| |
ZL2VAL > SPIRIT 09.01.04 13:42l 66 Lines 2676 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 33004_ZL2AB
Read: GUEST
Subj: Rover prepares to roll off lander
Path: DB0FHN<DB0FOR<DB0SIF<DB0FHK<DB0FBB<DB0IUZ<DB0GOS<ON0AR<WB0TAX<7M3TJZ<
LZ3NP<KD7HAH<WA7V<VK7AX<ZL2BAU<ZL2WA<ZL2AB
Sent: 040109/1035Z @:ZL2AB.#46.NZL.OC #:33004 [New Plymouth] FBB7.00g $:33004_Z
From: ZL2VAL@ZL2AB.#46.NZL.OC
To : SPIRIT@WW
By Chris Kridler <mailto:ckridler@flatoday.net>
FLORIDA TODAY
Jan 8, 2004
PASADENA, Calif. -- The Mars rover Spirit has acquired its full
"mission success panorama," but only part of the large color image
has reached the ground so far.
The photo will be downloaded to Earth in pieces over the next few
days. In the meantime, the mission team at the Jet Propulsion
Laboratory on Thursday released another high-resolution color
picture that looks north, out the rear of the lander, toward what
the scientists call Sleepy Hollow.
"You'll be able to keep zooming and zooming in on it," panoramic
camera chief Jim Bell said.
It shows more rocks, dune-like features and what may be marks caused
by the spacecraft's airbags as it bounced and rolled to a stop.
In the photo, the horizon is at a tilt because the lander is tilted,
after its unsuccessful attempt to lift one corner and tuck in a
puffed-up airbag protruding from under its base.
Now, the team hopes to retract the last airbags so it can roll off
the front of the lander.
If the latest attempts at pulling them in does not work, it can roll
off one of the sides of the lander, mission manager Matt Wallace said.
More maneuvers with the petals of the lander, which unfolded after
landing to reveal the rover, could lead to a further delay in
Spirit's rolloff, he said. Rolloff is tentatively scheduled for
Wednesday.
"Our focus here is on making sure we do the right thing," Wallace
said. While the scientists say they are "patient but eager" to roll
off and start exploring, "the engineering corollary to that was
'brave but not stupid,' " he said.
The six-wheeled NASA rover is beginning its work to stand up, unfurl
its front wheels, settle to the deck of the lander and deploy the
rear wheels. That process takes a few days.
The goal of Spirit and its twin rover, Opportunity, which lands in
more than two weeks, is to examine rocks on Mars for evidence they
formed in the presence of water. If so, Mars might have sustained
life when it was a wetter place.
==============================
73 de Alan
*----------------------------------------------------------------*
| Packet: ZL2VAL@ZL2AB.#46.NZL.OC APRS: =3903.39S/17406.40E] |
| E-mail: zl2val@qsl.net Snail mail address: http://www.qrz.com |
*----------------------------------------------------------------*
Points to ponder
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What happens if you get scared half to death twice?
Read previous mail | Read next mail
| |
