Opportunity Mission Update Thread

[thechemist]

According to the September 15 Flight Director's Update Opportunity rebooted itself<br />for no apparent reason. The flight director mubbled something for a<br />buffer overflow problem, and played down its significance. However he mentioned that <br />this prevents any of the (limited) science being schedulled<br />during the conjunction period for Opportunity to be done.<br /><br />Communications should be restored in 4-5 days, Sol 238 for Oppy (Sol 258 for Spirit). <br />Let's hope we get two healthy MERs back ! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <em>I feel better than James Brown.</em> </div>

 

[earth_bound_misfit]

"a buffer overflow problem"<br /><br />As a matter of interest, what type of "OS" do the Mer's operate? I guess its some sort of embedded type. But this sounds like a very Microsoft type of problem.<br /><br />Virus/malware in the software routine? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> </p><p>----------------------------------------------------------------- </p><p>Wanna see this site looking like the old SDC uplink?</p><p>Go here to see how: <strong>SDC Eye saver </strong>  </p> </div>

 

[spacechump]

No...no no no....no windows within a few million miles of the rovers. JPL would never stoop that low.<br /><br />The rovers run a real-time embedded linux OS called VxWorks.

 

[anoolios]

A new press release was just posted. Mission extension plus Spirit and Opportunity have "resumed reliable contact..." The teleconfrencing stuff is a great idea. I offer my thanks and appreciation to JPL with a nod to all the accountants, planners, administrators, internet workers, and others making these missions and information possible.<br /><br />http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2004/sep/HQ_04307_mars_emerges.html

 

[thechemist]

The "dark age" is officially over, and JPL engineers seem very ambitious :<br /><br /><i><font color="yellow">"Engineers hope to put Spirit atop Husband Hill so it can get a view all the way to the edge of vast Gusev Crater, in which it landed. <br /><br />On the other side of the planet, Opportunity will soon leave Endurance Crater, visiting its discarded heat shield along the way, and make a 3-mile journey to Victoria Crater." </font></i> <br /><br />From this space.com update article : link <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <em>I feel better than James Brown.</em> </div>

 

[thermionic]

Does anyone know about Victoria Crater? Is it the 'etched terrain' that was discussed earlier in the mission? Three more miles! Impressive...

 

[fangsheath]

I'm not certain, but I think they are referring to this big beautiful crater. It is about the right distance to the south. It is at least 3/4 mile in diameter and is probably hundreds of feet deep. It has a large dune field as well as indications of rock outcrops. Just a bit to the south, the so-called "etched terrain" makes its appearance. This terrain may extend up closer to the landing site just to the northeast of here.

 

[fangsheath]

There is another distinct possibility. The crater above is more west than south. There is another large crater about 3.7 miles south of Endurance. I do not see a high resolution MOC image of that area.

 

[abq_farside]

How far away is Eagle from Endurance? If they said Victoria was 3 miles away maybe you can make an educated guess as to which crater is which because the southern crater is farther away then the crater to the west. <br /><br />And where would the heat shield be in relation to your overhead image? <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>

 

[fangsheath]

Endurance is about 700 m (a little less than half a mile) from Eagle Crater. The heat shield is only about 200 m south of the southern rim of Endurance. The large crater on the left is just under 3 miles from Endurance.

 

[silylene old]

I was really hoping they would investigate the long "trench" or "wadi" leading into the northeast rim of Endurance (visible in good photos). I think it might have formed <i>after</i> Endurance was formed, and I am still very curious about it! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature" align="center"><em><font color="#0000ff">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</font></em> </div><div class="Discussion_UserSignature" align="center"><font color="#0000ff"><em>I really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function.</em></font> </div> </div>

 

[marslauncher]

And they keep going and going and going and going and going and going and going hehe<br /><br />Anyone want to make a bet that they will still be active when MRO gets to Mars?

 

[centsworth_II]

The crater three miles to the west does not look too interesting. It looks to be mostly buried in sand and dust with just a thin rim of the surface rock layer visible.<br />The interior slope of this crater may be relatively gentle but looks like the same kind of loose material that they are afraid to drive on in the bottom half of Endurance.<br /><br />On the other hand, the large crater to the south looks like a larger version of Endurance: Thick, rocky rim, loose sand in the bottom half. It would provide much more of an interesting sight. I'd love for Opportunity to get there. And getting there would mean that Opportunity would have traversed the 'etched terrain' which may provide a look at many interesting surface features. <br /><br />It's great to have so much to look forward to and the rover is still making its way to the base of Burns Cliff! I can't wait to see close-up images of the cliff and its layers. I'm especially interested in getting a close look at the strange (to me) vertical cuts or fissures in the cliff. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[centsworth_II]

<i>"Anyone want to make a bet that they will still be active when MRO gets to Mars?"</i> -- Marslauncher<br /><br />I'm surprised at the amount of activity that is possible even in the 'slow' winter period, with nine months of dust 'build-up' on the solar panels. At the beginning of the mission, I thought the panels would be the weak link, but now I'm convinced that the increase in solar power as spring and then summer (a year away!) approaches will easily compensate for continued dust build-up. Short of a dust storm, I don't see a problem with the panels continuing to provide enough power for a least the current level of activity (which I find highly satisfactory). That leaves the battery, computer, and mechanical systems. I hope they all hold out for the long haul. <br /><br />If (according to my rough calculations) mid summer on Mars falls around September 2005, solar energy will again be declining for the rovers as MRO approaches Mars. When MRO gets to Mars around March 2006, the rovers will be in mid autumn. The solar power decline <i>next</i> fall will hit the rovers hard because of the dust build-up in the intervening year. <br /><br />Can the rovers last that long? I don't think they're close to counting down their last days there (on Mars), but another year and a half? Mmmmmm.... <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[centsworth_II]

<i>"I was really hoping they would investigate the long "trench" or "wadi" leading into the northeast rim of Endurance (visible in good photos). I think it might have formed after Endurance was formed, and I am still very curious about it!"</i> -- silylene<br /><br />I feel your pain, and share your curiosity. If Opportunity doesn't go there, I suppose it will be because the mission planners feel they've already seen the same type of feature in Anatolia, a similar trench-like feature that Opportunity found shortly after exiting Eagle crater. I was a little surprised at the short time they spent exploring Anatolia, but at the time I was in a hurry to see into Endurance so it didn't bother me much.<br /><br />It would be interesting to get a close look at the feature you mention. It seems like there are still a lot of questions as to exactly what those features are, how they formed, and what it means for the past history of the region. It seems like it <i>would</i> be important to determine if the 'trench/crack' formed before, during, or after the creation of Endurance. <br /><br />If Opportunity heads directly South instead, we can console ourselves with visions of what fantastic new features may wait for us in the 'etched terrain'. Maybe this area will be found to be a veritable field of large 'wadis', or maybe this type of feature will be more closely associated with the formation of the large crater south of the 'etched terrain' which will hopefully reached by the rover.<br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[silylene old]

thanks centworth_II<br /><br />The trench northeast of Endurance might be much more prominent than Anatolia, at least judging from the visual contrast as seen in the best overhead photos. So it might be more interesting in that respect. My larger curiousity has to do with its interaction with Endurance, and whether we could find any data that the trenches might have played a role in water transport processes in the distant past.<br /><br />The "etched terrain" will be very interesting, I do agree. I am much more interested in the etched terrain (or the trenches) than exploring another Endurance-like crater. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature" align="center"><em><font color="#0000ff">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</font></em> </div><div class="Discussion_UserSignature" align="center"><font color="#0000ff"><em>I really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function.</em></font> </div> </div>

 

[centsworth_II]

<i>"My larger curiousity has to do with its interaction with Endurance, and whether...the trenches might have played a role in water transport processes in the distant past."</i> -- silylene<br /><br />I never gave a thought to the presence of water in Endurance <i><b>until</b></i> the 'Razor Back' formation was explained in terms of mineral-laden water infiltration into cracks in the bedrock created during the impact which formed Endurance. Now the question arises: Did the water infiltrate from above or below?<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[JonClarke]

Hi censtworth<br /><br />i have just seen the claim on the badastronomy web site that Victoria crater is indeed the smaller and sharper one almost due south of Endurance.<br /><br />Any idea where the name "Victoria" crater came from? The other craters have been named after craft of exploration - Eagle, Fram, Endurance.<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]

On a hunch, because it sounded british, I searched HMS Victoria and found this:<br /><br />" Divers have located the former flagship of the British Mediterranean Fleet, HMS Victoria, lost in 1893 out of Tripoli, Lebanon, while attempting an ill-conceived anchoring manoeuvre." <br /><br />"Lebanese-Austrian diver Christian Francis had researched the wreck and had been conducting a search since 1994. Information from local fishermen about an unusual obstruction rich in fish helped lead Francis to the wreck's position. He first dived the wreck along with British diver Mark Ellyatt on 22 August, and the pair were quickly able to identify the wreck from the props, fittings and dimensions."<br /><br />I wonder if the crater was named before or after the wreck was found?<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[JonClarke]

Hi centsworth<br /><br />Yes, the loss of HMS Victoria after collision with HMS Camperdown because of a disasterous order by Admiral Tyrone (who went down with the ship) was one of the great naval tragadies of the 19th century. However HMS Victoria was a turret battleship, and not associated with exploration. But maybe they have changed the rules for naming features <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><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>

 

[bobw]

I might have found it. <br /><br />http://www.enchantedlearning.com/explorers/page/m/magellan.shtml <br /><br />Magellan sailed from Seville, Spain, with five ships, the Trinidad, San Antonio, Concepcion, Victoria, and Santiago. Three years later, only one ship (the Victoria) made it back to Seville, carrying only 18 of the original 270 crew members.<br /><br />There might be others, this is kind of fun.<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[centsworth_II]

By George, I think you've got it! I can't imagine a more historically notable ship carrying the name Victoria. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[JonClarke]

Twit! I knew that. Hits himself on scone and wanders of, shaking head, muttering sadly to himself about old age......<br /><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>

 

[bobw]

You knew? I never knew. If someone would have asked me, a year ago, what Eagle, Fram, Endurance and Victoria had in common I would have guessed that they were the names of oil filters. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[JonClarke]

Oil filters????? <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><br /><br />My next level intellectual hobby, after space exploration, is naval (and maritime) history.<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>