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Palomar

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From: USA

Registered: 2002-05-30

Posts: 9,734

Re: Spirit & Opportunity *7* - ...continuing...

Rik wrote:  (BTW: isn't it about time to lock this thread for its 'security' and start *7*? It's already over 200 posts?)

*Rik, why didn't you? 

Just saw an article about both MERs.  Opportunity is "purring along" as she's beginning her way down Endurance.  After rolling over crater's rim she drove approximately 20 feet (6 meters) then stopped at a rock.  Tech says there'll be no problem "diving into and driving out of" Endurance, though they expect some slipping of wheels.

Article also discusses wintering plans for S & O.

http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/ro … ml]Article here

--Cindy 

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We all know [i]those[/i] Venusians: Doing their hair in shock waves, smoking electrical coronas, wearing Van Allen belts and resting their tiny elbows on a Geiger counter...

--John Sladek (The New Apocrypha)

Yang Liwei Rocket

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Registered: 2004-03-03

Posts: 993

Re: Spirit & Opportunity *7* - ...continuing...

very good

thanks for the link

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'first steps are not for cheap, think about it...
did China build a great Wall in a day ?' ( Y L R newmars forum member )

Rxke

Member

From: Belgium

Registered: 2003-11-03

Posts: 3,669

Re: Spirit & Opportunity *7* - ...continuing...

Rik wrote:  (BTW: isn't it about time to lock this thread for its 'security' and start *7*? It's already over 200 posts?)

*Rik, why didn't you? 

I wasn't too sure about the new 'treshold'... There are other threads currently longer than 200 (Reusable launch vehicule, for instance...), so i thought it'd be better to let the people 'in the know' decide, lately studies made me lose my 'up to datedness' of this board, heh.

'bout the article: one of Spirit's wheels starting to act-up...
Hope it reaches Lookout Point in good condition...

I hope, before going into sleep mode, both Rovers take a *detailed* panorama... And do it *again* after waking up, months later... That could be very educational to see what erosion effects are taking place in such a timescale (if at all...) With some incredible luck, we could maybe even see a small fresh impactcrater or two somewhere in the vincinity, heehee!

atomoid

Member

From: Santa Cruz, CA

Registered: 2004-02-13

Posts: 252

Re: Spirit & Opportunity *7* - ...continuing...

unfortunately, with that one the browser barks that http://i.1asphost.com/jumpjack/hills-an … rt.gif]the file has "errors", although the preview shown here -> happens to work okay. http://jumpjack.altervista.org/animazio … -th.gif]oh now i see, the bandwidth exceeded on the website and they are trying to get some money out of you so that must be it...
Luca, thanks for trying, your efforts are appreciated, the little preview animation in the thread is enticing.
freewebs.com will give you 40mb free space but it has similar bandwidth restriction adn can only upload one file at a time and also seems to break a lot of links too. anyone got anything better for free?

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"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.

Palomar

Member

From: USA

Registered: 2002-05-30

Posts: 9,734

Re: Spirit & Opportunity *7* - ...continuing...

I hope, before going into sleep mode, both Rovers take a *detailed* panorama... And do it *again* after waking up, months later... That could be very educational to see what erosion effects are taking place in such a timescale (if at all...) With some incredible luck, we could maybe even see a small fresh impactcrater or two somewhere in the vincinity, heehee!

*That's a splendid idea.  I'd suggest you write JPL with it (although, if my 2 short and unanswered letters to them last month are any indication, they're rather tardy about replying). 

Either I haven't seen it or don't remember (so much to keep track of, and not just relative to the MERs):  Does anyone know of a web site which might host information (such as a clock) as to what time it is at S's site and O's site relative to Greenwich Time?

They're on opposite sides of Mars of course, and I sometimes wonder what time of day or night it is with respect to their positions.

--Cindy

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We all know [i]those[/i] Venusians: Doing their hair in shock waves, smoking electrical coronas, wearing Van Allen belts and resting their tiny elbows on a Geiger counter...

--John Sladek (The New Apocrypha)

Shaun Barrett

Member

From: Cairns, Queensland, Australia

Registered: 2001-12-28

Posts: 2,843

Re: Spirit & Opportunity *7* - ...continuing...

Hi Cindy!
    You might find http://www.marsbase.net/]THIS SITE useful, once you find your way around the various abbreviations.
    As you probably know already, UTC is just the modern-day term for GMT.
                                               

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The word 'aerobics' came about when the gym instructors got together and said: If we're going to charge $10 an hour, we can't call it Jumping Up and Down.   - Rita Rudner

No life on Mars

Banned

From: Newyork

Registered: 2004-02-25

Posts: 50

Re: Spirit & Opportunity *7* - ...continuing...

Interesting eroded stones on columbia hills http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/ … JPG]Eroded stone

GJG

Member

From: VA

Registered: 2004-04-20

Posts: 22

Re: Spirit & Opportunity *7* - ...continuing...

Cindy,

If you haven't tried it, download NASA's Time on Mars Tool:

http://www.giss.nasa.gov/tools/mars24/] … ls/mars24/

This gives a nice display and you can move around Mars and change references as you like.

Greg

GJG

Member

From: VA

Registered: 2004-04-20

Posts: 22

Re: Spirit & Opportunity *7* - ...continuing...

Are my untrained eyes failing me??  What, from a distance, in the hills appeared to be solid layer outcropings; now, upclose, appear more to be cobbled layers of ejecta. 

Greg

Stu

Member

From: Kendal, Cumbria, England

Registered: 2001-09-04

Posts: 318

Website

Re: Spirit & Opportunity *7* - ...continuing...

Feast your eyes on this gorgeous 3D pic...

http://www.marsunearthed.com/Spirit/Spi … ...107.htm

VERY easy to imagine hiking up and down these hills now... 

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Stuart Atkinson

Skywatching Blog: [url]http://journals.aol.com/stuartatk/Cumbrian-Sky[/url]

Astronomical poetry, including mars rover poems: [url]http://journals.aol.com/stuartatk/TheVerse[/url]

atomoid

Member

From: Santa Cruz, CA

Registered: 2004-02-13

Posts: 252

Re: Spirit & Opportunity *7* - ...continuing...

Blueberries at Gusev... synthomus in the #6 thread brought this up, pointing to http://www.lyle.org/mars/imagery/2P1402 … .html]this image of what looks suspiciously like an ancient blueberry muffin remnant...

It looks like they've been investigating this object over the last few sols using all the filters they've got... certainly an odd rock compared to the other Gusev rocks, very Meridiani-like.
    http://www.lyle.org/mars/imagery/2P1403 … ml]another side view or http://www.lyle.org/~markoff/processed/ … JPG]better yet Crotty color
    http://www.lyle.org/mars/imagery/2N1404 … l]overhead view
    http://www.lyle.org/mars/imagery/2P1404 … l]close-up overhread view
        http://www.lyle.org/mars/imagery/stereo … 0-N.jpg]3D from away (3 rocks triangle in middle, the far one is the weird layered flake rock).
        heres]http://www.lyle.org/mars/imagery/stereo/2-140490139-F.jpg]here's a similar 3D view looking at it from a bit more to the left.
        http://www.lyle.org/mars/imagery/stereo … 9-N.jpg]3D from above

This could be a key discovery, hope to hear something official soon...

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"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.

Arccos

Member

From: Czechia

Registered: 2004-01-07

Posts: 46

Re: Spirit & Opportunity *7* - ...continuing...

See this picture:

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/ … ...5M1.JPG

We know rocks like this from Opportunity's pictures. But this one was captured by Spirit and yes, it is layered!

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My knowledge of the English language is poor - but still I'm here .

REB

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From: Houston, Texas

Registered: 2004-04-07

Posts: 555

Website

Re: Spirit & Opportunity *7* - ...continuing...

Check out this close up. I wonder if this is of the rock you are talking about, Arccos.

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/ … ...2M1.JPG

What are those tiny spheres? Children of the blueberries?

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"Run for it? Running's not a plan! Running's what you do, once a plan fails!"  -Earl Bassett

REB

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From: Houston, Texas

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Re: Spirit & Opportunity *7* - ...continuing...

And check out Oppy's latest pictures;

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/ … ...0M1.JPG

Looks like a limstone outcrop (I know it is not limestone, but it looks like it and I bet it formed in a simular way).

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"Run for it? Running's not a plan! Running's what you do, once a plan fails!"  -Earl Bassett

REB

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From: Houston, Texas

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Re: Spirit & Opportunity *7* - ...continuing...

And check it out. Oppy is deeper in the crater;

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/ … ...0M1.JPG

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"Run for it? Running's not a plan! Running's what you do, once a plan fails!"  -Earl Bassett

Palomar

Member

From: USA

Registered: 2002-05-30

Posts: 9,734

Re: Spirit & Opportunity *7* - ...continuing...

And check it out. Oppy is deeper in the crater;

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/ … ...0M1.JPG

*Wow!  That's nearly vertigo-inducing.    I hate it, though, when the pic downsizes automatically after download is complete...wish it would stay full screen.  I know what the pic reminds me of:  No snow there of course, but looks exactly the same like sliding down a snowy hill, looking backwards (and not always deliberately -- those saucer sleds have a mind of their own) while descending.  :laugh:

Thanks Shaun and Greg for the links in response to my earlier question.

--Cindy

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We all know [i]those[/i] Venusians: Doing their hair in shock waves, smoking electrical coronas, wearing Van Allen belts and resting their tiny elbows on a Geiger counter...

--John Sladek (The New Apocrypha)

Josh Cryer

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Registered: 2001-09-29

Posts: 3,830

Re: Spirit & Opportunity *7* - ...continuing...

Oh my, REB, that first picture is remarkable. I mean, wow, wow. The layering in the first Opportunity pictures weren't as totally blatant. Those just stand out magnificantly.

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Some useful links while MER are active. [url=http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html]Offical site[/url] [url=http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/MM_NTV_Web.html]NASA TV[/url] [url=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/mer2004/]JPL MER2004[/url] [url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/mars/mera/statustextonly.html]Text feed[/url]
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The amount of solar radiation reaching the surface of the earth totals some 3.9 million exajoules a year.

REB

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Re: Spirit & Opportunity *7* - ...continuing...

I think we are looking at the layering upside-down.

I hear that NASA is going to have a news conference today on something important at the Spirit site. I'm guessing that it has something to do with the rock in the picture Arccos posted below. Maybe this rock is simular to those in Eagle crater, with blueberries and all. Or maybe it is something even bigger

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"Run for it? Running's not a plan! Running's what you do, once a plan fails!"  -Earl Bassett

REB

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Re: Spirit & Opportunity *7* - ...continuing...

Cindy, to keep the pictures the original size, go to tools Menu and choose Internet Options. In the Advanced tab scroll down and uncheck the Enable Automatic Image Resizing checkbox.

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"Run for it? Running's not a plan! Running's what you do, once a plan fails!"  -Earl Bassett

REB

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Re: Spirit & Opportunity *7* - ...continuing...

NASA's news may also have something to do with the salt Spirit discovered;

http://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/sol … 60408.html

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"Run for it? Running's not a plan! Running's what you do, once a plan fails!"  -Earl Bassett

Stu

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From: Kendal, Cumbria, England

Registered: 2001-09-04

Posts: 318

Website

Re: Spirit & Opportunity *7* - ...continuing...

Guess they were listening to my moans about the lack of new panoramas... 

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/images/mer/2004 … an-med.jpg

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Stuart Atkinson

Skywatching Blog: [url]http://journals.aol.com/stuartatk/Cumbrian-Sky[/url]

Astronomical poetry, including mars rover poems: [url]http://journals.aol.com/stuartatk/TheVerse[/url]

atomoid

Member

From: Santa Cruz, CA

Registered: 2004-02-13

Posts: 252

Re: Spirit & Opportunity *7* - ...continuing...

Check out this close up. I wonder if this is of the rock you are talking about, Arccos.

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/ … ...2M1.JPG

What are those tiny spheres? Children of the blueberries?

...tiny spheres, if your talking abou thte little dark things collected in the crevices, seem to be probably just sand grains

but now http://www.lyle.org/mars/imagery/2M1405 … html]whats this? lots of good termite galleries just like Meridiani, but no blueberries arywhere. i cant find where this corresponds to on http://www.lyle.org/mars/imagery/2P1404 … G.html]the layered rock pic that shows what appear to be many great specimens of blueberries on stalks.

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"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.

Shaun Barrett

Member

From: Cairns, Queensland, Australia

Registered: 2001-12-28

Posts: 2,843

Re: Spirit & Opportunity *7* - ...continuing...

Interesting shots. It looks a little like 'someone left the cake out in the rain', doesn't it?
    I don't mean rain, literally, but those termite galleries look a bit like the beginnings of stalactites - as though a nearly saturated chemical solution has been dripping down and leaving that characteristic 'curtain' type of deposit you sometimes see in limestone caves here on Earth.

    Can't wait for the press conference. I wonder what they've come up with this time?
                                                        ???

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The word 'aerobics' came about when the gym instructors got together and said: If we're going to charge $10 an hour, we can't call it Jumping Up and Down.   - Rita Rudner

REB

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From: Houston, Texas

Registered: 2004-04-07

Posts: 555

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Re: Spirit & Opportunity *7* - ...continuing...

This one is for Cobra;

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/ … 0615a.html

Scroll down to the Cobra Hood section. This whole page is very interesting.

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"Run for it? Running's not a plan! Running's what you do, once a plan fails!"  -Earl Bassett

Palomar

Member

From: USA

Registered: 2002-05-30

Posts: 9,734

Re: Spirit & Opportunity *7* - ...continuing...

Cindy, to keep the pictures the original size, go to tools Menu and choose Internet Options. In the Advanced tab scroll down and uncheck the Enable Automatic Image Resizing checkbox.

*Thanks Robert.

Spirits]http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/rovers_update_040615.html]Spirit's right front wheel "arthritic"

*Senior citizen robots.   :;):  Anyway, article says the right front wheel's motor is drawing on more power than usual.  Techs reasserting S & O could roll on for months or drop tomorrow. 

Someone mentioned Spirit's wheel troubles yesterday...don't have time to scroll through all the posts...

--Cindy

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We all know [i]those[/i] Venusians: Doing their hair in shock waves, smoking electrical coronas, wearing Van Allen belts and resting their tiny elbows on a Geiger counter...

--John Sladek (The New Apocrypha)