mars exploration rover spirit (wheel jammed)

[cjww]

<p>as hopefully everybody knows that spirits wheel has been jammed for quite a while&nbsp;and as mars is not a forgiving habitat spirit will die...unless she the rover gets that wheel unjammed then she definatly knows shes on borrowed time and nasa knows it even her twin sisiter oppytunity will at live her i'll bet she has most of this year left and spring 2009 left?</p><p>but let us not forget that they&nbsp;they &nbsp;outlived both the viking landers <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-frown.gif" border="0" alt="Frown" title="Frown" /></p><p>best wish javhad</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[centsworth_II]

<p>Spirit, and Opportunity, have been living on borrowed time for over four years now.&nbsp; The wheel problem does not threaten Spirit's life.&nbsp; The Threat to Spirit's life comes from the buildup of dust on it's solar panels.&nbsp; Given a choice of the panels being swept clean of dust by a fortuitous wind and the wheel suddenly fixing itself, clean panels is the easy pick. Luckily it is also the more likely event.&nbsp; </p><p>Spirit can get along well on it's bum wheel, provided more wheels don't go bad.&nbsp; Spirit can not live without adequate power production from the solar panels.</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[cjww]

<p>I see but in reality you need to realise that even after the wheel has jammed it still puts spirit in dager due to the following things</p><p><font size="2">(1) the wheel is dragging a trench behind spirit and slowing the rover down </font></p><p><font size="2">(2) when the martian winter sets in spirit will need to be at an angle probably a hill to collect sunlight in winter </font></p><p><font size="2">(3) i think that if nasa added one thing to the solar panels it would help a little bit like...</font></p><p><font size="2">windscreen wipers maybe?</font></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>I see but in reality you need to realise that even after the wheel has jammed it still puts spirit in dager due to the following things(1) the wheel is dragging a trench behind spirit and slowing the rover down (2) when the martian winter sets in spirit will need to be at an angle probably a hill to collect sunlight in winter (3) i think that if nasa added one thing to the solar panels it would help a little bit like...windscreen wipers maybe? <br />Posted by cjww</DIV><br /><br />This has been discussed many times before. The wheel has been dragging for more than a yera...so long ago I can't even recall the date. The addition of wipers was not possible on the rover missions due to the low cost and low weight nature of them. Look, it either will survive or it won't. It's lasted many times over it's original mission, and has been living on borrowed time for years now.</p><p>That said, hope it survives!</p><p>If you look at the top of this forum, you will see a Spirit thread covering much of the mission.</p><p>Wayne</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[centsworth_II]

<p><span style="color:#333399"><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>I see but in reality you need to realise that even after the wheel has jammed it still puts spirit in </span>dager<span style="color:#333399"> due to the following things(1) the wheel is dragging a trench behind spirit and slowing the rover down</DIV></span> Whether the rover goes fast or slow has no bearing on danger to its life.&nbsp; Spirit could live out its life not moving at all. </p><p><span style="color:#333399">Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>(2) when the </span>martian<span style="color:#333399"> winter sets in spirit will need to be at an angle probably a hill to collect sunlight in winter </DIV> </span>Spirit looks to be making it through its <u>second</u> winter since its wheel went bad. Knowing that Spirit's mobility is hampered, mission planners have made sure to get Spirit into the right position to weather the winter in time.&nbsp; The wheel does not prevent Spirit from surviving the winter, it only makes it necessary to start planning for winter earlier.</p><p> <font color="#333399">Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>(3)i think that if nasa added one thing to the solar panels it would help a little bit like...windscreen wipers maybe?</DIV></font>Spirit was designed for a three month mission and has lasted five years.&nbsp; Not much to quibble with there. </p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[aphh]

<p>Spirit and Opportunity have both travelled a few miles on the surface of Mars. Their life mostly depends on the life support, which is basically green paper.</p><p>Yes, they are impressive technology, but let's not get carried away. We need more. &nbsp;</p>

 

[cjww]

<p>are yes maybe in preesive equipment but if spirit stays in just area it will die quick i cannot see spirit in just one area if you see what i meann.</p><p>just take a look at phenix lander THAT STAYED IN ONE AREA AND IS NOW DEAD JUST MILLIONS OF DOLLORS WASTED FOR JUST 3 MONTHS AND THEN THEIRS PATHFINDE WICH LASTED FROM JULY TO TLAST TRANSMISSON ON 27TH SEPTEMBER 1997</p><p>SO IF SPIRIT STAYS IN ONE PLACE SHE'LL END UP LIKE PHENIX CAN'T MOVE FORM SPOT TO SPOT AND ALSO CANT GET TO SAFTEY IF AN OBSTICAL OF ANY KIND IS DIRECTLY IN HER PATH</p><p>WE'LL NEED AS MUCH DATA AS WE&nbsp;CAN &nbsp;TO LERN ABOUT MARS...</p><p>&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[cjww]

BUT THAT WHEEL IS DRAGGING MORE POWER FROM THE SOLAR PANEL THEN THE OTHER WHEELS <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[centsworth_II]

<p><font color="#333399"><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>BUT THAT WHEEL IS DRAGGING MORE POWER FROM THE SOLAR PANEL THEN THE OTHER WHEELS <br /> Posted by cjww</DIV></font><br />Wow.&nbsp; You are really hung up on that wheel!</p><p>The wheel is "dragging" no power.&nbsp; It is dead -- powerless.&nbsp; But the other wheels do need to work a little harder to drag the dead wheel along.&nbsp; Still, this has not caused any great problem.&nbsp; Spirit's wheel stopped working on sol 779.&nbsp; The rover is now at sol 1752 and counting.&nbsp; Spirit has lived far longer with one bad wheel than it did with six good wheels.&nbsp; If you want to worry, worry about the dust on the solar panels. That is a far greater danger to Spirit than a bum wheel. &nbsp; </p><p>The fact of the matter is the wheel can not be fixed.&nbsp; It is also a fact that, luckily, there is no reason that the bad wheel has to limit the life of Spirit.&nbsp; Spirit has made it through TWO winters with that bad wheel. I don't see why, after Spirit's driving around for almost three years(!) on that bad wheel you are suddenly fraught with concern. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[brandbll]

Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Wow.&nbsp; You are really hung up on that wheel!The wheel is "dragging" no power.&nbsp; It is dead -- powerless.&nbsp; But the other wheels do need to work a little harder to drag the dead wheel along.&nbsp; Still, this has not caused any great problem.&nbsp; Spirit's wheel stopped working on sol 779.&nbsp; The rover is now at sol 1752 and counting.&nbsp; Spirit has lived far longer with one bad wheel than it did with six good wheels.&nbsp; If you want to worry, worry about the dust on the solar panels. That is a far greater danger to Spirit than a bum wheel. &nbsp; The fact of the matter is the wheel can not be fixed.&nbsp; It is also a fact that, luckily, there is no reason that the bad wheel has to limit the life of Spirit.&nbsp; Spirit has made it through TWO winters with that bad wheel. I don't see why, after Spirit's driving around for almost three years(!) on that bad wheel you are suddenly fraught with concern. &nbsp;&nbsp; <br />Posted by centsworth_II</DIV><br /><br />Does the wind where Spirit is located blow in any certain direction the majority of the time and can it even detect that?&nbsp; If so, would it be possible to angle the rover in a certain direction to get more wind to directly hit the solar panels?&nbsp; <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font size="3">You wanna talk some jive? I'll talk some jive. I'll talk some jive like you've never heard!</font></p> </div>

 

[lampblack]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Does the wind where Spirit is located blow in any certain direction the majority of the time and can it even detect that?&nbsp; If so, would it be possible to angle the rover in a certain direction to get more wind to directly hit the solar panels?&nbsp; <br /> Posted by brandbll</DIV></p><p><font size="2">Now THERE is a practical suggestion. How nice to encounter a rare bit of common sense in these forums?</font></p><p><font size="2">Indeed, why NOT reposition the rover for a few days relative to the prevailing winds? It couldn't hurt anything -- and might help.</font></p><p>&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#0000ff"><strong>Just tell the truth and let the chips fall...</strong></font> </div>

 

[centsworth_II]

<p><font color="#333399"><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>...would it be possible to angle the rover in a certain direction to get more wind to directly hit the solar panels?&nbsp; <br /> Posted by brandbll</DIV></font><br />The cleaning gusts of wind have been very sporadic and unpredictable.&nbsp; There is no use in trying to guess where and when the next one will occur.&nbsp; It's best to just go about the business of gathering science data and hoping that a fortunate wind comes Spirit's way soon. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>When Spirit gets under way again, the plan is to traverse Home Plate.&nbsp; The top of Home Plate is probably not a bad place to be to catch a wind IMHO.&nbsp; </p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[elguapoguano]

If I'm not mistaken, it's not just wind blowing that cleared off the solar panels, but instead the dust devils that sweep through sporadically engulfing the rovers and thus pulling the sand off the panels. Both of these rovers have lived a long and scientifically valuable life. Here's to the MERs, easily the most successfully surface missions to date. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#ff0000"><u><em>Don't let your sig line incite a gay thread ;>)</em></u></font> </div>

 

[CalliArcale]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>but let us not forget that they&nbsp;they &nbsp;outlived both the viking landers <br /> Posted by cjww</DIV></p><p>That's not actually true.&nbsp; Viking 1 still holds the record at&nbsp; 2245 sols (which works out to 6 years, 116 days, Earth time).&nbsp; The rovers have a ways to go yet before they break that record.. </p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#666699"><em>"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly . . . timey wimey . . . stuff."</em>  -- The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>

 

[centsworth_II]

<p><font color="#333399"><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>If I'm not mistaken, it's not just wind blowing that cleared off the solar panels, but instead the dust devils...<br /> Posted by elguapoguano</DIV></font>Below is a description of one cleaning event that may have been a dust devil.&nbsp; Other cleaning events probably were not.</p><font color="#0000ff"><u>Planetary News: Mars (2007) </u></font><br /><p><font color="#000080">Luck blew in on the Martian wind for Spirit on Sol 1224 (June 13, 2007)....it finally got a much-needed spring-cleaning that increased power from its solar arrays by 120 watt-hours, pushing the rover's energy into a really comfortable zone above 600 watt-hours, and bestowing it with a real "second wind." It had been a long time coming. The last time this rover experienced dust-lifting winds was in 2005.</font></p> <p><font color="#000080">"This [dust-cleaning event] was interesting, different from cleaning events we've had in the past," Squyres said in an interview in his office at Cornell, two days after it happened. "In the past, we've had cleaning events that took place when we were on a summit or a ridgecrest and in the past they have sometimes occurred at night. The rover will shut down in the afternoon with dirty solar panels and wake up in the morning with clean solar panels and we have no idea exactly when it happened. In this particular instance, the rover was awake and busy and active when the event happened so we can pinpoint the timing of it. It happened at 1:20 pm in the afternoon local solar time. Of course, we are now down on a low spot, not up on a ridgecrest of anything. So our speculation &ndash;- this is pure speculation at this point &ndash; but our speculation is that we took a direct hit from a dust devil. We don't know that. But we are in place where dust devils happen and it's prime time for dust devil activity, the time of day when dust devils seem to be most active."</font></p> <p><font color="#000080">"It is plausible," agrees Arvidson. "But really not testable. Since the Mini-TES was opened when it happened, Ruff and his team are still evaluating whether the dust on the mirrors have changed, but we're still getting reasonable spectra." The only way they could tell if we were hit with a dust devil, short of somehow capturing signs of the devil with one of the cameras, he noted, is to look at HiRISE data after the cleaning event, note where the vehicle was, and see whether or not there is a new dust devil track. "Otherwise it would be very difficult to understand whether it was wind gust or actual turbulence due to a dust devil passing by."</font></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Interestingly, just after Spirit had the cleaning described above, the big global dust storm that threatened the lives of both Spirit and Opportunity through the month of July, 2007 hit.&nbsp; If Spirit had not had that cleaning, after a two year dearth of cleanings and just two weeks before the storm hit, it almost surely would have perished. <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-sealed.gif" border="0" alt="Sealed" title="Sealed" /></p> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" class="imgleft" style="width:272px"><tbody><tr><td>&nbsp;

 

[cjww]

<p><font color="#000080">Luck blew in on the Martian wind for </font><font color="#003399">Spirit</font><font color="#000080"> on Sol 1224 (June 13, 2007 is a long ago thats but i heard diffrent </font></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[cjww]

yes finally somebody thats actuallys with me rock on <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[cjww]

<p>you all have different opinions about whats gone on about spirit but her sister is going out a problem so i can see now but if spirit fails we'll always have a another twin rover to take over spirits operations but since we got the wheel situation out the way th next thing thats now worrying me is the box under the solar panels tally charts they are losing to much heat? and i also like to take this oppitunity to say that if you are british like i am then you know that we don't deserve to send another probe to mars and you blame professor pillinger because it got everybody hopes up to land christmas day 03 but faild probably a consturtin flaw) oh and if anyone has a mission badges of the spirit and oppytunity that will be fantastic merry christmas spirit and (<img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-surprised.gif" border="0" alt="Surprised" title="Surprised" />oppy)</p><p>oh and by the way did'nt nasa thretan to shutdown one of the rovers just because they did not have enough funding</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[cjww]

meteor wayne whats this about <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the&nbsp;Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em>&nbsp;</font></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[cjww]

<p>untill some little sod uplinked and erased the vital software for communication with earth </p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>meteor wayne whats this about But the&nbsp;Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.&nbsp; <br />Posted by cjww</DIV><br /><br />I have no idea what you are talking about. Can you clarify? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>untill some little sod uplinked and erased the vital software for communication with earth <br />Posted by cjww</DIV><br /><br />Now I REALLy have no idea what you are talking about. Hello...Anybody home? Can you explain what this post is about? Nobody erased any software...you are working toward have this pointless thread exteminated. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[rubicondsrv]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>untill some little sod uplinked and erased the vital software for communication with earth <br />Posted by cjww</DIV><br /><br />sod&nbsp;may be construed as&nbsp;profanity in the context that you are using it.</p><p>you may want to consider removing&nbsp;it.</p><p>profanity from other dialects/languages is still profanity.</p><p>edited 7:26 pm</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[summoner]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>I have no idea what you are talking about. Can you clarify? <br /> Posted by MeteorWayne</DIV></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>I *think* he was talking about your sig MW.&nbsp;&nbsp; Cjww, It's from the original movie&nbsp; of "Forbidden Planet"</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> <br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width:271px;background-color:#FFF;border:1pxsolid#999"><tr><td colspan="2"><div style="height:35px"><img src="http://banners.wunderground.com/weathersticker/htmlSticker1/language/www/US/MT/Three_Forks.gif" alt="" height="35" width="271" style="border:0px" /></div>

 

[summoner]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>sod is profanity in the context that you are using it.please remove it.profanity from other dialects/languages is still profanity.&nbsp; <br /> Posted by rubicondsrv</DIV></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>????? I'd say that's a bit harsh rubi.&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> <br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width:271px;background-color:#FFF;border:1pxsolid#999"><tr><td colspan="2"><div style="height:35px"><img src="http://banners.wunderground.com/weathersticker/htmlSticker1/language/www/US/MT/Three_Forks.gif" alt="" height="35" width="271" style="border:0px" /></div>