MArs Rover Opportunity Closing in on Endurance Crater (Spies its Heatshield)

NASA/JPL ^ | 4/29/2004

[ElkGroveDan]

What appears to be the heatshield that was ejected during the MER landing in January, is just to the right of the crater near the top of the picture.

Click on the picture for a larger image.

[ElkGroveDan]

You can already see the vast amount of rock layering that will be visible in the Endurance Crater whne MER gets there early next week. The geologists are going to go nuts.

[ElkGroveDan]

Here is the view from Mars Global Surveyor of the region, with features including the heatshield impact location identified.

[ElkGroveDan]

ping

[theDentist]

As I recall, the last "rover" (a few years ago) only lasted about 20 days on Mars. How long are these expected to last?

[RightWhale]

These were designed for a 90 day lifetime. Eventually the power supply will give out.

[cripplecreek]

Im not sure but they've allready lasted longer than expected and NASA is talking about a radio blackout in Sept. as mars passes on the far side of the sun.

[theDentist]

Thank you both, gentlemen.

[ElkGroveDan]

As I recall, the last "rover" (a few years ago) only lasted about 20 days on Mars. How long are these expected to last?

They have already exceeded their minimal planned mission goals of 90 days. The expectation is that 180 days or more for each of them is likely, perhaps longer.

Keep in mind that every successful Mars landing NASA has pulled off has exceeded the minimal expectations. Mars Pathfinder of 1997 was the most recent landing success prior to MER. It lasted 83 days, three times longer than had been planned.

The Mars Global Surveyor craft, also from 1997 is STILL in orbit and still photographing the planet and doing astounding science.

The Mars Viking landers (1& 2) from 1976 were even more successful. Since they were nuclear powered, they lasted until 1980 and 1982 respectively. Their companion orbiter craft lasted as long.

[ModelBreaker]

Is this mankind's first, official encounter with litter on Mars?

[Jambe]

Original mission plan was for 90 days. That was to be considered a success.

NASA has announced additional funding for the Mars probs to cover their support until September.

As long as something doesn't break, they can continue to go until the batteries give out. They can only be recharged a limited number of times via the solar panels.

[ElkGroveDan]

Is this mankind's first, official encounter with litter on Mars?

Oh Heck no! For starters we had a glimpse of Spirit's heathshield on the rim of Bonneville crater just a few weeks ago.

During the Pathfinder mission in 1997 one of the photographs showed a white smudge off in the distance that was identified as that craft's heatshield.

In addition to two MER heatshields, two MER backshells, two MER parachutes, TWO MER craft, and the same junk from Pathfinder we have also dropped two Viking landers and two-piece backshells and parachutes for each of them.

In 1998 we dropped the Mars Polar Lander and its associated entry equipment, which crashed into the surface. Earlier that year we sent the Mars Climate Orbiter which burned up

due to an orbital miscalculation, and that probably scattered a bunch of small metal pieces all over the place.

The Russians have a half dozen or so failed Mars missions that have scattered all kinds of junk. Additionally there are still about 6 or 8 inoperable craft in orbiter about the planet.

So no. We've been littering Mars for quite some time now.

[Hodar]

We've been littering Mars for quite some time now.

Litter has no value. If you bring that heat shield back; you'd get a fortune on it on Ebay. Most likely not enough to make the effort worthwhile.... And I think NASA would want to talk to you for a while too. On second thought, forget about it .... it's litter.

[John H K]

Who cares about the heatshield, need to be a BIT closer with a bit better lighting, but looks like there may be a discontinuity in the layering on the right side of the far crater wall; if so, the geologists on the rover team will be jazzed...

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all/1/p/093/1P136441608EFF1800P2444R1M1.JPG

[ElkGroveDan]

Well as a former engineer with a love for geology I am jazzed about BOTH!

But I'm pretty sure that the engineers and the EDL team would enjoy a close-up peak at the heatshield, its condition, orientation etc, etc, as well as the condition of the impact area. That kind of stuff comes in handy when you are designing the next one.

[ElkGroveDan]

the geologists on the rover team will be jazzed

Those rocks sure look cool. I wonder of they have any paleontologists on hand at JPL as well?

[Dog Gone]

Am I reading this right? The Rover has only traveled about 500 meters in all this time?

[Godebert]

Wow...that's gonna be a nice view if they can get to the rim of that big crater. I forgot all about the rovers. I reckon most folks have. Dan....If there is a Rover Ping list, can I be added?

[ElkGroveDan]

If there is a Rover Ping list, can I be added?

Yep. Phil's in charge of that. Phil?

[Poundstone]

I believe the most limiting factor for these two rovers' lifetimes is how long their solar panels can be kept free of dust and debris. Once the panels are sufficiently covered with dust and debris, the panels won't produce enough power to keep the rovers "up." The panels, on the rovers' "backs," are flat and horizontal, so it's fairly easy for dust and debris to pile up there. I've always wondered why the panels weren't mounted on an incline, or equipped with some kind of brush or other device to alleviate this problem.

[ElkGroveDan]

Am I reading this right? The Rover has only traveled about 500 meters in all this time?

Yes. But keep in mind this thing is more like your office copier with wheels than your SUV. Since there is a 20-minute turn-around time for the signals, they can't watch it in real time. It has to use its own rudimentary brain to navigate a path and decide if it is safe and to maneuver around obstacles. Hence, its travel speed is quite slow and cautious, though they recently upgraded the software to give it a more free-wheeling driving capability.

It was designed to simply move around a small localized area. The early successes have emboldened them to send it on a real off-road tour. Spirit on the other side of the planet is on a cruise right now that will amount amount to almost 2 miles