[meteorite-list] Mars Exploration Rovers Update - February 1, 2007

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri, 2 Feb 2007 09:13:06 -0800 (PST)
Message-ID: <200702021713.JAA24469_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

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

SPIRIT UPDATE: Spirit Examines Churned-Up Martian Soil - sol 1091-1096,
February 01, 2007:

Spirit is healthy and continues to scan the Martian terrain for the dust
devils of spring. The rover has completed its scientific studies of a
layered rock exposure known as "Montalva" on an outcrop called "Troll."

The rover is now en route toward a patch of bright soil churned up by
the rover's wheels in March 2007. Known as "Tyrone," the patch of bright
material, white and yellow in color, is possibly analogous to salty
soils discovered by the rover earlier in the mission. Scientists plan to
have the rover conduct remote sensing from a distance of about 10 meters
(33 feet) in order to avoid getting mired in the sand. The rover will
use its scientific instruments to get a better look at the soil exposure
and determine whether it contains sulfates.

Spirit acquired movies with the navigation camera in search of dust
devils on the rover's 1091st, 1093rd, and 1095th sols, or Martian days
(Jan. 27, Jan. 29, and Jan. 31, 2007). The risk of dust storms is
predicted to increase through mid-October 2007.

The rover drove 12 meters (39 feet) between sols 1092 (Jan. 28, 2007)
and 1094 (Jan. 30, 2007).

Sol-by-sol summary:

In addition to daily observations that included measuring atmospheric
dust with the panoramic camera and surveying the sky and ground with the
miniature thermal emission spectrometer, Spirit completed the following
activities:

Sol 1091 (Jan. 27, 2006): Spirit acquired panoramic camera images of a
rock target known as "Zucchelli" as well as images for building a
digital elevation model of the terrain between the rover and a rock of
vesicular basalt known as "Esperanza." Spirit acquired movie frames with
the navigation camera in search of dust devils and used the miniature
thermal emission spectrometer to acquire data on rock targets known as
"Troll 1," "Macquarie," and "Troll 2."

Sol 1092: Spirit acquired navigation camera images following the day's
drive and panoramic camera images of the sky for calibration purposes.

Sol 1093: Spirit acquired movie frames with the navigation camera in
search of dust devils and navigation camera images in support of
observations to be made with the miniature thermal emission
spectrometer. Spirit scanned the foreground with the miniature thermal
emission spectrometer, monitored for dust on the rover mast with the
panoramic camera, and conducted a survey of rock clasts with the
panoramic camera.

Sol 1094: Spirit acquired panoramic camera images of a rock target
called "Druzhnaya," drove closer to Tyrone, and acquired post-drive
images of the rover's surroundings using the navigation camera.

Sol 1095: Spirit acquired data on Tyrone using the miniature thermal
emission spectrometer, acquired movie frames with the navigation camera
in search of dust devils, acquired data on a rock outcrop known as
"Oberth," and acquired full-color images of Tyrone using all 13 filters
of the panoramic camera.

Sol 1096 (Feb. 1, 2007): Spirit "bumped," or rolled a short distance,
toward a scientific target to be examined with instruments on the rover
arm, acquired post-drive images with the navigation camera, scanned the
sky for clouds with the navigation camera, and acquired thumbnail images
of the sky with the panoramic camera.

Odometry:

As of sol 1094 (Jan. 30, 2006), Spirit's total odometry was 6,915 meters
(4.3 miles).

------------------------------------------------------------------------

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Opportunity Hones Reckoning Skills, Tests Computer
Smarts - sol 1063-1069, January 27, 2007:

After driving around the "Bay of Toil" onto "Cape Desire," a promontory
overlooking "Victoria Crater," Opportunity began testing various
techniques for visually determining the rover's precise location after
moving across sandy, somewhat slippery terrain. Because the sandy
surface is largely flat and featureless (except for the dropoff into
"Victoria Crater"), the rover's primary reference points are the long
rows of repeating ridges and holes in its own tracks. They all look
pretty much the same, repeating the same pattern every 80 centimeters
(2.6 feet). The rover is working on ways to make its tracks look
different at every step, which will remove any ambiguities in the images
of the tracks.

Opportunity continued to test new computer smarts to enable automated
placement of instruments on a target of scientific interest.

Sol-by-sol summary:

In addition to daily observations that included measuring atmospheric
dust with the panoramic camera, searching for clouds with the navigation
camera, surveying the sky and ground with the miniature thermal emission
spectrometer, and imaging the sky with the panoramic camera, Opportunity
completed the following activities:

Sol 1063 (Jan. 19, 2007): Opportunity measured atmospheric argon with
the alpha-particle X-ray spectrometer and acquired part of a panoramic
postcard of Victoria Crater using the panoramic camera. Opportunity
surveyed rock targets known as "Gomes," "Gomes Background" (the surface
area around Gomes), "Santandres," "Deseado," "Narrows," "Sardines," and
"Trabajo" using the miniature thermal emission spectrometer.

Sol 1064: Opportunity drove 4.21 meters (13.8 feet) around the Bay of
Toil toward Cape Desire. The drive included a test to allow the rover to
make unique track patterns for better determination of its position. The
drive test had two legs: one in which the rover dragged the right front
wheel for 5 centimeters (2 inches) and then drove on all 6 wheels for 55
centimeters (1.8 feet), and a second in which the rover drove 60
centimeters (24 inches) and then spun both front wheels 23 degrees, or
approximately 5 centimeters (2 inches).

Sol 1065: Opportunity acquired a full-color image using all 13 filters
of the panoramic camera of the foreground area, then surveyed the
foreground with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer. The rover
monitored dust on the mast and acquired panoramic camera images of the
sky at sunset.

Sol 1066: Opportunity drove 25.38 meters (83.27 feet) away from the rim
of Victoria Crater to continue testing and determining the best method
for visual odometry -- determining the precise position by imaging the
rover's tracks. The rover did a series of 5 tests, each covering 5
centimeters (2 inches) and each designed to produce a different pattern
in the tracks. All of the driving was backward. During the first test,
the rover created scuffs with both front wheels. During the second test,
the rover wiggled the left wheel and scuffed with the right wheel. The
third test was a "drunken sailor" test in which the rover drove in small
curves. During the fourth test, the rover turned in place 10 degrees at
specific intervals, or "steps." The fifth test was a combination of the
previous four tests.

Sol 1067: Opportunity drove 40.43 meters (132.6 feet) to set up for the
approach to the edge of Cape Desire. The rover acquired panoramic camera
images of "Guam," a chevron-shaped rock outcrop.

Sol 1068: Opportunity drove backward 7.8 meters (26 feet) toward the tip
of Cape Desire.

Sol 1069 (Jan. 26, 2007): Plans called for Opportunity to drive a short
distance of 7 meters (23 feet) to an imaging position about 2.5 meters
(8.2 feet) away from the left edge of Cape Desire. From this vantage
point, Opportunity was to acquire images of "Bahia Blanca," the next bay
to the north. The rover was also slated to survey the horizon with the
panoramic camera and complete Step 4 of the automatic placement test,
the first attempt at actually reaching and touching a target
autonomously. During the test, the rover was to acquire images with the
hazard avoidance camera, swing back the robotic arm, touch the target
with the Moessbauer spectrometer, and acquire microscopic images.

Odometry:

As of sol 1068 (Jan. 25, 2007), Opportunity's total odometry was 9,918
meters (6.2 miles).
Received on Fri 02 Feb 2007 12:13:06 PM PST