Despite Bugs, Rovers Still Explore Mars

AP on Yahoo - Science ^ | 8/4/04 | AP

[NormsRevenge]

PASADENA, Calif. - Both of NASA (news - web sites)'s aging Mars rovers have been experiencing problems but continue to explore opposite sides of the Red Planet, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory said Wednesday.

A semiconductor component aboard the Spirit rover did not power up while commands were being executed on Aug. 1, affecting the ability to use its three spectrometer instruments.

Engineers believe the problem likely involves the timing of instruction signals reaching the component, called a gate array, within microseconds of each other.

If that is confirmed, the likely solution would be to insert a delay between the signals, "a relatively easy workaround," said Jim Erickson, the rover project manager at JPL.

In the meantime, scientists cannot use three spectrometers, which are part of Spirit's array of robotic geology instruments.

Spirit, which has begun to climb into the Columbia Hills in a region called Gusev Crater, was previously diagnosed with a balky right front wheel. Controllers have mostly been driving it in reverse with five wheels operating, saving the remaining life of the problem wheel for situations when it is most needed.

Spirit's twin, Opportunity, also has sent error messages back to Earth four times in the past two weeks while successfully taking pictures with the microscopic imager on its robotic arm, JPL said. The likely cause is that instrument cabling running along the arm is degrading.

Opportunity has descended 66 feet into Endurance Crater in the Meridiani Planum region to study increasingly older layers of bedrock. JPL said it will continue to go farther into the crater if assessments show that the rover can traverse the inner slope.

Both rovers landed on Mars in January and have long outlasted the planned length of their primary missions — 90 martian days, the equivalent of 92 Earth days.

The $820 million initial mission was extended in April with an additional $15 million in funding, which runs out at the end of September.

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On the Net:

JPL Rover Home Page: http:/marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov

[NormsRevenge]

High on 'West Spur'

A rock outcrop with a view of the surrounding landscape beckons NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit on sol 203 (July 29, 2004) of its journey of exploration on the red planet. This view is a mosaic of images taken by the rover's navigation camera at a position labeled as Site 80, near the top of the "West Spur" portion of the "Columbia Hills." Directly ahead are rock outcrops that scientists will examine for clues that might indicate the presence of water in the past. In the upper right-hand corner is the so-called "sea of basalt," consisting of lava flows that lapped onto the flanks of the hills. The view is toward the south. The field of view is approximately 170 degrees from right to left and is presented in a cylindrical projection with geometrical seam correction.

Image credit: NASA/JPL

[NormsRevenge]

'Diamond Jenness': After the Grind

This microscopic imager mosaic taken by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows the rock dubbed "Diamond Jenness." It was taken on sol 177 (July 23, 2004) after the rover first ground into the rock with its rock abrasion tool, or "Rat." The rover later ground into the rock a second time. A sliced spherule, or "blueberry," is visible in the upper left corner of the hole. Opportunity has bored nearly a dozen holes into the inner walls of "Endurance Crater." On sols 177 and 178 (July 23 and July 24, 2004), the rover worked double-duty on Diamond Jenness. Surface debris and the bumpy shape of the rock resulted in a shallow and irregular hole, only about 2 millimeters (0.08 inch) deep. The final depth was not enough to remove all the bumps and leave a neat hole with a smooth floor. This extremely shallow depression was then examined by the rover's alpha particle X-ray spectrometer.

On Sol 178, Opportunity's "robotic rodent" dined on Diamond Jenness once again, grinding almost an additional 5 millimeters (about 0.2 inch). The rover then applied its Mössbauer spectrometer to the deepened hole. This double dose of Diamond Jenness enabled the science team to examine the rock at varying layers. Results from those grindings are currently being analyzed.

The image mosaic is about 6 centimeters (2.4 inches) across.

Image credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell/USGS

'Diamond Jenness': Before the Grind

This microscopic imager mosaic of the rock called "Diamond Jenness" was snapped on sol 177 before NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity ground into the surface with its rock abrasion tool, or "Rat." Opportunity has bored nearly a dozen holes into the inner walls of "Endurance Crater." On sols 177 and 178 (July 23 and July 24, 2004), the rover worked double-duty on Diamond Jenness. Surface debris and the bumpy shape of the rock resulted in a shallow and irregular hole, only about 2 millimeters (0.08 inch) deep. The final depth was not enough to remove all the bumps and leave a neat hole with a smooth floor. This extremely shallow depression was then examined by the rover's alpha particle X-ray spectrometer.

On Sol 178, Opportunity's "robotic rodent" dined on Diamond Jenness once again, grinding almost an additional 5 millimeters (about 0.2 inch). The rover then applied its Mössbauer spectrometer to the deepened hole. This double dose of Diamond Jenness enabled the science team to examine the rock at varying layers. Results from those grindings are currently being analyzed.

The image mosaic is about 6 centimeters (2.4 inches) across.

Image credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell/USGS

[karmichit]

If the rovers continue to operate they may eventually uncover the Kerry/Edwards campaign headquarters.

[dr_who_2]

Engineers believe the problem likely involves the timing of instruction signals reaching the component, called a gate array, within microseconds of each other.

I would hazard a guess that they tried inserting a couple of inverters.

[Darkwolf377]

When I read "despite bugs" I thought of those things in Starship Troopers...

[flashbunny]

If the rovers continue to operate they may eventually uncover the Kerry /Edwards campaign headquarters. convention bounce.

[NormsRevenge]

Could be, but I doubt they'll ever find Clinton's legacy. ;-)

It's sitting hidden away under a pile of books in a dusty old books section of a book shoppe near Oxford.

[gilliam]

Weren't they suppost to konk out months ago?

[nothingnew]

Despite Bugs, Rovers Still Explore Mars

I thought Bugs got rid of that martian gremlin. What a ignoraminus.

FMCDH(BITS)

[NormsRevenge]

Yes, the life expectancy for both has been greatly exceeded and they are still moving, so..

[ProudVet77]

American engineering. None better in the world.
Just ask the MSM.

[CurlyBill]

I cannot believe that this photo hasn't generated more discussion.

[1rudeboy]

I read this stuff with mouth agape. Hooray for us!
BTW, "despitebugs" is not the most effective keyword.

[NormsRevenge]

I hear ya.. just imagine the stuff they haven't released. ;-)

[Strategerist]

Every single photo taken has been released.

[Frank_Discussion]

I agree. That bone-like, fossil-like feature in the center is very interesting. I wish the image was in color! Earthly fossils often have a distinctly different color than what they are embedded in. I wonder if this is the case here.

[NormsRevenge]

Thanks. (adjusts my tin foil hat)

ON to Cydonia!!! :-)

[Plexi]

I would hazard a guess that they tried inserting a couple of inverters.

More likely a couple of NO-OPs in the code.

[CurlyBill]

They've already concluded that there was probably water in abundance on Mars...perhaps lakes, streams, maybe even oceans. Water is the main ingredient for life.... to think that this may be a fossil is not a stretch in the least. What I can't understand is why mainstream science won't at least discuss it.

[old-ager]

> outlasted the planned length of their primary missions

Made in USA -- I hope.