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Just gotta cheack out the heatshield impact crater! How deep a mark do you think Spirit's heatshield gouged the soil when it impacted? Place your bets...
- the heatshield speed and angle of drop in thin air might have been a slow drop since its very lightweight and probably didnt flip out of control on its way down but likely fell in full face cone maximizing drag, wide area hit lots of big and small rocks, probably didnt punch too far into the soil before losing all its momentum (if it shattered any rock that will be something to see)
- so im guessing it disturbed the top inch or so of soil, not much tossing around of the soil, the big dark mark on the [http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/mer2004/rover-i … ed_640.jpg]MGS image of the touchdown site is just due to the dust being blown away like the airbag bounce marks or wheel marks do with little disturbing of the soil which seems to be light colored on only the top millimeter or so... just being pessimistic...
"I think it would be a good idea". - [url=http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Mahatma_Gandhi/]Mahatma Gandhi[/url], when asked what he thought of Western civilization.
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that's a very good picture, I hope the we can see more like those from NASA in the future.
'first steps are not for cheap, think about it...
did China build a great Wall in a day ?' ( Y L R newmars forum member )
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I say, if a full face impact, about 10 to 20 centimeters deep surface indentation. If narrow edge on, creating a trough or gouge in the surface soil, I'd say approximately half a meter deep and a meter to two meters in length. Judging from the view above the landing site, in the photo Atomoid provided, there appears to be a black/dark gorge marking - appears to be substantial given the distance from the cameras perspective to the surface. Unless, of course, it's a flaw in the picture.... or a dust trail.
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