[meteorite-list] Curiosity Update - August 10, 2012

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sat, 11 Aug 2012 08:29:56 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <201208111529.q7BFTuMH020166_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1305

Curiosity Preps for a Planned 'Brain Transplant'
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
August 10, 2012

A healthy Curiosity spent Sol 4, its fifth day on Mars, preparing for this
weekend's planned "brain transplant"--transitioning to a new version of
flight software on both of Curiosity's redundant main computers. The new
software is better suited for Mars surface operations, such as driving and
using Curiosity's robotic arm. The "brain transplant" will take place during
a series of steps beginning this evening and continuing through Aug. 13. The
new software was uploaded to the rover's memory during the Mars Science
Laboratory spacecraft's flight from Earth. Key capabilities in the new software
enable full use of Curiosity's powerful robotic arm and drill, and advanced
image processing to check for obstacles while driving. This will ultimately
allow Curiosity to make longer drives by giving the rover more autonomy to
identify and avoid potential hazards and to drive along a safe path that the
rover identifies for itself.

The flight team elected to defer further science
activities until after the flight software transition is completed. Several
Mastcam color images were downlinked. The mission's science team is busy
analyzing images Curiosity has taken of its surroundings, and is discussing
features of interest that they will investigate in a few weeks once initial
checkouts of the rover and the landing site are completed.
Received on Sat 11 Aug 2012 11:29:56 AM PDT