| |
ZL2VAL > ROVERS 02.07.04 23:51l 138 Lines 6653 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : E30080ZL2VAL
Read: GUEST
Subj: Status, 01/02 July
Path: DB0FHN<DB0FOR<DB0SIF<DB0EA<DB0RES<ON0AR<ZL2BAU<ZL2BAU<ZL2AB
Sent: 040702/1943Z @:ZL2AB.#46.NZL.OC #:43333 [New Plymouth] FBB7.00g
From: ZL2VAL@ZL2AB.#46.NZL.OC
To : ROVERS@WW
Update: Spirit and Opportunity
*SPIRIT UPDATE:
Moving On From 'Pot-of-Gold' - sol 171-174, July 02, 2004
On sol 171, Spirit continued its investigation in "Hank's Hollow" and
the rock target "Pot-of-Gold." The rober successfully completed
observations of the abraded area with the microscopic imager and alpha
particle X-ray spectrometer.
On sol 172, Spirit looked at the sky with the miniature thermal emission
spectrometer and panoramic camera. The rover also acquired some thermal
inertia observations of nearby soil with the miniature thermal emission
spectrometer. Spirit finished up its Pot-of-Gold observations with some
microscopic images and a final long Moessbauer integration of the abraded
surface.
On sol 173, Spirit performed atmospheric observations with the miniature
thermal emission spectrometer and panoramic camera. The rover also took
some panoramic camera context images for the sol 172 thermal inertia
observations. The rover finished the day's work by stowing the
instrument deployment device and doing a "bump-back" to the "Bread Box"
target. One last panoramic camera shot of Pot-of-Gold ended up a bit
overexposed and will need to be retaken.
On sol 174, Spirit began the day acquiring atmospheric observations with
the mini thermal emission spectrometer and panoramic camera. The rover
then imaged the drive direction with the panoramic camera. Last but not
least, Spirit took a look at a disturbed area of soil called "Bright
Tracks" with the panoramic camera to help scientists learn more about
the very bright material found here.
During the next 15 or more sols, rover planners will perform a "3,000
meter tune-up" on Spirit before the rover embarks on a climb up the hills.
The tune-up will include a number of elements including:
A front hazard avoidance camera calibration where a series of robotic
arm poses and hazard avoidance camera images will be used to refine the
rover planners' ability to target objects using stereo hazard avoidance
camera images. The team is currently experiencing a 2 to 3 centimeter
(slightly less or slightly greater than an inch) error in predicted
versus actual target locations in the vicinity of the instrument
deployment device.
Spirit's first deep sleep. Deep sleep is a mode that leaves the rover
completely un-powered overnight, saving the energy that would be spent
powering rover electronics and survival heaters that are normally on
even when the rover is napping. Spirit needs deep sleep to save energy
in the coming sols. Since deep sleep is potentially harmful to the mini
thermal emission spectrometer instrument because its survival heater is
not powered, rover planners have identified two observations that must
be completed before the first deep sleep is attempted. Opportunity has
been using deep sleep for several weeks now.
A right front wheel lubrication. Spirit's right front wheel continues to
draw roughly twice the current of the other wheels. Spirit will drive to
"Engineering Flats," a relatively flat, hazard-free area where rover
planners will execute a series of diagnostic drive tests and heating
sequences over the course of four to five sols. The intent is that the
heating will re-flow the lubricants in this actuator, correcting the
problem. Engineering Flats is roughly 7 meters (nearly 23 feet) from
Spirit's current location.
Engineering tests of visual odometry. Visual odometry uses navigation
camera images taken during a drive to determine the rover's location.
This rover feature has been improved and is ready for trial runs now.
Rover planners would like to use it on a regular basis to get Spirit
where they want it to go more quickly. Due to slippage, Spirit sometimes
needs two or more sols to make a short approach when using the blind
drive technique.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*OPPORTUNITY UPDATE:
Ravenous Rock Abrasion Tool - sol 150-153, July 01, 2004
On Sol 150, Opportunity completed Mössbauer spectrometer observations in
the rock abrasion tool hole on the rock "Tennessee" (hole number 3). The
rover then stowed its arm, drove 0.55 meters (1.8 feet) backwards,
turned to 40 degrees and then drove 1 meter (3.3 feet) forward. That was
a net forward motion of 0.45 meters (1.5 feet) down-crater. This drive
enabled Opportunity to reach two targets in the fifth distinct layer (E)
of "Endurance Crater." The night of sol 150 into morning of sol 151,
Opportunity did not do a deep sleep.
It was time to get to work again drilling another rock abrasion tool
hole on sol 151. Opportunity began the sol by performing panoramic
camera images, then it unstowed its arm and used the microscopic imager
to capture the next drilling target, "Grindstone." After using the
microscopic imager, Opportunity spend two hours grinding and created
another precise hole. Upon completing the grinding operation,
Opportunity placed the Moessbauer in the hole and performed a long
integration. Opportunity did a mini-deep sleep operation overnight from
sol 151 into the morning of sol 152. The miniature thermal emission
spectrometer reached a chilly -51 degrees Celsius overnight.
On sol 152, Opportunity completed the observations on the hole on
Grindstone. When the rover woke up from deep sleep at 7:00a.m. local
solar time, it turned on the Mössbauer spectrometer and integrated until
mid-afternoon. When the Mössbauer integration was complete, the rover
switched tools to place the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer in the hole.
On sol 153 Opportunity ended the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer
integration, and set its sights on still another rock abrasion tool
target. This time Opportunity stretched its arm out just a little
farther down into the crater to a target called "Kettlestone." Grinding
again for just over two hours, Opportunity successfully created the
fifth hole on the slopes of Endurance Crater. The last two grind
operations took place on a slope of -25.6 degrees. Just as on sol 151,
after completing the drilling operation, Opportunity placed the
Mössbauer spectrometer in the new hole and collected data late into the
night. Shutting down late at night, Opportunity deep slept until
7:00a.m. local solar time on sol 154.
Total odometry after sol 153 was 1468.46 meters (0.91246 mile).
=========================
73 de Alan, (Sysop ZL2AB).
AX25:ZL2VAL@ZL2AB.#46.NZL.OC
IP :zl2val@qsl.net
APRS:!3903.34S/17406.45E]
Message timed: 07:43 on 2004-Jul-03
Wackiest Warning Labels Ever
----------------------------
* A bottle of prescription sleeping pills says, "Warning: May cause
drowsiness."
Read previous mail | Read next mail
| |
