[meteorite-list] Rover Missions Renewed as Mars Emerges From Behind Sun

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue Sep 21 19:52:34 2004
Message-ID: <200409212352.QAA18540_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

MEDIA RELATIONS OFFICE
JET PROPULSION LABORATORY
CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
PASADENA, CALIF. 91109 TELEPHONE (818) 354-5011
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/

Guy Webster (818) 354-6278
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.

Donald Savage (202) 358-1547
NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C.

NEWS RELEASE: 2004-234

September 21, 2004

Rover Missions Renewed as Mars Emerges From Behind Sun

As NASA's Spirit and Opportunity rovers resumed reliable contact
with Earth, after a period when Mars passed nearly behind the Sun,
the space agency extended funding for an additional six months of
rover operations, as long as they keep working.

Both rovers successfully completed their primary three-month
missions on the surface of Mars in April and have already added
about five months of bonus exploration during the first extension of
their missions.

"Spirit and Opportunity appear ready to continue their remarkable
adventures," said Andrew Dantzler, solar system division director at
NASA Headquarters, Washington. "We're taking advantage of that good
news by adding more support for the teamwork here on Earth that's
necessary for operating the rovers."

Neither rover drove during a 12-day period this month, while radio
transmissions were unreliable because of the Sun's position between
the two planets. Daily planning and commanding of rover activities
recommenced Monday for Opportunity and today for Spirit.

"It is a relief to get past this past couple of weeks," said Jim
Erickson, project manager for both rovers at NASA's Jet Propulsion
Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. "Not only were communications
disrupted, but the rovers were also going through the worst part of
Mars southern-hemisphere winter from a solar-energy standpoint."

"Although Spirit and Opportunity are well past warranty, they are
showing few signs of wearing out," Erickson said. "We really don't
know how long they will keep working, whether days or months. We
will do our best to continue getting the maximum possible benefit
from these great national resources."
                              
Rover science team members will spend less time at JPL during the
second mission extension. They are able to attend daily planning
meetings by teleconferencing from their home institutions in several
states and in Europe. "All 150 science team members and
collaborators have been provided the tools to be able to participate
remotely," said JPL's Dr. John Callas, science manager for the rover
project. Workstations researchers used at JPL are at their home
institutions. Planning tools include video feeds, workstation
display remote viewing, and audio conferencing.

Besides reducing costs, remote operations allow scientists to spend
more time at home. "We get back to more normal lives, back to our
families, and we still get to explore Mars every day," said Dr.
Steve Squyres of Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., principal
investigator.

Another change in operations is a shift from seven days per week to
five days per week from October through December. This accommodates
a temporary trim of about 20 percent in the project's engineering
team to about 100 members. The rovers' reduced energy supply, during
the rest of the martian winter, makes the inactive days valuable for
recharging batteries. By January, the energy situation will have
improved for the solar-powered rovers, provided they are still
operating. The team size will rebound to support daily operations.

As Mars emerges from behind the Sun, Spirit is partway up the west
spur of highlands called the "Columbia Hills," a drive of more than
3 kilometers (2 miles) from its landing site. Opportunity is inside
stadium-size "Endurance Crater," headed toward the base of a stack
of exposed rock layers in "Burns Cliff," and a potential exit route
on the crater's south side.

JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in
Pasadena, manages the Mars Exploration Rover project for NASA's
Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Images and additional
information about the project are available on the Web at
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/ and http://athena.cornell.edu/ .

For information about NASA programs on the Internet, visit
http://www.nasa.gov/ .

                               
-end-
Received on Tue 21 Sep 2004 07:52:30 PM PDT