Author
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Topic: Mars Exploration Rovers: Spirit and Opportunity
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Philip Member Posts: 5952 From: Brussels, Belgium Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 11-06-2003 04:29 PM
Where are Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit & Opportunity right now? Nice link to keep an eye on (both eyes!). |
Rick Boos Member Posts: 851 From: Celina, Ohio Registered: Feb 2000
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posted 12-19-2003 01:22 PM
What a way to end the year and to start another! Best of luck to all the teams! |
Scott Member Posts: 3307 From: Houston, TX Registered: May 2001
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posted 01-04-2004 12:57 PM
Does anyone know the best website(s) for the latest and greatest Spirit images? I have found Space.com, which seems to have some very good pics up. The NASA site for the most part still has the content from before the landing. Good stuff, but almost everyone right now wants to see latest pictures/data. I am sure many will appreciate any URLs posted here. Thank you! Scott |
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 01-04-2004 01:03 PM
The main photo archive containing all images that have been released is here.Other images that you may have seen were captured from NASA TV. |
Scott Member Posts: 3307 From: Houston, TX Registered: May 2001
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posted 01-04-2004 01:47 PM
All raw images. |
Ed Krutulis Member Posts: 145 From: Plainfield, IL USA Registered: Sep 2000
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posted 01-04-2004 02:09 PM
Silly question: Are all the Mars images/pictures going to be B&W?Ed |
mensax Member Posts: 861 From: Virginia Registered: Apr 2002
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posted 01-04-2004 02:11 PM
Is that a mountain, or the crater wall, that I see on the horizon?Noah |
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 01-04-2004 02:16 PM
quote: Originally posted by Ed Krutulis: Are all the Mars images/pictures going to be B&W?
No, what you are seeing now are images from the navigation camera, compressed, for a quick response from Mars. Coming late tonight will be (hopefully) the first color photographs from the PanCam at much higher resolution. |
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 01-04-2004 02:18 PM
quote: Originally posted by mensax: Is that a mountain, or the crater wall, that I see on the horizon?
According to Steve Squyres, until they can determine exactly where Spirit landed, and receive data from the stereoscope Pancam, its too early to try to identify features on the horizon. If you remember from Pathfinder, there was a ridge in the foreground that was completely missed before the stereoscopic images were available. |
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 01-04-2004 04:45 PM
Just posted a second QTVR from Dave -- from the enhanced pan released today. |
Larry McGlynn Member Posts: 1255 From: Boston, MA Registered: Jul 2003
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posted 01-04-2004 09:54 PM
The panorama shots are great. It remaids me of the view of a lake bottom during a dive.Don't forget you can use your Shift and Control keys to zoom in and out of the panorama. Larry McGlynn |
Scott Member Posts: 3307 From: Houston, TX Registered: May 2001
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posted 01-04-2004 10:35 PM
Anyone have a general idea what time the color pics will be coming in? I hope CNN will cover it live. |
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 01-04-2004 10:40 PM
If there will be a color image tonight, it will be late -- 2:30am EST or later... at least, that's my understanding. |
Philip Member Posts: 5952 From: Brussels, Belgium Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 01-05-2004 06:28 AM
Anxiously awaiting what "Opportunity" will do... |
Scott Member Posts: 3307 From: Houston, TX Registered: May 2001
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posted 01-05-2004 12:44 PM
3D Spirit Panorama And I just happened to have a pair of red-blue 3D glasses in my desk drawer here at work. I looked and the landing site appears very flat, unlike the undulating Pathfinder site. The Spirit site has what may be a ridge in the mid-distance, at the far edge of the light colored nearby "crater". If you do not have 3D red-blue glasses I looked on eBay and found some inexpensive ones. There are sure to be a lot more 3D Spirit images released in the coming days and weeks. |
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 01-05-2004 12:51 PM
That nearby 'crater' is now called "Sleepy Hollow".A QTVR movie of the 3-D panorama is now available. |
STEVE SMITH unregistered
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posted 01-05-2004 01:24 PM
Scott; I'm very impressed that you'd have 3D glasses lying around your desk. I thought I was a clutter. |
Scott Member Posts: 3307 From: Houston, TX Registered: May 2001
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posted 01-05-2004 01:39 PM
Haha. I'm lucky I do. I was looking at some Internet Mars pictures a couple of months ago and there were some 3D ones on the page. I said, "I wish I had 3D glasses" and my officemate Sylvia said, "I think I have some." She had taken her daughter to see "Spy Kids 3D". So she gave them to me. Yes, the amount of information you get from them is amazing. For example, for 6 years I had thought the Pathfinder site was pretty much a flat plain with rocks on it. I put on the glasses and I discovered it is anything but. Rolling hills and ridges crisscross the site. Some areas near the lander you can't even see because they're hidden behind ridges. No wonder they do so much 3D analysis at JPL. It has so much additional information. Scott "no life" |
spaceuk Member Posts: 2113 From: Staffs, UK Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 01-05-2004 02:33 PM
Pleased to see JPL agree that it was a hollow in near foreground when I did the Gusev slow panaora scan yesterday! If you haven't any 3D glasses ask a local cinema if you can borrow a pair? They usually have some for 3D films these days. Or, really in hurry? Get your partner's chocolates - unwrap the red and blue ones and save the cellophane wrapper. Sellotape over your glasses or in a pair of cardboard makeups you can make if you don't wear glasses normally. ![](http://www.collectspace.com/ubb/smile.gif) Red on the left eye - blue on the right eye. May just work if suitably flattened cellophane to give you first glimpse. Any excuse for a choccie! Phill |
STEVE SMITH unregistered
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posted 01-05-2004 05:28 PM
Phil, your great engineering for the 3D glasses reminds me of the great engineering of the ground team on A13 when they had to make an air filter adapter out of similar mundane items.And clever you have scrap materail to eat. Good show. |
Scott Member Posts: 3307 From: Houston, TX Registered: May 2001
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posted 01-05-2004 08:17 PM
Hey take a look at this. I imagine NASA has been inundated with questions about how to obtain 3D glasses. |
072069 Member Posts: 206 From: Sayreville, NJ USA Registered: Oct 2003
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posted 01-06-2004 12:53 PM
Just got a look at the first high resolution color images from Spirit and they just knocked me out! In fact, I'm going back to look at 'em some more. ![](http://www.collectspace.com/ubb/smile.gif) Bernie |
Scott Member Posts: 3307 From: Houston, TX Registered: May 2001
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posted 01-06-2004 12:46 PM
First HQ Color Spirit Martian Surface Image |
tegwilym Member Posts: 2331 From: Sturgeon Bay, WI Registered: Jan 2000
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posted 01-06-2004 01:39 PM
I think I got some red dust on my keyboard! Ha! ![](http://collectspace.com/ubb/smile.gif) Tom
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Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 01-06-2004 02:30 PM
David Palermo has converted the high res photo to a QuickTime VR which allows you to pan and zoom (use your Shift and Control/Command keys). |
gliderpilotuk Member Posts: 3398 From: London, UK Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 01-06-2004 07:13 PM
I-N-C-R-E-D-I-B-L-E.Keep 'em coming. Paul |
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 01-08-2004 01:09 AM
David revisited the color QTVR he created -- it loads quicker now and is higher resolution (but smaller file size). |
spaceuk Member Posts: 2113 From: Staffs, UK Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 01-08-2004 03:00 PM
Having examined the latest hi res download from JPL, I think NASA/JPL should be very wary of sending Spirit into the 'sandy areas' where there are no rocks or pebbles - at least not until end of its mission lifetime. There may well be 'deep deposits' of sand - sufficiently deep to stop the Rover rolling or clogging up the wheels. A little bit like the sand dunes at the base. I would avoid Sleepy Hollow for the time being for same reason. Maybe go up to its 'rim' and peer over top - maybe even probe with the drill to see how 'deep' into sand the drill gets down into. If pebbles/rocks can be seen on surface - those are the areas I would explore first before going into one of these 'no pebbles/rock 'sand' areas. Pathfinder's Sojourner crossed a pebble free area on its travels and it left fairly 'deep impressions' in the martian soil - and that was only a very small patch. Just my view of it. Phill |
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 01-08-2004 03:22 PM
quote: Originally posted by spaceuk: There may well be 'deep deposits' of sand - sufficiently deep to stop the Rover rolling or clogging up the wheels. A little bit like the sand dunes at the base.
Per today's press conference, it doesn't appear that Sleepy Hollow will be the first target for the rover. That said, a few days ago Squyres commented on the subject of your concerns, reminding a reporter who asked a similar question that the rover has six wheels and could therefore use just one to "test the water" while spinning to dig into the sand. |
spaceuk Member Posts: 2113 From: Staffs, UK Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 01-09-2004 08:23 AM
Thanks for update RobertI've also seen today where they believe Spirit cocooned in its airbags may well have bounced across Sleepy Hollow - which kinda suggests it may be 'harder' than I was cautiously anticipating. Still, I would still like them proceed with caution when they go out onto the 'sand floors'. I wanna see more pictures from it before it sinks! Phill |
Scott Member Posts: 3307 From: Houston, TX Registered: May 2001
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posted 01-21-2004 04:06 PM
Mars is getting bigger in the window!I finally figured out what the two slightly brighter "stars" are near Mars. I had thought the fact that occasionally when you saw a star on top of or showing from behind Mars that it was a bug in the Simulator. But they are its 2 moons, Phobos and Deimos! |
NC Apollo Fan Member Posts: 261 From: Belmont, NC USA Registered: Jul 2000
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posted 01-22-2004 12:49 PM
Breaking news on CNN - no article yet - is reporting that Spirit has not sent data back for 24 hours. Has anyone else heard about this?Jonathan |
mmmoo Member Posts: 551 From: London, England Registered: May 2001
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posted 01-22-2004 12:51 PM
Theres more on BBC news: Nasa's Mars rover Spirit has stopped sending useful data to Earth from the Red Planet and mission scientists are unable to send it commands. Nasa says the problem could either be due to a major power fault, software corruption or memory corruption. Scientists has tried several times to communicate with the rover but has received either very little or no data. The spacecraft has entered a fault mode and Nasa is now devising a strategy for getting back in contact with Spirit. "This is a serious problem. This is an extremely serious anomaly," said Peter Theisinger Spirit project manager. Mike Constantine http://moonpans.com |
NC Apollo Fan Member Posts: 261 From: Belmont, NC USA Registered: Jul 2000
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posted 01-22-2004 01:14 PM
Now a CNN article as well: NASA unable to communicate with Mars rover |
LoneStarScouter unregistered
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posted 01-22-2004 01:21 PM
NASA TV is talking about the communication loss right now... go to NASA's website and get on NASA TV. If you have it in your home on cable, turn it on... |
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 01-22-2004 06:10 PM
You can stay updated on the latest status through Spaceflight Now. |
Rick Boos Member Posts: 851 From: Celina, Ohio Registered: Feb 2000
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posted 01-23-2004 12:08 PM
CNN reports: That after two days having trouble with transmissions, the Mars rover Spirit sent data Friday morning to the NASA flight team in a communications session lasting at least 20 minutes. |
LunarRover Member Posts: 95 From: N. California Registered: Nov 2003
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posted 01-23-2004 12:22 PM
Maybe Spirit Rover just had to take a fire hydrant break... after all, it's programed to look for water. Anyway, Good Dog! Glad you're barking again... Rover kosb |
spaced out Member Posts: 3110 From: Paris, France Registered: Aug 2003
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posted 01-23-2004 12:24 PM
Let's hope this data allows them to work out what's wrong and get it working again soon. |
LoneStarScouter unregistered
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posted 01-23-2004 03:54 PM
Just found this on my local webpage... thought I'd pass it on!! NASA Restores Communications with Rover After two days of nerve-wracking silence, NASA's Spirit rover communicated with Earth early Friday, NASA's scientists said from the California-based Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) said. The signal was first detected by NASA's Deep Space Network antenna complex near Madrid, Spain, at 12:34 GMT. JPL scientists said they were trying to determine whether software or hardware was the root of the problem. Some of the information retrieved indicates the rover's onboard computers have tried to reset themselves 60 times, indicating Spirit was trying to fix a problem on its own. There was evidence that the "spacecraft believes its in ... fault condition", said Pete Theisinger, the project manager at the JPL told reporters. "We believe we can sustain the health of the craft indefinitely." The scientists said the transmissions came during a communication window about 90 minutes after Spirit woke up for the morning on Mars. The signal lasted for 10 minutes, and sent data at the rate of 10 bits per second. About an hour later the Deep Space Network antenna picked up a signal that lasted 20 minutes transmitting at 120 bits per second, NASA said. The crisis came as the Mars project scientists were preparing for the early Sunday landing of the second Mars rover, Opportunity, on the opposite side of the red planet. To handle the tests and investigation of Spirit's problems, NASA has formed a special "anomaly" group to free up experts for the Opportunity landing. Like a naughty teenager, Spirit appeared to have been skipping its night time sleep phase and has remained "awake much of the night", Theisinger said. It was not clear how that could have affected the communications problems. The problem could be a software glitch that could be easily fixed by rebooting the rover's computers, just "like you would your own personal computer", one JPL engineer said. But Theisinger said he was inclined to believe that mechanics had played a role, more than likely Spirit's high gain antenna, which provides the rover's communications link to Earth. This would be a more difficult problem than software, Theisinger said, and Earth-based scientists would have to get the rover's software to "ignore the hardware event". "We are still critical. We do not know if we can restore functionality. I think it's a sequence of things," he said. But he was optimistic about several things. "We have been able to establish we can command it, it can give us information ... and ... the power system is OK. Those are all vital pieces of information," Theisinger said. JPL experts have not tried to reboot the computers because they have been trying to set up a dialogue with Spirit. Mission controllers at JPL, the Pasadena, California, division of the California Institute of Technology that manages the Mars project, planned to send more commands to Spirit seeking additional data from the spacecraft. NASA scientists worked feverishly Thursday to re-establish communications with the Spirit, which landed on Mars January 3 and began its exploration of the planet in earnest last week. Project manager Pete Theisinger described the problem Thursday as "a very serious anomaly on the vehicle." Signals sent by the rover were said to be empty compared with the rich colour pictures and other data that it had previously sent to the U.S. space agency. |