[meteorite-list] Mars Exploration Rovers Update - January 27, 2007

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon, 29 Jan 2007 15:04:10 -0800 (PST)
Message-ID: <200701292304.PAA10901_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

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

SPIRIT UPDATE: Spirit Studies Layered Rocks and Wind-Blown Drifts - sol
1085-1090, January 27, 2007:

With the rover's third Martian spring just around the corner, Spirit is
healthy and has started acquiring movies with the navigation camera in
search of dust devils wheeling across the terrain. Spring officially
begins on Martian day, or sol 1103 (Feb. 8, 2007).

During the past week, Spirit acquired microscopic images of a soil
target called "Londonderry," which is an active wind drift shaped by the
motion of bouncing sand grains. Spirit also acquired super-resolution
panoramic camera images of an exposure of layered bedrock with rounded
rock fragments known as "Zucchelli." Scientists hope the images will
reveal information about color, structure, grain size, and mineralogical
composition of the rock.

Spirit continued to make progress on scientific studies of a rock
exposure known as "Montalva" on the lower stratigraphic unit of an
outcrop known as "Troll." On the rover's 1,085th sol (Jan. 21, 2007) of
exploration, Spirit used the wire brush on the rock abrasion tool to
reveal more surface area and enable clean measurements with the
miniature thermal emission spectrometer. Spirit then backed up to
conduct analysis of the newly brushed area.

In the coming week, scientists plan to have Spirit retrace its tracks
toward a soil exposure known as "Tyrone" for additional panoramic camera
images and miniature thermal emission spectrometer measurements to be
taken from a distance of about 10 meters (30 feet).

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 1085 (Jan. 21, 2006): Spirit acquired stereo microscopic images of
Londonderry, as well as a target known as "Contact" and used the wire
brush on the rock abrasion tool to brush the surface of Montalva. Spirit
acquired panoramic camera images of layered rock targets known as "Los
Estados," "Wollaston," and "Monte Dinero."

Sol 1086: Spirit acquired miniature thermal emission spectrometer data
on rock targets called "Svea" and "Maudhem." Spirit acquired navigation
camera movies in search of dust devils and acquired panoramic camera
images of the Martian horizon and sky.

Sol 1087: Spirit stowed the robotic arm and backed up before taking
navigation camera images in support of observations to be made with the
miniature thermal emission spectrometer. Spirit acquired navigation
camera images after backing up and acquired panoramic camera images of
the drive direction.

Sol 1088: Spirit acquired panoramic camera images of the rock target now
called "Montalva Daisy," in honor of the daisy-like arrangement of
circular brushed areas on the rock's surface. The rover acquired data on
Montalva Daisy and the background area around the target using the
miniature thermal emission spectrometer. The rover surveyed the sky for
calibration purposes using the panoramic camera.

Sol 1089: Plans called for Spirit to acquire long-baseline stereo
images, using the panoramic camera, of the circular, plateau-like
feature known as "Home Plate" in preparation for going back there after
having survived the Martian winter. To do this, the rover moves
laterally from one point to another between taking images with the left
and right eyes of the camera. Plans also called for the rover to take
super-resolution panoramic camera images, as well as navigation camera
images of the rock target "Zucchelli," and to acquire data on Montalva
using the miniature thermal emission spectrometer. The rover was also to
acquire post-drive images of the terrain using the navigation camera and
take thumbnail images of the sky using the panoramic camera.

Sol 1090 (Jan. 20, 2007): Plans called for Spirit to use the navigation
camera to watch for dust devils and take images in support of
investigations with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer. The
rover was also slated to collect data with the miniature thermal
emission spectrometer and complete a survey of rock clasts using the
panoramic camera.

Odometry:

As of sol 1087 (Jan. 23, 2006), Spirit's total odometry was 6,896 meters
(4.28 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 Mon 29 Jan 2007 06:04:10 PM PST