Opportunity Mission Update Thread

alokmohan · Dec 3, 2004

Rover data makes return a must Data from Nasa's Mars rover Opportunity shows its unique landing site is a prime spot for a return mission to look for life, scientists say. The robot was not designed to find evidence of biology on Mars and did not detect any during nearly a year spent exploring the Meridiani Planum region. But writing in Science, team members claim the site may have been habitable for long periods of Mars history. And locations on Earth with similar conditions do host microbial life. There is a historical record in a sedimentary formation and for us that is where you might find the remnants of life Professor Colin Pillinger, Open University As Opportunity's first images steadily downloaded onto screens at Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in January, it was clear Meridiani Planum was like no other place seen on Mars. Viewers around the world were transfixed as pictures revealed a thoroughly alien landscape of dark, rippled soil and stark, pale slabs of exposed bedrock. Opportunity had struck lucky. Investigations carried out over the ensuing month proved the pale slabs were part of a larger sequence of sedimentary rock laid down in the presence of liquid water. Professor Colin Pillinger, lead scientist on the ill-fated European lander Beagle 2, agreed that Meridiani was a first-rate location to search for life. "The most exciting thing was seeing those sedimentary formations," he explained. "It meant there had been big bodies of water on the surface. There is a historical record in a sedimentary formation and for us that is where you might find the remnants of life." Intriguingly, the Rio Tinto, an acidic river in south-western Spain that resembles Meridiani chemically, is home to specialised communities of microbes. "Sample return of Meridiani rocks might well provide more certainty regarding whether life developed on Mars,"

thechemist · Dec 7, 2004

Many thanks to Bruce Moomaw for pointing to this article in the Mainly Martian blog. Lunar and Planetary Science XXXV (2004) MARS EXPLORATION ROVERS: LABORATORY SIMULATIONS OF AEOLIAN INTERACTIONS (pdf link) Lynn D. V. Neakrase, Ronald Greeley, and Daniel Foley Arizona State University, Dept. of Geological Sciences, Box 871404, Tempe, AZ, 85287-1404 From the above article: "Figure 2. Experiments showing interaction of simulated dust devil with 1/6 scale model of the MER. a.) Initial contact of dust devil with rover; b.) widening of the vortex base when dust devil is in full contact with the rover; c.) dust devil column moving off back of rover; d.) last contact of the dust devil with the rover." <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> I feel better than James Brown. </div>

bobw · Dec 8, 2004

Wow! Great pictures, Chemist. Thanks for them and the .pdf and the link to MainlyMartian too. I feel like I won the lottery or something. Thanks. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

Swampcat · Dec 8, 2004

Edging Out Of Endurance Opportunity has completed its super-high-resolution imaging and other remote sensing operations from the base of "Burns Cliff," collecting more than 985 megabits of telemetry. Due to the large number of observations, the data management team has been working hard to manage available memory. Opportunity has now begun its journey out of "Endurance Crater." SpaceDaily article... <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> ------------------------------------------------------------------- "I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical. Unsuccessful rebellions, indeed, generally establish the encroachments on the rights of the people which have produced them. An observation of this truth should render honest republican governors so mild in their punishment of rebellions as not to discourage them too much. It is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government."Thomas Jefferson </div>

jaredgalen · Dec 9, 2004

Isn't it amazing how drilling holes on martian rocks has become essentially routine, compared with the exciting days of Adirondack. ONE YEAR of mobile exploration on Mars (almost, don't want to jinx it) and our whole expectations of what can be done has been blown out of the water....well, mine at least. If I was wearing a hat I would have to tip it to all those people who made this happen. Amazing. http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all/1/f/307/1F155438896EFF38EVP1148R0M1.JPG

fangsheath · Dec 10, 2004

Contrary to statements on JPL's web site to the effect that the rover would not be taking a shortcut, it is making its way up the slope well east of its Karatepe ingress and was approximately at the spot marked in purple as of the most recently posted forward Hazcam image. It is driving up the slope backwards at an angle and may reach the rim very soon.

thechemist · Dec 10, 2004

Surprise surprise eh ? According to well-informed sources: "... they will do some remote sensing on 313/314. It's a go for the rim (9 more meters) on Sol 315. Then they'll do remote observations on the plains and 360-degree panorama on Sol 316 and then off to the heatshield on 317" The image I suppose Fangsheath posted but has not been approved yet <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> I feel better than James Brown. </div>

thechemist · Dec 10, 2004

Nice image you got there fangsheath. This way up seems safe enough. I only rotated the latest Navcam image 18o to see the plains correctly. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> I feel better than James Brown. </div>

thechemist · Dec 12, 2004

We are out of Endurance !!! Congratulations to JPL are in order, no ?? <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/forward_hazcam/2004-12-12/1F156148934EFF3900P1201R0M1.JPG <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> I feel better than James Brown. </div>

fangsheath · Dec 12, 2004

Absolutely, 188 days in Endurance Crater, it was a fabulous adventure. There was one big disappointment for me but overall the JPL people did their usual outstanding job. Think of it - for generations to come this crater will be a historic site, a beuitiful little piece of Martian landscape that now bears the signs of some of the earliest explorations of the surface of this planet, and we were privileged to see it as it happened. On to the heat shield!

thechemist · Dec 12, 2004

Let's hope other findings on the etched terrain to the south, or (dare I say ?) Victoria crater will compensate for failing to RAT Wopmay. We could get stuck there, and that would make Endurance Oppy's eternal trap ! I prefer to remember Endurance as I do now, I consider it a little bit like home <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> Maybe our grand-grand-grand-children will be walking inside it, laughing with their ancestors who were downloading images of it over a 64K ISDN line <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> I feel better than James Brown. </div>

marslauncher · Dec 12, 2004

And out we go from the crater!! woohoo! http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/rear_hazcam/2004-12-12/1R156148883EFF3900P1312R0M1.JPG

jaredgalen · Dec 13, 2004

They don't look too shabby at all....

http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/navcam/2004-12-12/1N156150467EFF3900P0535L0M1.JPG

thechemist · Dec 13, 2004

From today's, JPL press release : Mars Rovers Spot Water-Clue Mineral, Frost, Clouds "A portion of Mars' water vapor is moving from the north pole toward the south pole during the current northern-summer and southern-winter period. The transient increase in atmospheric water at Meridiani, just south of the equator, plus low temperatures near the surface, contribute to appearance of the clouds and frost, Wolff said. Frost shows up some mornings on the rover itself. The possibility that it has a clumping effect on the accumulated dust on solar panels is under consideration as a factor in unexpected boosts of electric output from the panels." Now, would not the orange quote be better presented with an image ?? <img src="/images/icons/rolleyes.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> I feel better than James Brown. </div>

thechemist · Dec 13, 2004

And it is !!! Stupid me <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> frost on color calibration target ! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> I feel better than James Brown. </div>

thechemist · Dec 13, 2004

And if this is not beautiful, then I don't know what is ... See the clouds <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> I feel better than James Brown. </div>

anoolios · Dec 13, 2004

I hope they have another press conference soon, even if its just an audio teleconference. In particular, I'd like to hear more about this part of todays press release: <hr />As its last major endeavor inside Endurance Crater, Opportunity made a close inspection of rock layers exposed in a part of the crater wall called "Burns Cliff." Dr. Steve Squyres of Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., principal investigator for the rover instruments, said, "In the lower portion of the cliff, the layers show very strong indications that they were last transported by wind, not by water like some layers higher up. The combination suggests that this was not a deep-water environment but more of a salt flat, alternately wet and dry."<hr /> It would be very interesting to hear more specifics about this, anyone have more info?

fangsheath · Dec 14, 2004

I agree with Squyres on this one, all indications are that steeply angled laminae near the base of Burns Cliff are aeolian in origin. Interestingly, this is the only spot I can point to in all of Endurance that, in my opinion, shows clear evidence of lithified wind-blown deposits. I firmly believe that the bulk of Burns Cliff was deposited in an aqueous environment. See also my post of 11/21 in this thread.

anoolios · Dec 14, 2004

Ahh, it appears you were right on in that 11/21 post fangsheath. I looked back and also found an interesting related JonClarke post from 11/4. When those images came out I spent a long time squinting at the area in question and wondering what the angled layers and superimposed layering could mean. This is so fascinating, it should be front page news! I love imagining what things could have been like back when these fantastic terrains and deposits were being formed. I found a couple websites with info about aeolian/eolian processes: http://www.physicalgeography.net/home.html http://www.uwsp.edu/geo/faculty/ritter/geog101/textbook/title_page.html Does anyone know if it is possible that a water transport process like the one described in the recent press release as being responsible for the frost on Opportunity could have been more robust in the past and thus responsible for the upper layers in Burns Cliff? <blockquote>In reply to:<hr />"A portion of Mars' water vapor is moving from the north pole toward the south pole during the current northern-summer and southern-winter period. The transient increase in atmospheric water at Meridiani, just south of the equator, plus low temperatures near the surface, contribute to appearance of the clouds and frost..."<hr /></blockquote>

mah_fl · Dec 17, 2004

There is a new Flight Directors Update 16/12/04, she mentions Larry's Lookout Point for Spirit, anyone know where this is ? http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html

thechemist · Dec 17, 2004

This is Oppy's thread, but, here is your info : Look at the two maps of the Dec. 10 posts in this thread in the MER forum. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> I feel better than James Brown. </div>

thechemist · Dec 17, 2004

Oppy has left its mark inside Endurance. Look at the bright disturbed soil next to Wopmay, where Oppy was stuck in the sand for several days. http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all/1/n/315/1N156149941EFF3900P1635L0M1.JPG <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> I feel better than James Brown. </div>

thechemist · Dec 17, 2004

Oppy's journey towards the heatshield has started, with a 40m drive. http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/rear_hazcam/2004-12-16/1R156505738EFF3978P1301R0M1.JPG <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> I feel better than James Brown. </div>

mikehoward · Dec 17, 2004

That is so darned cool.

centsworth_II · Dec 17, 2004

Goodbye Endurance. It was great while it lasted. At least we have our memories and a very thick album of photos and data. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

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