MARS: Opportunity Arrives at Endurance Crater! (Mind-blowing geology evident)

NASA/JPL ^

[ElkGroveDan]

This 180-degree view from the navigation camera on the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity is the first look inside "Endurance Crater." The view is a cylindrical projection constructed from four images. The crater is about 130 meters (about 430 feet) in diameter.

Medium Image (click here)

Large Image (click here)

3-D Image (click here)

3-D Medium Image (click here)

3-D Large Image (click here)

[Monty22]

ahhh, amazing. Glad to see these!!

[John H K]

I think, based on the orbital maps of the area, that this is going to be the most interesting place they'll be able to reasonably drive to.

Worth the risk of getting stuck inside. The problem isn't the slope, it's the traction..they slipped a lot in Eagle crater, the dirt in Meridiani just doesn't give much traction....

[Godebert]

Wow! Incredible stuff. Hard to believe that the crater is only 130 meters in diameter. It looks much larger in the photos.....maybe because there is nothing there like a tree or shrub to provide scale. Hopefully the rover will be able to drive down into the crater and make some new discoveries.

[Monty22]

On the right side, in 3d, there's almost a trail for them to go down. I think that would even be a recoverable low angle approach.

[idkfa]

What is that object located at about 168 X -30?

Flip flops?

[Monty22]

I only wish they were in color already. That shot is.. indesribably beautiful.

[RightWhale]

Worth the risk of getting stuck inside

Maybe so. Somebody will have to make the call. If there are other features nearby they would want to look at they might go over there and then come back later. Next rover should have sand paddle wheels.

[ElkGroveDan]

On the right side, in 3d, there's almost a trail for them to go down. I think that would even be a recoverable low angle approach.

I agree. I think a slow spiral could get them out of the worst parts of this. My biggest fear is not getting stuck, but tumbling the craft over -- and she ain't equipped with a roll bar.

[Billthedrill]

Mind-blowing. Any idea of how much more time Rover has?

[John H K]

Any idea of how much more time Rover has?

Basically till something important breaks permanently, or it wears out. It's solar-powered.

[John H K]

They obviously designed it with a really, really low center of gravity.....

[Faraday]

The crater is about 130 meters (about 430 feet) in diameter.

We're going to have to find something a little larger, if we're going to play football.

[BossLady]

Mars FYI Alert! Incredible photos! (Hope you can see them ;)

[BykrBayb]

No, men are from Mars. Kerry's flip flops would be found on Venus.

[Diogenesis]

albedo and structure suggests water-ice.

[Tennessee_Bob]

Damn those set-builders! They were supposed to sweep away their foot prints!!!

[Godebert]

On the right side, in 3d, there's almost a trail for them to go down. I think that would even be a recoverable low angle approach.

Looks kinda slippery. I'd hate to see Opportunity take a tumble and end up face down at the bottom. I'm guessing it's like a turtle if it finds itself in that position.

[Tennessee_Bob]

Sandworm....

[Doc On The Bay]

ONCE AGAIN,--"we NEED Human Explorers; the "Robots" simply CANNOT Explore the Unknown Territory as well as "Human Explorers!"

Our "Robots" are, simply, NOT Intelligent Enough to understand the Implications of Their Findings.

It will be Decades--maybe Centuries--before our "Robotic Explorers" are capable of accurate & MEANINGFUL reports about their Planetary Explorations.

For the Next Century, Human Exploration will be the ONLY RELIABLE Source of information about our "Celestial Neighbors!"

"HUMAN EXPLORATION" will be our ONLY RELIABLE AVENUE to the Moon, Mars, Venus, The Asteroids, & Beyond.

It will be DECADES before our "Robots" are capable of Exploration.

WELL, Then---WHAT FUN!!

Doc

[BykrBayb]

Actually, I think it's two objects. The top one is a fish, facing to the left. See his pointy nose, one of his eyes, and his cute little smile? The bottome object is a tiny little tug boat.