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Full Plate For Opportunity
Pasadena CA (SPX) Jul 04, 2006 This image from the panoramic camera on Opportunity shows the outcrop-rimmed Beagle Crater appearing on the horizon as the Mars rover approaches it. Beagle Crater is 35 meters (115 feet) in diameter. The Opportunity science and engineering teams hope to have the rover visit it on the way to Victoria Crater. The image is a mosaic of frames taken during Opportunity's 855th Martian day, or sol, on June 20. Click here for full size image. Beagle Crater was 310 meters (1,107 feet) away from Opportunity when this picture was taken. Even at this distance, blocks of ejecta can be seen around the prominent, raised rim of Beagle crater, suggesting that it may be among the youngest craters visited by Opportunity. When scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory using orbital data calculated that they should be able to detect Victoria's rim in rover images, they scrutinized frames taken in the direction of the crater by the panoramic camera. To characterize the subtle horizon profile of the crater positively, as well as some of the features leading up to it, scientists created this vertically-stretched image (top). The stretched image makes mild nearby dunes look like more threatening peaks, but that is only a result of the exaggerated vertical dimension. This vertical stretch technique was first applied to Viking Lander 2 panoramas by Philip Stooke of the University of Western Ontario, Canada, to help locate the lander with respect to orbiter images. Vertically stretching the image allows features to be more readily identified by the Mars Exploration Rover science team. Though difficult to discern without labels, the southeast rim of Victoria Crater is visible, as well as two small craters on the dark annulus, or ring, around Victoria Crater. Meanwhile, NASA controllers report Opportunity generally remains healthy - although its M�ssbauer spectrometer has begun to show some minor anomalies, but no degradation has been noted in its measurement channels. Whenever time permits, the mission team has been conducting diagnostics to troubleshoot the issue. Almost half of a new software package has been downloaded, and starting with Sol 865 (June 30), the software files are being sent via NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter's forward link path in addition to its X-band high-gain antenna. Opportunity has completed three more drives toward Victoria. As of Sol 862 (June 27), the rover was 202 meters (663 feet) from Beagle crater and 705 meters (0.44 mile) from Victoria. Sol-by-sol summaries: Sol 859 (June 24): Opportunity used its panoramic camera to take images and check the clarity of the atmosphere - a process called tau. It completed a cloud observation with the navigation camera and used its miniature thermal emission spectrometer. Sol 860: The rover assessed tau with the panoramic camera then drove. After the drive, Opportunity took images with the navigation camera and panoramic camera. The rover then used its miniature thermal emission spectrometer to observe the sky and ground. After a communication-relay session with NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter passing over, the rover observed the sky with the panoramic camera and used the miniature thermal emission spectrometer. Sol 861: The panoramic camera assessed tau and surveyed the horizon. The rover then conducted observations with its miniature thermal emission spectrometer. Sol 862: The rover assessed tau with the panoramic camera, drove, then took pictures from its new location. During communication with Mars Odyssey, Opportunity used its miniature thermal emission spectrometer. After communicating with Odyssey, the rover did some diagnostic testing and looked at dust accumulation. After that, the rover looked at the sky with its panoramic camera and gathered data with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer. Sol 863: Opportunity assessed tau with the panoramic camera and conducted observations with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer. Sol 864: The rover assessed tau with the panoramic camera, drove, and took post-drive images and another tau measurement. It also used the miniature thermal emission spectrometer. Sol 865: Opportunity's panoramic camera assessed tau and scanned the horizon. The miniature thermal emission spectrometer was used to observe the sky and ground. Sol 866 (July 1): The rover continued to assess tau with the panoramic camera and used the miniature thermal emission spectrometer. Odometry: As of sol 862 (June 27), Opportunity's odometry totaled 8,312.92 meters, or 5.17 miles. Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links Mars Rovers at JPL Mars Rovers at Cornell Mars News and Information at MarsDaily.com Lunar Dreams and more
Spirit Examines Light Tones Halley Formation
Pasadena CA (SPX) Jul 04, 2006Stretching along a formation mission team members have named Low Ridge, lying in front of the Martian winter haven for NASA's Spirit rover, are several continuous rock layers that make up the ridge. |
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