[meteorite-list] Mars Exploration Rover Update - August 30, 2004

From: stan . <laser_maniac_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue Aug 31 21:12:28 2004
Message-ID: <BAY18-F18fJHJICnrBI00027578_at_hotmail.com>

>This
>proved to be prudent, since the rover again ended up slipping more than
>50 percent during most of its drive, with little progress away from
>dangerous terrain.

i'm curious - since slipping seems to be a major complication (or at least
hazard) to the rover, why were the crafts not designed with some sort of
inertial navigation capibilities? That way instead of commanding the rover
to move foward 'x' feet, the controllers could command the rovers to spin
the wheels untill the rover actually moved 'x' feet - not to mention the
rover could also tell if it were, for example diggin it's self into a hole
due to poor traction on sand, ect?

I'm sure there is an easy answer to this question, but obviously not one
that comes to (my) mind :)

TIA

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Received on Tue 31 Aug 2004 09:12:26 PM PDT