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ZL2VAL > ROVERS 16.03.05 21:07l 142 Lines 6973 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
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Subj: Rovers status, 15 & 17 March
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*SPIRIT UPDATE:
High Winds Make Spirit Full of Energy - sol 416-421, March 14, 2005
Spirit is in good health and is successfully using a new version of
flight software. After completing an investigation of a rock dubbed
"Watchtower," Spirit is returning to a soil area of interest informally
labeled "Paso Robles." Tau, a measure of how much sunlight cannot
penetrate the atmosphere, rose to a high of 1.5 on the afternoon of sol
418, but the opacity of the atmosphere has since dropped off. Energy
output from Spirit's solar panels is up as of sol 420, indicating that
some cleaning of dust off of the solar arrays may have occurred naturally.
As Spirit and Opportunity are the first solar-powered vehicles on the
surface of Mars during the dust storm season, this is a learning
experience. There are likely large transient dust storm events that
reduce solar energy due to dust deposition on the solar arrays and
blocking some sunshine, but also may sometimes raise energy levels by
cleaning dust from arrays, possibly by winds associated with dust
storms. The impact on other rover systems, such as cameras, will also be
closely monitored.
*Sol-by-sol summaries:*
On sol 416, which ended on March 5, 2005, Spirit awoke around 4 a.m.
local solar time at Gusev Crater to start its alpha particle X-ray
spectrometer and use a communication window with the Mars Odyssey
orbiter passing overhead. Later, Spirit did a three-hour grind with its
rock abrasion tool, digging about 7 millimeters (0.27 inch) into
Watchtower. Spirit then placed the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer
into the rock abrasion tool hole for an overnight integration.
On sol 417, Spirit gathered images of the rock abrasion tool hole with
the microscopic imager, performed a variety of remote-sensing
observations, and then placed the Mössbauer spectrometer in the hole for
an overnight integration.
On sol 418, Spirit continued the Mössbauer spectrometer integration and
acquired remote-sensing data. A regional dust storm caused tau the reach
a new high if 1.5 in the afternoon and reduced solar energy for the day
to roughly 350 watt-hours. After the dust storm, Spirit's front
hazard-avoidance camera showed signs of dust contamination similar to
that seen earlier on Opportunity's rear hazard-avoidance camera.
On sol 419, Spirit completed remote-sensing observations, including
imaging to learn more about the contamination on the front
hazard-avoidance camera. Slight mottling is visible in images from both
eyes of the stereo camera. It is not enough to affect use of the camera
or to have any direct impact on rover operations, but understanding how
it happened might help the rover team minimize future occurrences.
Spirit then moved backwards about 1 meter (3 feet) from Watchtower to
use mast-mounted instruments for observing that rock. After that, it
starting to drive toward the soil target Paso Robles. However, the
planned 14-meter (46-foot) drive ended after just 1 meter (3 feet) due
to a software sequence ordering issue.
On sol 420, Spirit drove 7 meters (23 feet) of a planned 14 meters (46
feet) towards Paso Robles. The drive ended prematurely due to a problem
in visual odometry, which is part of the software that enables the rover
to drive autonomously. Energy output from the solar array rose
dramatically, to more than 600 watt-hours. In part, this is due to a
favorable northerly tilt of the rover, which points the solar arrays
toward the Sun. Also, tau is going back down, but it is possible that
some cleaning event occurred that reduced the dust on the solar panels.
On sol 421, Spirit drove 7 meters (23 feet) and arrived close to the
Paso Robles target. Spirit still needs another few meters to get into
position to use the instruments on its robotic arm. Solar energy
continues to be very high: more than 700 watt-hours. The last time
Spirit had this much energy was around sol 80!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*OPPORTUNITY UPDATE:
Examining a Little Crater Before Moving on Toward 'Vostok' - sol 389-395,
March 15, 2005
The rover took some time away from driving and explored a little crater
it approached last week. Once Opportunity is done with the crater, plans
call for continuing toward a larger crater, "Vostok." With its front
legs just on the lip of the small crater, Opportunity was able to extend
its robotic arm to characterize some of the mineralogy found here.
*Sol-by-sol summaries:*
The last previous drive left Opportunity in a position where it could
make its final approach to the lip of one of the craters in a cluster of
three small craters. On sol 389 (Feb. 26, 2005) the rover took images of
the site with its panoramic camera and its miniature thermal emission
spectrometer. On sol 390, Opportunity took a panoramic camera mosaic of
the crater, then bumped forward to the edge of the crater. Sol 391 was
another day of remote-sensing science and rest.
For sol 392, the team decided to take an in situ look at a rock target
called "Normandy." The Mössbauer spectrometer was placed on the rock and
it conducted a three-hour long integration. Then the rover switched to
the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer and performed a very short
(10-minute) measurement. The science team needed a sample reading, and
by using this technique, the engineering team was able to give the
scientists some idea of what they had in time for a communication window
with Mars Odyssey. The science team used this data to determine if sol
393 would be a grinding day (with the rock abrasion tool). After getting
the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer reading, the rover went to sleep,
woke up at about 4:00 a.m. local solar time and started collecting data
again with the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer. The instrument ran for
about 6 hours.
On sol 393, the rover switched back to the Mössbauer spectrometer and
started a very long (about 12-hour) integration. The rover was able to
use the mini-deep-sleep mode after the integration.
Plans for sols 394 and 395, uplinked on March 3, call for the rover to
stow its robotic arm and back away from the crater on sol 394. At this
point the rover will take some remote-sensing images. After confirmation
that these important images have been acquired, Opportunity will turn
and drive toward Vostok.
-=###=-
73, Alan
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³ AX25: ZL2VAL@ZL2AB.#46.NZL.OC (Sysop) ³
³ IP: zl2val@qsl.net ³
³ APRS: 3903.34S/17406.45E] ³
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Dear Abby,
I have always wanted to have my family history traced,
but I can't afford to spend a lot of money to do it.
Any suggestions?
Sam
Dear Sam,
Yes. Run for public office.
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