[meteorite-list] Testing to Diagnose Power Event in Mars Rover Curiosity

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed, 4 Mar 2015 09:31:04 -0800 (PST)
Message-ID: <201503041731.t24HV4pf005813_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=4499

Testing to Diagnose Power Event in Mars Rover
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
March 3, 2015

Mars Science Laboratory Mission Status Report

NASA's Curiosity Mars rover is expected to remain stationary for several
days of engineering analysis following an onboard fault-protection action
on Feb. 27 that halted a process of transferring sample material between
devices on the rover's robotic arm.

Telemetry received from the rover indicated that a transient short circuit
occurred and the vehicle followed its programmed response, stopping the
arm activity underway at the time of the irregularity in the electric
current.

"We are running tests on the vehicle in its present configuration before
we move the arm or drive," said Curiosity Project Manager Jim Erickson,
of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. "This gives
us the best opportunity to determine where the short is."

A transient short in some systems on the rover would have little effect
on rover operations. In others, it could prompt the rover team to restrict
use of a mechanism.

When the fault occurred, the rover was conducting an early step in the
transfer of rock powder collected by the drill on the arm to laboratory
instruments inside the rover. With the drill bit pointed up and the drill's
percussion mechanism turned on, the rock powder was descending from collection
grooves in the bit assembly into a chamber in the mechanism that sieves
and portions the sample powder. The sample powder is from a rock target
called "Telegraph Peak." The same transfer process was completed smoothly
with samples from five previous drilling targets in 2013 and 2014.

NASA's Mars Science Laboratory Project is using Curiosity to assess ancient
habitable environments and major changes in Martian environmental conditions.
JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena,
built the rover and manages the project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate
in Washington. For more information about Curiosity, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/msl

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/

You can follow the mission on Facebook and Twitter at:

http://www.facebook.com/marscuriosity

http://www.twitter.com/marscuriosity


Media Contact

Guy Webster 818-354-6278
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
guy.webster at jpl.nasa.gov

2015-075
Received on Wed 04 Mar 2015 12:31:04 PM PST