Robotic Rockhounds: Twin Mars Rovers to Use High-Tech Tools

Space.com ^ | April 16th, 2003 | Tariq Malik

[green team 1999]

[Jhoffa_]

Each time a MER robot moves, the hazard cameras take more images, feed them into the onboard computer which analyzes them to decide whether an obstacle can be surmounted or avoided. If it gets in a real jam, then it phone's home for instructions.

But MER scientists will also be able to tailor the hazard level up or down depending on Martian terrain each robot faces. "So if we land in a parking lot, and think the terrain is relatively safe, then we'll give the rover a longer leash," Manning said, adding that rover controllers can also set waypoints for each MER robot to pause and reevaluate its surroundings before moving on.

They don't make a big deal of it here, but this type of autonomy is a huge step forward for rovers. I believe (correction welcome) that prior to this they were essentially "RC" vehicles and one had to take the control signals TOF into account when maneuvering.

I like.. Tiz very cool.

[Jhoffa_]

In other news, NASA unveiled its new design for the next-generation space shuttle:

What, did they "carjack" the borg?

[hang 'em]

Good, that clears that up. What a relief. I thought maybe NASA was using metric years or something.

[Victoria Delsoul]

The first geologists on Mars are not going to be humans of flesh and bone, but robot automatons of metal and wheels.

Hmmm, you wouldn't be talking about Gore, would you?

[Sabertooth]

Doesn't gore go with flesh and bone, guts, that sort of thing?

[PatrickHenry]

Hmmm, you wouldn't be talking about Gore, would you?

Certainly not. Gore is blubber and mush. After Mars is settled and prosperous, then the socialists will move in, along with the bureaucrats, the tax collectors, the union bosses, and the welfare mothers. When there are enough of them, Gore will arive, assume power, and claim that he invented Mars.

[Victoria Delsoul]

LOL!!!

[Victoria Delsoul]

Doesn't gore go with flesh and bone, guts, that sort of thing?

I'm not so sure.

[Junior]

We seem to have gone backward since Thomas Edison first set foot on Mars in 1870.

[Captain Beyond]

bump for later read

[gore3000]

At least they seem to be catching the problems before it is too late to fix them.

Still not good enough. I am sick of NASA. We were 20 years ahead of everyone else and soon we will behind the ChiComms and the Japs. It's time to start over. This is 10 year old stuff at best - and it still has problems.