 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Opportunity Facing New Challenges After Victoria Detour
Pasadena CA (JPL) Sep 03, 2008 Opportunity faces several challenges on the way out of "Victoria Crater" but continues to make steady progress. The first of these is a traverse of approximately 10 meters (30 feet, a little longer than a double-decker bus) across a sandy, 17-degree slope. Opportunity is more than halfway through that part of the journey. The next is a drive across 30 to 50 meters (100 to 160 feet), depending on the route taken, of rocky outcrop. The final leg of the climb will require Opportunity to cross the ripple surrounding the alcove known as "Duck Bay." Because Opportunity is facing the threat of a drive-motor failure on the left front wheel, the engineering team has been working on pseudo-"Mars time" for the past week to take advantage of extra drive opportunities. Opportunity remains healthy, with all subsystems performing as expected as of the downlink of information from NASA's Odyssey orbiter on sol 1620 (Aug. 14, 2008). In addition to measuring daily, dust-related changes in atmospheric clarity with the panoramic camera, Opportunity completed the following activities: Sol 1614 (Aug. 8, 2008): Opportunity took offset, thumbnail images of the sky with the panoramic camera for calibration purposes. With the navigation camera, Opportunity acquired images and six, time-lapse, movie frames in search of clouds. Just before and after ending the day's drive, Opportunity took rearward-looking images with the hazard-avoidance cameras. The rover relayed data to NASA's Odyssey orbiter for transmission to Earth. Sol 1615: In the morning, Opportunity took six, time-lapse, movie frames in search of clouds with the navigation camera and monitored dust on the rover mast. Opportunity acquired image mosaics of targets dubbed "Dawson" and "Barrell" using the panoramic camera. The rover relayed data to Odyssey to be transmitted to Earth. Sol 1616: Opportunity drove 3.05 meters (10.0 feet), stopping mid-drive to acquire images with the navigation camera. The rover acquired images of the surface next to its wheels with the hazard-avoidance cameras as well as two post-drive image mosaics -- a 2-by-1 and 5-by-1 panel -- of its surroundings with the navigation camera. Sol 1617: In the morning, Opportunity completed a survey of rock clasts with the panoramic camera. Before sending data to Odyssey, the rover acquired images with the rear hazard-avoidance cameras. Sol 1618: Opportunity acquired a 2-by-2 mosaic of images with the panoramic camera before driving another 3.17 meters (10.4 feet). Just before and after ending the drive, Opportunity took images with the hazard-avoidance and navigation cameras. Sol 1619: Opportunity took spot images of the sky for calibration purposes with the panoramic camera. After completing the daily assessment of atmospheric dust, Opportunity drove 1.04 meters (3.41 feet). Just before and after ending the drive, the rover took images with the hazard-avoidance cameras of the ground near its wheels. After the drive, Opportunity acquired a 2-by-1 and a 5-by-1 image mosaic of its new location with the navigation camera. The rover communicated with Odyssey before going to sleep. Sol 1620 (Aug. 14, 2008): In the morning, Opportunity acquired six, time-lapse, movie frames in search of clouds with the navigation camera as well as spot images of the sky with the panoramic camera. Later in the day, Opportunity took thumbnail images of the sky and completed a sky survey at high Sun with the panoramic camera. Plans for the following morning called for Opportunity to acquire panoramic-camera images of a rock target known as "du Toit." Odometry: As of sol 1619 (Aug. 13, 2008), Opportunity's total odometry was 11,735.83 meters (7.29 miles). Related Links Mars Rovers at JPL Mars Rovers at Cornell Mars News and Information at MarsDaily.com Mars News and Information at MarsDaily.com Lunar Dreams and more
Taking The Opportunity To Escape From Crater Victoria
Pasadena CA (JPL) Sep 01, 2008NASA's Mars Exploration rover Opportunity is heading back out to the Red Planet's surrounding plains nearly a year after descending into a large martian crater to examine exposed ancient rock layers. Opportunity will continue its mission to characterize the environment of Mars and help scientists determine if the planet could have been a habitat for past life in our solar system. |
|
|
| The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright Space.TV Corporation. AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space.TV Corp on any Web page published or hosted by Space.TV Corp. Privacy Statement |
