[meteorite-list] Mars Exploration Rovers Update - March 6-12, 2008
From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed, 26 Mar 2008 16:16:23 -0700 (PDT) Message-ID: <200803262316.QAA26049_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov> http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status.html SPIRIT UPDATE: Spirit Begins Preparing for "Hibernation" Mode - sol 1484-1490, March 6-12, 2008: Spirit has reached its final position for the coming Martian winter and has no plans to move before the next Martian spring. During the next few months, the rover will increasingly go into a "hibernate" mode as the sun continues to dim. Spirit is currently wrapping up a campaign of scientific studies of the rock target known as "Wendell Pruitt," interspersed with remote science observations of targets nicknamed "Lucius Theus" and "Theopolis Johnson." These targets were all named in honor of distinguished members of the "Tuskegee Airmen," the popular name for the 332nd Fighter Group, an all African-American unit of the U.S. Army Air Corps that served in the European Theater during World War II. Spirit's previous attempt to use the wire brush on the rock abrasion tool on sol (Martian day) 1479 (March 1, 2008) failed to sufficiently brush the surface of Wendell Pruitt. The rover repeated the effort on sol 1484 (March 6, 2008) with greater success. On sol 1486 (March 8, 2008), Spirit acquired a 2-by-2-by-5 stack of stereo microscopic images of Wendell Pruitt. The rover placed the alpha-particle X-ray spectrometer on the target on sol 1489 (March 11, 2008) but postponed data collection with the instrument to conserve power for an operational readiness test in support of the Phoenix mission scheduled for the late morning of sol 1491 (March 13, 2008). At that time, the rover was to send a tone at UHF frequencies directly to the Green Bank radio telescope in West Virginia. The tone was to serve as a beacon; the rover would not be transmitting data. Spirit continued to take panoramic-camera images for the 360-degree "Bonestell panorama." The rover recharged its battery on sols 1485, 1487, 1488, and 1490 (March 7, 9, 10, and 12, 2008). On recharge days, the rover typically conducts minimal science activity and does not relay Eartbound data to the Odyssey orbiter as it passes overhead. A complication in Spirit's current circumstances is that the mast holding the panoramic and navigation cameras is partially obscuring the X-band, high-gain antenna that Spirit's handlers use to command the spacecraft from Earth. Engineers have been experimenting with "parking" these instruments in positions that minimize this obscuration. Spirit is healthy and all subsystems are performing as expected. The latest available power readings from sol 1489 (March 11, 2008) showed power at 254 watt-hours (100 watt-hours is the amount of energy needed to light a 100-watt bulb for one hour). Sol-by-sol summary: To conserve energy, mission planners have restricted the number of sols on which Spirit receives direct-from-Earth instructions via the rover's high-gain antenna and transmits data to Earth via the Odyssey orbiter. Spirit continues, on a daily basis, to monitor atmospheric dust levels with the panoramic camera, check for drift (changes with time) in the miniature thermal emission spectrometer, and survey the sky and ground with the instrument. In addition, during the past week, Spirit completed the following activities: Sol 1484 (March 6, 2008): Spirit brushed the surface of Wendell Pruitt, acquired a single-frame, lossless-compression (high-resolution) image of the area in front of the rover with the navigation camera, and took stereo images with the front hazard avoidance cameras. Sol 1485: Spirit acquired super-resolution images of half of Lucius Theus and recharged the battery. Sol 1486: Spirit surveyed the horizon and took spot images of the sky for calibration purposes with the panoramic camera. Spirit monitored dust on the rover mast and acquired a 2-by-2-by-5 stack of stereo microscopic images of Wendell Pruitt. The rover acquired a single-frame, lossless-compression image of the area in front of the rover with the navigation camera as well as stereo images with the front hazard avoidance cameras. Sol 1487: In the morning, Spirit acquired column 2, part 3 and column 3, part 1 of the full-color Bonestell panorama, using all 13 filters of the panoramic camera, then spent much of the Martian day recharging the battery. Sol 1488: In the morning, Spirit used the navigation camera to take images of the sky (called "sky flats") for calibration purposes and used the panoramic camera to take super-resolution images of Theopolis Johnson. The rover turned the panoramic camera mast assembly to prepoint the camera, then recharged the batteries. Sol 1489: Spirit placed the alpha-particle X-ray spectrometer on Wendell Pruitt and, after relaying data to Odyssey, acquired data with the instrument. Sol 1490 (March 12, 2008): Spirit acquired column 3, part 2 of the Bonestell panorama and recharged the batteries. Plans for the next morning called for Spirit to acquire thumbnail panoramic-camera images of the sky looking starboard (to the rover's right) for calibration purposes. Odometry: As of sol 1489 (March 11, 2008), Spirit's total odometry remained at 7,528.07 meters (4.68 miles). ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Opportunity Finds More Evidence of Ancient Water - sol 1463-1470, March 5-13, 2008: Opportunity has completed scientific studies of the undisturbed surface of a rock target informally named "Dorsal" in the "Gilbert" rock layer inside "Victoria Crater." Dorsal is a protruding fin of rock created by minerals deposited in cracks that remained in place long after the original rock eroded away because they were more resistant to weathering. Data collected with the M?ssbauer and alpha-particle X-ray spectrometers show that the fins in Gilbert contain large quantities of the mineral hematite. This iron-bearing mineral is also abundant in the frequently occurring, round concretions known as "blueberries" that are believed to have formed in water. Scientists have been looking for such pristine fins ever since Opportunity first noticed them back in "Eagle Crater," where the rover landed more than four years ago. Next, Opportunity will grind into the rock surface at a point informally named "Gilbert_A" to measure the chemical composition of the rock's interior using the alpha-particle X-ray spectrometer. Along the way, the rover has been getting close-up views of the fin with the microscopic imager. Sol-by-sol summary: In addition to receiving instructions directly from Earth via the rover's high-gain antenna, relaying data to Earth via the UHF antenna on the Mars Odyssey orbiter, and measuring atmospheric dust with the panoramic camera, Opportunity completed the following activities: Sol 1463 (March 5, 2008): Opportunity ran diagnostic tests of the robotic arm and acquired a 1-by-1-by-5 stack of microscopic images, with some extras thrown in for good measure, of Dorsal. The rover placed the M?ssbauer spectrometer on a specific target informally named "Dorsal Tail" and spent about 10 hours collecting data with the instrument. Opportunity began work on a super-resolution mosaic of images of the rim of Victoria Crater known as the "rimshot panorama," acquiring part 1 of the mosaic using the panoramic camera. The rover acquired full-color images, using all 13 filters of the panoramic camera, of a cobble nicknamed "Jin" on the slope above the rover. Sol 1464: Opportunity restarted the M?ssbauer spectrometer and continued its investigation of Dorsal Tail. The rover acquired images with the navigation camera as well as part 2 of the super-resolution rimshot panorama, which will encompass the crater rim from "Cape Verde" to "Cabo Frio." Opportunity participated in a UHF relay of data with the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter as part of a panoramic-camera data compression test. The rover monitored dust on the panoramic-camera mast assembly and took super-resolution images of a rock target informally named "Lyell Oxford." Sol 1465: Opportunity restarted the M?ssbauer spectrometer for continued investigation of Dorsal Tail and acquired part 3 of the rimshot pan. Opportunity participated in another UHF relay with the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter to test compression of panoramic camera data. The rover measured argon gas in the Martian atmosphere with the alpha-particle X-ray spectrometer and used the panoramic camera to survey the horizon and take spot images of the sky for calibration purposes. Sol 1466: Opportunity restarted the M?ssbauer spectrometer and continued work on Dorsal Tail. The rover acquired full-color frames, using all 13 filters of the panoramic camera, of a disturbed slope. Sol 1467: Opportunity restarted the M?ssbauer spectrometer and continued its investigation of Dorsal Tail. The rover completed work on part 4 of the super-resolution rimshot pan. Sol 1468: Opportunity acquired a 1-by-1-by-3 stack of microscopic images of Dorsal Tail and a 1-by-1-by-3 stack of microscopic images of a rock exposure nicknamed "Dorsal New." The rover placed the M?ssbauer spectrometer on Dorsal New, took calibration images known as "sky flats" with the navigation camera, and acquired part 5 of the super-resolution rimshot panorama. Opportunity acquired data with the M?ssbauer spectrometer and acquired part 6 of the super-resolution rimshot panorama. Sol 1469: Opportunity restarted the M?ssbauer spectrometer and began to investigate Dorsal Tail with the instrument. The rover acquired parts 7 and 8 of the rimshot panorama. Sol 1470 (March 13, 2008): Opportunity restarted the M?ssbauer spectrometer and resumed studies of Dorsal Tail with the instrument. The rover acquired part 9 of the rimshot panorama and also used the panoramic camera to take spot images and thumbnail images of the sky. Odometry: As of sol 1469 (March 12, 2008), Opportunity's total odometry was 11,671.23 meters (7.25 miles). Received on Wed 26 Mar 2008 07:16:23 PM PDT |
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