.

*Blue kryptonite is toxic only to Bizarro creatures.

*White kryptonite is harmful only to plant life.

[taxesareforever]

I believe what has been found here is a relativily new substance called "rock water". It gets its term from scientists who were moved by other scientists who were heard to say, "Hey Rocky, could you bring me a glass of water please?", as they viewed the robot diligently rapping out a tune on a flat rock. After that they decided to view the Rocky movie series and see if any other ideas might pop up.

[longtermmemmory]

I thought DC revised and eliminated all color coded kryptonite?

[fire_eye]

You bozos!! Obviously the thing ran into the skull of an ancient Martian Demonrat!!!

Krytonite... Feh... (I can't BELIEVE I'm reading this thread and I'm the first one to point out this OBVIOUS conclusion).

[nuconvert]

"I thought DC revised and eliminated all color coded kryptonite?"

I didn't get that memo. And besides, you never can tell.
They could be wrong.