Update: Spirit and Opportunity

[old Grump]

SPIRIT UPDATE: Spirit Remains Silent at Troy - sols 2621-2627, May 18-24, 2011:

More than 1,300 commands were radiated to Spirit as part of the recovery effort in an attempt to elicit a response from the rover. No communication has been received from Spirit since Sol 2210 (March 22, 2010). The project concluded the Spirit recovery efforts on May 25, 2011. The remaining, pre-sequenced ultra-high frequency (UHF) relay passes scheduled for Spirit on board the Odyssey orbiter will complete on June 8, 2011.

Total odometry is unchanged at 7,730.50 meters (4.80 miles).

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE:

Opportunity to Stop and Study Rocks
sols 2791-2797, November 30 - December 6, 2011:

Opportunity is currently exploring one of the candidate sites for winter, on the north end of "Cape York" on the rim of Endeavour Crater.

On Sol 2792 (Dec. 1, 2011), the rover bumped backwards about 9 feet (2.7 meters) to better view a rock outcrop and to increase the rover tilt toward the Sun. The northerly tilt, favorable for energy production, increased from 6 degrees to 9 degrees.

On Sol 2795 (Dec. 4, 2011), Opportunity bumped further to approach some in-situ (contact) science targets on the rock outcrop, called "Saddleback." The plan ahead is to perform some in-situ science on the rock outcrop with the instruments on the end of the robotic arm.

As of Sol 2797 (Dec. 6, 2011), solar array energy production was 305 watt-hours with an atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.755 and a solar array dust factor of 0.487.

Total odometry is 21.35 miles (34,360.76 meters, or 34.36 kilometers).

http://marsrover.nasa.gov/mission/tm...l2795_1_br.jpg

7 years and one is still going, pretty damn impressive considering they would have been thrilled to get the planned 90 days instead of 7 years. My hat off to NASA and a big finger to all those who think NASA is a waste of time and resources.

[Krupski]

More than 1,300 commands were radiated to Spirit as part of the recovery effort in an attempt to elicit a response from the rover. No communication has been received from Spirit since Sol 2210 (March 22, 2010).

This won't be a problem for Curiosity (en-route to Mars now).... it's got an RTG! No more need for solar panels and lots of nice heat to survive the Martian winter.

[Warthogg]

This won't be a problem for Curiosity (en-route to Mars now).... it's got an RTG! No more need for solar panels and lots of nice heat to survive the Martian winter.

Please, please let that big puppy get to Mars safely and work correctly. (Did I say PLEASE ??)


Wart

[Krupski]

Please, please let that big puppy get to Mars safely and work correctly. (Did I say PLEASE ??)


Wart

Oh it will get to Mars, survive atmospheric entry and come down nicely on it's parachute.

The part that makes me nervous is the terminal descent "rocket frame" that lowers it to the surface. THAT technique has never been tested on Mars yet. Of course it's been tested here, but the final proof will be in August of next year.

I sure hope it works.

What would REALLY be awesome is an AIRPLANE on Mars! Take off, fly to a new site, land, take pictures and test soil samples, then go fly more and test another area. THAT would be the nuts.