Mars Rover Spirit Mission Update Thread

[thechemist]

Yes but (from the same Spirit update) : <font color="yellow"> <i> "Before placing the Mössbauer spectrometer on the magnet, Spirit placed it on the soil in front of its current location. That soil touch was done to leave a soil impression that would be studied after conjunction for changes. Images taken after the touch indicate that Spirit inadvertently picked up some soil and likely sandwiched that soil onto the magnet with the Mössbauer. It's the team's first inadvertent sample acquisition!<br /><br />Engineers and scientists decided to leave the Mössbauer in place on the magnet and will evaluate the status and effect of the dirt clod after conjunction. The dirt does not pose any threat to the rover from an engineering perspective."</i><br /></font><br /><br />Down the drain goes high resolution centsworth_II <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br />I suppose the soil impression mentioned is the one in these MI images from Sol 240 <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <em>I feel better than James Brown.</em> </div>

 

[centsworth_II]

<i>"Down the drain goes high resolution..."</i><br /><br />Hopefully the dirt will remain on the collar and not contaminate the surface of the magnet. This was the first mention I've seen on the NASA site of dirt sticking to the collar even though we've seen it before and I've been waiting to see scientists' thoughts on what this means about the soil's properties. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[vegemite]

"Oi vey, in those navcam pics you can see how much dust is collecting on the solar panels"<br /><br />Doesn't the rover have a brush on its arm for cleaning dust off rocks, can't it reach up and brush its own solar panels with it?

 

[Leovinus]

I really doubt it. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[spacechump]

<i>"Oi vey, in those navcam pics you can see how much dust is collecting on the solar panels" <br /><br />Doesn't the rover have a brush on its arm for cleaning dust off rocks, can't it reach up and brush its own solar panels with it?</i><br /><br />Yes, a <i>steel</i> wire brush.

 

[centsworth_II]

<i>"Yes, a steel wire brush."</i> !!!!!!!!!!!!!<br /><br />Yikes! Ditch that idea!<br /><br />Anyway, it's hard to determine dust accumulation from images of the solar panels. Too much variability in illumination: strength, angle, and reflectance of light source (sun). Also, it's important to take into account the filter being used to take the image. <br /><br />A much better way is by simply following the gradual degredation in power producing capability of the panels. Even then, the strength (distance) and angle of the sun to the panels must be accounted for. <br /><br />The rovers have done so well in the weak sunlight of deep winter on Mars that I suspect dust accumulation will not pose a great problem. As winter ends for the rovers, I expect that the power production will <b>rise</b>, with increasing sunlight falling on the panels overcompensating for dust accumulation. If increasing solar radiation continues to compensate for the dust accumulation, there may be no worries until after martian mid-summer a year from now. Wouldn't it be great if the rovers keep working until then? <br /> <br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[thechemist]

JPL shows a late interest in the soil on Spirit's contact ring :<br /><br />http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/press/spirit/20040924a.html<br /><br />I don't understand why this was unexpected. It has happened to Oppy a long time ago too. <br />I posted a relevant image somewhere, but I'm too lazy to look for it now though <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <em>I feel better than James Brown.</em> </div>

 

[centsworth_II]

<i>"I posted a relevant image somewhere..."</i><br /><br />And, of course, the image you posted was provided by NASA/JPL. So why would they be surprised when it happened... <b>AGAIN?</b> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[thechemist]

The image of soil on Oppy's ring is here .<br /><br />Actually, this imprint was used by G. Levin along with other MER photos, as evidence of recent mud flow in an (SPIE ?) conference paper this summer, entitled<br />"Interpretation of new results from Mars with respect to life".<br />I just checked the link above, and it appears that G. Levin has removed it from the Spherix website.<br /><br />Fortunately, I had downloaded the pdf file <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <em>I feel better than James Brown.</em> </div>

 

[fangsheath]

Spirit is on the move again, it backed away from its conjunction spot. Where to now? Perhaps up the little swale to see if we can find some north-facing layered outcrops.

 

[thechemist]

I bet Spirit will find some nice outcrops ! <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /><br /><br />Does anyone have any clue as to why Exploratorium has discontinued posting MER images ? I couldn't find anything mentioned on their site. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <em>I feel better than James Brown.</em> </div>

 

[fangsheath]

The rover has turned to almost due north and has moved forward a bit. Evidently they have some specific target in mind. This interesting layered rock is very close by.

 

[centsworth_II]

This could be the first good look at layering that Spirit gets. Good enough to tell under what circumstances the layers were deposited? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[JonClarke]

The image looks like simple parallel laminae to be The problem is parallel laminations are fairly non definitive. They can form by widely different processes (they are found in coarse and fine material, sediments formed by volcanic eruptions, impact deposits, lakes, seas, rivers, deserts). we need data on grain size, mineralology, roundness, and chemistry. Hopefully all of these will be forthcoming very soon. <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><br /><br />Cheers<br /><br />Jon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>

 

[centsworth_II]

Gusev sure is making us (humans) work for it! Not like Meridiani where a lot has been handed to us on a silver platter. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[fangsheath]

The vehicle has spun around and is now facing eastward. Clearly the layered rock has caught their interest. However, the recent movements of the rover may have as much to do with finding a good place to take more mapping images as getting to science targets. The lower image is from the most recent flight director's report, and shows more north-facing areas in blue. They are trying to get to a spot where better insolation maps can be made of the ridgetop leading up to Husband Hill.

 

[mikehoward]

Hey, I just noticed Exploratorium is back up. Hooray! Anybody know what the story was, there?

 

[spacechump]

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2004-249<br /><br />Uh oh. More age related problems. But man is Spirit a trooper.

 

[thechemist]

Have you noticed the Flash animation on the marsrovers homepage ?<br />Sadly, it looks like JPL is trying to prepare us psychologically to confront the inevitable : <br />The ending of the MER missions because of technical problems with the rovers. <br />Let's hope this animation is proven unnecessary for several hundred more Sols <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> <br /><br />Old rovers don't die. They just sit on their lonely planet and wait for the day they will be exhibited in a museum ! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <em>I feel better than James Brown.</em> </div>

 

[centsworth_II]

Luckly Spirit doesn't have to move far to get to more and more interesting features. Here's a curious juxtaposition of layered and blocky rock formations from this image: <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[spacechump]

Yeah I saw that. I had a feeling that's what they're getting at. Either that or their appealing to kids through smiling, animated rover.......*cough*

 

[mah_fl]

The 90 Sols limit was obviously conservative, especially when the Pathfinder mission lasted a lot longer, that way the public get to think they are lasting way way longer than expected, in fact the engineers must have known they would operate a lot longer. Also is the cartoon another example of NASA dumbing down ?

 

[jaredgalen]

It could be NASA preparing us for the worst, but I like to think that it is just them celebrating Spirits 3x90=270 sol anniversary.<br /><br />Wait and see I guess, although the signs are a little ominous for Spirit, the little trooper, bless his little cotton socks. Or is it her cotton socks?<br />Have to think about that one....

 

[najab]

><i>..., that way the public get to think they are lasting way way longer than expected, in fact the engineers must have known they would operate a lot longer.</i><p>There was no "90 Sols limit" as you call it. The mission success parameters required the Rovers to operate for 90 Sols after landing. From day one, the JPL team have consistently said that they expected the Rovers to last much longer than that.</p>

 

[abq_farside]

I have not seen this posted here yet but Spirits age appears to be showing:<br /><br /><b>Spirit Rover Disabled by Steering Problem </b><br />By SPACE.com Staff<br /><br />posted: 06 October 2004<br />09:29 am ET<br /> <br /><br />A steering problem disabled the Mars Rover Spirit Oct. 1, NASA officials said yesterday. The robot has not moved since.<br /><br />While a fix of some sort is expected, Spirit could proceed with a greater chance of causing other problems.....<br /><br /><br />See link for more<br />http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/spirit_steering_041006.html <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><em><font size="1" color="#000080">Don't let who you are keep you from becoming who you want to be!</font></em></p> </div>