[meteorite-list] Mars Exploration Rover Update - October 10, 2005

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon Oct 10 12:10:25 2005
Message-ID: <200510101609.j9AG97902200_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status.html

SPIRIT UPDATE: Spirit Preparing for Robotic Arm Work - sol 620-626,
Oct 10, 2005:

Spirit is healthy and still performing science in the summit area of
"Husband Hill." The rover has acquired a 360-degree panorama from the
top of Husband Hill, and has performed remote sensing of other targets
of interest. Spirit drove back down to the clean face of the rock
outcrop called "Hillary" to find a good position to perform work with
the robotic arm.

Sol-by-sol summaries:

Sol 620 to 622 (Sept. 30 to Oct. 2, 2005): While perched on the summit
of Husband Hill, Spirit spent the weekend acquiring a 360-degree color
mosaic. Team members took this opportunity to place the Moessbauer
spectrometer on Spirit's compositional calibration target for a
three-sol integration.

The compositional calibration target provides an independent, external
reference source for calibrating the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer
and Moessbauer spectrometer. Both instruments also have their own
internal calibration reference targets. The compositional calibration
target is made of a piece of magnetite rock from Earth, bonded to an
aluminum base plate and covered by a protective coating that the
Moessbauer spectrometer cannot detect.

The science team also wanted new measurements of the compositional
calibration target with the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer to
supplement measurements from sols 614 to 619, but rover planners saw a
rock under the rover. If the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer were on
the compositional calibration target, the rock abrasion tool would be
too close to this hazard. The resolution was to do only a Moessbauer
spectrometer integration.

Sol 623: There is a fascinating outcrop at the summit called Hillary.
>From the panoramic camera position on top of the summit, Spirit could
access only very dusty areas of Hillary. On sol 623, Spirit began the
approach to the clean face. However, the drive did not take place due to
a sequencing error.

Sol 624: The second approach attempt succeeded, with a 12-meter
(39-foot) drive. From the new location, Spirit imaged potential
workspace for the robotic arm. The images allowed rover planners to
determine the best way to bump into position for robotic arm work.

Sol 625: A 3.4-meter (11.15-foot) bump put the desired target into the
work space. However, the left front wheel is perched upon a small rock
and not in full contact with the ground.

Sol 626: Since engineers could not tell if the rover was 100-percent
stable, the team decided not to deploy the robotic arm. Instead, the
plan is for Spirit to perform small maneuvers. The hazard-avoidance
cameras will take images at every step to stabilize the rover and
confirm that it is in a safe position to perform robotic arm work.

As of the end of sol 626, (Oct. 6, 2005), Spirit has driven 4,993 meters
(3.10 miles).
Received on Mon 10 Oct 2005 12:09:06 PM PDT