[meteorite-list] Opportunity Rolls Onto Martian Ground
From: MexicoDoug_at_aol.com <MexicoDoug_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:31:19 2004 Message-ID: <130.2a9caea0.2d4f616a_at_aol.com> --part1_130.2a9caea0.2d4f616a_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable In a message dated 2/2/2004 2:03:12 AM Eastern Standard Time,=20 baalke_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov writes: > rovers shall > each acquire science data and conduct in-situ analysis for 90 sols". That= =20 > would > include the time on the lander, as it did acquire science data from the=20 > Pancam and >=20 If this is true then is the official NASA Mars Exploration Rover Mission=20 website is incorrect about the specification. The overall mission timeline=20= and=20 definitions are quite clear there to define the 90 days as beginning upon=20 completion of egress (when tires are in the dirt) and specifically NOT to in= clude=20 time on the lander even if they cheated with a little extra science. The fi= rst=20 line on the official NASA website currently says:=20 "Surface Operations begin once the rover has completed its egress. The rover= s=20 were designed to last for 90 days of surface operations." However, on the same official mission timeline it is somewhat inconsistent=20 and interesting to note: "Eventual End of Mission: Toward the end of the surface phase for both missions, both power and teleco= m=20 capabilities will be decreasing, as the Earth and the Sun become more distan= t=20 from Mars, dust falls on the solar panels, the batteries lose capacity, and=20 the Sun moves further North past the landing site latitude. Eventually,=20 somewhere near Sol 91 it is expected that the rover will be unable to store=20= up enough=20 thermal or battery energy to prevent its components=B4 overnight temperature= s=20 from falling below flight allowable levels. That will sooner or later result= in=20 failure of one or more of those components, silencing the rover forever." =20 =20 Though "sooner or later" is left undefined, the dust issue with all that fin= e=20 silt we are seeing is especially disheartening after reading this. Perhaps=20 next time the lander can be fitted with a soft spring loaded mop instead of=20 sitting there doing nothing. I'm sure there are reasons. I would highly do= ubt=20 that funding to keep the cars going after all this would be at issue. That=20 card is being played already on the Hubble and Space Shuttle, Space Station,= =20 Pluto-Kuiper Express (not even a website anymore for heaven's sake), etc. I= guess=20 NASA is going out of business. Next thing it will be MASA: Moon=20 Administration and Strategic Arsenal. What ever happened to that good old A= merican=20 Ingenuity and Creativity? Something's got to give or these operations might= be best=20 suited to be outsourced to China. Or at least the battery production. I=20 guess there isn't much research money for that either. Best Spirits and Opportunities Doug Dawn =20 http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/tl_surface.html --part1_130.2a9caea0.2d4f616a_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <HTML><FONT FACE=3Darial,helvetica><HTML><FONT SIZE=3D2 PTSIZE=3D10 FAMILY= =3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0">In a message dated 2/2/2004 2:03:12= AM Eastern Standard Time, baalke_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov writes:<BR> <BR> <BR> <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=3DCITE style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT= : 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">rovers shall<BR> each acquire science data and conduct in-situ analysis for 90 sols". T= hat would<BR> include the time on the lander, as it did acquire science data from the Panc= am and<BR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR> <BR> If this is true then is the official NASA Mars Exploration Rover Mission web= site is incorrect about the specification. The overall mission timelin= e and definitions are quite clear there to define the 90 days as beginning u= pon completion of egress (when tires are in the dirt) and specifically NOT t= o include time on the lander even if they cheated with a little extra scienc= e. The first line on the official NASA website currently says: <BR> <BR> "Surface Operations begin once the rover has completed its <A HREF=3D"http:/= /marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/tl_rover.html">egress</A>. The rovers were=20= designed to last for 90 days of surface operations."<BR> <BR> However, on the same official mission timeline it is somewhat inconsistent a= nd interesting to note:<BR> <BR> "Eventual End of Mission:<BR> <BR> Toward the end of the surface phase for both missions, both power and teleco= m capabilities will be decreasing, as the Earth and the Sun become more dist= ant from Mars, dust falls on the solar panels, the batteries lose capacity,=20= and the Sun moves further North past the landing site latitude. Eventually,=20= somewhere near Sol 91 it is expected that the rover will be unable to store=20= up enough thermal or battery energy to prevent its components=B4 overnight t= emperatures from falling below flight allowable levels. That will sooner or=20= later result in failure of one or more of those components, silencing the ro= ver forever." <BR> <BR> Though "sooner or later" is left undefined, the dust issue with all that fin= e silt we are seeing is especially disheartening after reading this. P= erhaps next time the lander can be fitted with a soft spring loaded mop inst= ead of sitting there doing nothing. I'm sure there are reasons. =20= I would highly doubt that funding to keep the cars going after all this woul= d be at issue. That card is being played already on the Hubble and Spa= ce Shuttle, Space Station, Pluto-Kuiper Express (not even a website anymore=20= for heaven's sake), etc. I guess NASA is going out of business. =20= Next thing it will be MASA: Moon Administration and Strategic Arsenal. = What ever happened to that good old American Ingenuity and Creativity? = ; Something's got to give or these operations might be best suited to be out= sourced to China. Or at least the battery production. I guess th= ere isn't much research money for that either.<BR> <BR> Best Spirits and Opportunities<BR> Doug Dawn<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/tl_surface.html<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> </FONT></HTML> --part1_130.2a9caea0.2d4f616a_boundary-- Received on Mon 02 Feb 2004 03:16:42 AM PST |
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