[meteorite-list] Spirit Rover Update: Just a Few More Approaches to Try for Extrication

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu, 14 Jan 2010 15:44:34 -0800 (PST)
Message-ID: <201001142344.o0ENiYd9028577_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2010-012

Just a Few More Approaches to Try for Extrication
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
January 13, 2010

The list of remaining maneuvers being considered for extricating Spirit
is becoming shorter. Results are being analyzed Wednesday, Jan. 13, from
a drive on Sol 2143 (Jan. 12, 2010) using intentionally very slow
rotation of the wheels. Earlier drives in the past two weeks using wheel
wiggles and slow wheel rotation produced only negligible progress toward
extricating Spirit.

The right-front wheel has not rotated usefully since Sol 2117 (Dec. 16,
2009). With the right-rear wheel also inoperable since Sol 2099 (Nov.
28, 2009), Spirit now drives with only four wheels.

Pending results of the latest drive, the rover team is developing plans
for their final few attempts, such as driving backwards and using
Spirit's robotic arm to sculpt the ground directly in front of the
left-front wheel, the only working wheel the arm can reach. Such
activities may take several sols to implement, but time is getting short
as winter approaches and the team needs to focus on Spirit's winter
survival.

The amount of energy that Spirit has each day is declining as autumn
days shorten on southern Mars. If NASA does determine that the rover
will not be able to get away from its current location, some maneuvers
to improve the tilt toward the winter sun might be attempted.
Received on Thu 14 Jan 2010 06:44:34 PM PST