January progress reports

January Progress Reports

January 24
Spirit was able to respond to commands to prevent it from constantly restarting. NASA has now upgraded the condition from “critical” to “serious.” It appears that there is a problem in the memory of the rover. The memory cards, similar to those in digital cameras, appear to be functioning improperly. Scientists were able to have Spirit relaunch using its RAM rather than the flash memory. Spirit communicated at 120 bits per second for almost an hour before it obeyed commands to go to sleep. Peter Theisinger, the project manager, guessed that “we’re probably three weeks away from driving.”

It is still unclear what the real cause was. There is a belief that perhaps Spirit was overloaded with commands. Because a cause is unknown, it is also unknown if this is a Spirit specific problem or something that Opportunity may encounter as well.

January 23
At 7:34AM EST, data was received from Spirit at ten bits per second for ten minutes. The communication came 90 minutes after Spirit woke up. Less than an hour later, contact was made once again for twenty minutes, but this time it came at 120 bits per second. Several hours later, another 15 minutes of data was received

It appears that the rover is constantly rebooting itself in an attempt to fix the problem. Sprit did not obey commands to enter sleep mode for during the night and will most likely spend the night rebooting over an over again

January 22
Upon waking up, Spirit did send a radio signal via MGS that indicated that it received communication from Earth, but no data was sent. No contact was made with Mars Odyssey or with direct from Earth communications. It appears that the rover is now running in fault mode as well as power positive mode. It is still generating power with the solar panels and heating the rover. While the cause is still unknown, NASA has ruled out problems due to the weather in Australia.
Opportunity had another chance for a trajectory correction, but it was determined that one was not necessary. All is looking well for a January 25 landing.

January 21
A problem has arisen. NASA and JPL scientists sent commands to Spirit and received a confirmation tone, but no images or scientific data was received. It is unclear what caused the problem. Using MGS and Mars Odyssey, NASA will attempt to make contact with Spirit as the satellites pass overhead.
Communications were weakened here on Earth due to poor weather at a radio antenna in Australia. The rover had to use its built in commands to shut down automatically when night came. It is unclear whether this could have caused the problems. Hopefully the two satellites will help determine what the problem is.

January 20
As Spirit continues analyzing Adirondack, scientists here on Earth have analyzed data received on the patch of soil that the IDD instruments analyzed. Much of the data yielded information that was expected, but there were a few surprises.

The most common elements in the soil were iron and silicon, as expected. Sulfur and chlorine were also detected, but one of the big surprises was the discovery of trace amounts of zinc and nickel, which have never been detected on Mars before. This goes to show how strong the APXS is.

The Mössbauer spectrometer also sent back some surprising data. It detected three different iron compounds in the soil. Two have yet to be identified, but the third is olivine, a shiny green mineral that if often found in lava here on Earth. Olivine does not stand up well to exposure and raises questions as to how long it has been on the surface.

The third surprise came with the lack of disturbance caused to the soil in the area. When the tools were placed in contact with the surface, there was no indent left in the soil. “What is holding these grains together?” asked lead investigator Steven Squyres. He thinks there may be sulfates and/or chlorides keeping the particles together. This would be indicative of evaporated water, but there is not enough evidence to make an educated guess as of yet. There is also no clear evidence to tell from where the soil originated. It could be native to the crater or it could have been blown in. The scientific data received to date is so small compared to what will be received in total. Many questions will be answered in time.
Images are at http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/press/spirit/20040120a.html

January 19
Over the weekend, Spirit analyzed the soil with the Mössbauer spectrometer and the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer (APXS). The data has been transmitted to Earth and is being analyzed by scientists. The finding will be presented on Tuesday.

There are many possible rocks for Spirit to analyze first. Two options, Sushi and Sashimi, were straight ahead of the rover, but they were dustier and very rough on the surface. This would make it harder for the RAT to work, so scientists decided to travel to another rock, named Adirondack. This rock, which is the size of a football, has a “nice, flat surface,” according to Dave Des Marais, one of the science team members. He assumes that this rock is volcanic, but it must be tested before a conclusive decision can be made.

Spirit took 30 minutes to turn 40 degrees and travel approximately 10 feet. It came to a stop one foot from the rock. It will soon begin using the RAT and other tools on the arm on Adirondack.
Images are at http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/press/spirit/20040119a.html

January 16
Today saw the first test of the robotic arm on the rover. The arm, officially known as the instrument deployment device (IDD), contains most of the scientific equipment used by Spirit. The rock abrasion tool was tested and worked well, but the main tool used today was the microscopic imager. The imager can photograph images the width of a human hair. Images of the soil were taken showing an area of approximately one square inch, the most detailed picture ever taken of another planet. The other tools on the IDD will analyze the same area of soil photographed by the imager before it begins moving again towards its first destination.

Opportunity, in transit to Mars, underwent a trajectory adjustment to ensure it reached its destination as planned. It was the first time in four months that a burn was done to adjust the path of the spacecraft. Since its launch in July, Opportunity has traveled 276 million miles and still has 7.8 million miles to go before its scheduled landing shortly after midnight EST on the 25th.
Images are at http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/press/spirit/20040116a.html

January 15
In 78 seconds, Spirit rolled forward ten feet and is now safely on the surface of Mars. It is now positioned 2.6 feet away from the lander. Pictures taken from the rear hazard identification camera show Spirits tires on the ground with the lander in the background. Sprit is now ready to roam the Martian surface and begin its scientific mission.

Cornell University reported that the Spirit rover is experiencing warmer temperatures on Mars than we are in New England. As extremely cold air is moving in from Canada, Spirit is currently enjoying a warm 12°F. The following data is based on temperature readings taken at 1PM yesterday compared to the similar time on Mars.

Location Temp. (Fahrenheit)
Gusev Crater, Mars 12
Providence, RI 9
Scranton, PA 8
Hartford, CT 7
Buffalo, NY 7
Rochester, NY 3
Ithaca, NY 3
Albany, NY -2
Binghamton, NY -2
Concord, NH -3
Syracuse, NY -4
Burlington, VT -10
Montpelier, VT -12
Caribou, ME -13
Mount Washington, NH -36
Images can be found at http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/press/spirit/20040115a.html

January 14
The final two movements were performed and Spirit is now in position and ready to leave the platform of the lander and begin its journey on the Martian surface.

Some data received on January 10 provides scientists with information on the Martian atmosphere. The Mini-TES shows a great deal of carbon dioxide and dust in the air. It also shows traces of water vapor. These can be seen as peaks in the graph at 6 microns (water vapor), 9 microns (dust), and 15 microns (carbon dioxide). Scientists were expecting to find clouds made of ice crystals, but none were seen during this set of observations.

Mini-TES also was able to determine the temperature profile of the surface on Mars from 65 feet to 3.2 miles above the surface. Data indicates that at the surface, the temperature drops rapidly as elevation increases, but the becomes more gradual. It also indicates that during the course of the day, the temperature at the surface rises from –46°C at 10:30AM to –21°C at 3:45PM. Three miles above the surface, the temperature only changes by approximately 10°C during the same time period and only reaches –48°C.
Images can be found at http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/press/spirit/20040114a.html

January 13
Spirit moved for the first time since leaving Earth. After cutting the last cable that kept the rover and lander connected, Spirit backed up ten inches to make maneuvering easier. It then turned 45° to the right, the first of its three movements before it leaves the lander for the surface.

Once on the surface, the first destination of the rover will be a crater 270 yards northeast of the lander. This crater, as yet unnamed, is 220 yards in diameter and can reveal information about the rock below the surface. This crater was most likely formed when a meteorite fell through the atmosphere and landed on the surface at a high velocity causing rocks to be launched into the air. These rocks, known as ejecta, fell as far as 33 yards away from the edge of the crater and are excellent for studying what was below the surface.

After studying the crater, Spirit will head towards several hills 2 miles to the southeast. The hills are more than five times further than distance that the rover is expected to travel. Several other missions have lasted much longer than expected, so there is hope that Sprit may reach the hills. This destination is not set in stone as Spirit may come across some more interesting features along the way and a change of path may occur.

January 12
Three frames tall and seventy-five frames wide, the first 360° color panorama has been assembled. The 225 pictures show everything visible to the rover from atop the lander. One new image seen from this image is what has been called the “Magic Carpet.” When the airbags were retracting, some of the surface dirt was “detached and folded like a piece of carpet sliding across the floor," according to Dr. John Grotzinger. The soil here raises many questions about the composition and consistency of the soil. Scientists are looking forward to getting off the lander and explore the crater. It will take two days to get the rover to rotate 115 dergees in three motions.

January 11
Using several pyro devices, the middle wheels were cut free of the lander and the rover’s instrument carrying arm was released from its storage position. There’s a hook on the front of the rover that is used to secure the arm while the rover is traveling. The arm maneuvered itself into the hook until the rover leaves the lander.
Arthur Amador, one of the mission managers, said that the mission status is “pretty darn perfect.” Communications are going well and the solar panels have been generating an excellent amount of energy each day. The majority of the day was spent on preparing the rover to turn so that it can leave the lander.

January 10
Spirit is almost ready to leave the lander. It is still connected to the lander, but the rear wheels have been extended and locked into place. For the first time in months, Spirit is completely standing up. The next step in preparing to leave the lander is to disconnect the middle wheels from the lander and then cut the cable, which will make it completely separate from it’s home for the last seven months.
The daily data transfer rate from Spirit is ten times greater than that sent by the Pathfinder lander. Over 180 megabytes of data were transmitted to Earth, mostly in the form of more panoramic pictures. The goal is to assemble a 360° picture of the landing area. The pictures show that this site is the smoothest area a lander has ever been on Mars. The other sites have had rocks covering 20 percent of the surface while Gustev Crater only has rocks covering 3 percent of the ground. It also shows that this site is dustier than other sites explored on Mars.

January 9
Another attempt to retract the airbags failed. The decision was made to rotate Spirit 120 degrees to the right and leave the lander from an alternate ramp. "This is something we have practiced many times. We are very comfortable doing it," said Matt Wallace, the mission manager from JPL. This is a minor setback, but the news did not bring down the mood of the scientists.

Two major accomplishments were completed today. The first was the extension and deployment of the two front legs. A lift mechanism attached to the lander elevated the rover so the two front legs could swing out and lock into position. The legs locked into place and a test of the suspension revealed that everything went perfectly. Removing the lift mechanism and then extending the rear legs is the next process.

The second major accomplishment was the first use of the Mini-TES. An infrared image was taken of the landing site, including Sleepy Hollow. The infrared view helps scientists determine the temperature of the surrounding area. They found that Sleepy Hollow was much warmer than the surrounding region. This data was expected as the rocks can absorb the infrared radiation while the sand in the soil just reflects it. A comparison can be made to beaches here on Earth. The sand can get very hot to the touch, but rocks are still very cool.

Using the Mini-TES they were also able to find traces of carbon dioxide, silicates, bound water, and carbonates. The presence of carbonates is very exciting. These compounds form through contact with water. The amount of carbonate and how they were formed is unknown. There are two probable ways that the carbonate formed. It could be a result of interactions between rocks on the surface and either water on the surface, or the trace amounts in the atmosphere. Once Spirit leaves the lander, it will attempt to find the carbonates. Finding it inside of rocks would help prove that Gusev Crater was once a lakebed. Trace amounts of carbonates in soil and dust would point more towards atmospheric sources. Many tests will need to be performed before a reasonable solution can be accepted.

January 8
This day featured an update on two previous problems. The attempt to retract the airbags was unsuccessful, but another attempt is going to be made. Also, the problem with the high-gain antenna was fixed and it was used to transmit data to Earth. This is the first time it had been used since the initial problem was discovered.

January 7
The airbags were retracted, but one of the bags is keeping the front of the lander from reaching the ground. One attempt was made, and the ramp was lowered two inches, but it’s still sixteen inches above ground and could cause damage to Spirit’s solar panels. The plan is to lift the petal and pull in the air bag a little more. Hopefully that will provide enough clearance so that when the petal is dropped again, it will be able to reach the surface so the rover can drive off safely. If this doesn’t work, then the rover will have to turn around on the lander and drive off in a different spot. Not a big problem, but this could delay the rover.
Further testing of the equipment on the rover indicates that the Mini-Thermal Emissions Spectrometer (Mini-TES) is functioning correctly. This device is used to study wavelengths in the infrared. This was the only remaining instrument to test. All of the instruments on Spirit have survived the trip to Mars and are functioning properly.

Another 3D image of Gusev Crater indicates hills a little more than a mile away. Scientists are considering these hills as a possible destination for the rover.

January 6
The first color image was received. The resolution of this picture is three times more detailed than any of the images sent back from the Pathfinder mission. Twelve images were used to form a mosaic showing the area from the edge of the lander out to the horizon. This picture is one eighth of an entire 360-degree panoramic picture. Due to the size of the pictures, it will take a significant amount of time to transfer all the pieces to the Earth.

The picture has many different features that are helping NASA scientists to learn about the area and figure out what questions need to be asked. There are many different types of rocks in this area. Some have been dragged across the surface and dug through the soil while the air bags were retracting. The image also reveals debris to the left of several rocks, which indicates a predominant wind traveling from right to left.

Tests are being performed on the high-gain antenna, which is used for direct to Earth data transmissions. It sends data in a directed beam of information, rather than the low-gain antenna, which sends out information in all directions. Movement of the high-gain antenna was using more energy than it should have been. Scientists are testing the antenna to determine why this problem is occurring. This is not a major problem, but one that needs attention. Spirit still has use of the low-gain antenna and the UHF radio relays to the satellites orbiting Mars.
Another concern was the overheating of the instruments, as the position on the lander is a little bit warmer than expected. Because of the dramatic changes in temperature on the surface, Spirit had to be able to withstand very cold Martian nights. Once the rover is in contact with the ground, the temperature will be much cooler and overheating will not be a concern.

In honor of the crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia, the landing site has been named the “Columbia Memorial Station.” A plaque was mounted on Spirit’s high-gain antenna in memory of the astronauts who died in the accident. NASA Administrator, Sean O’Keefe announced the dedication by saying, "During this time of great joy for NASA, the Mars Exploration Rover team and the entire NASA family paused to remember our lost colleagues from the Columbia mission. To venture into space, into the unknown, is a calling heard by the bravest, most dedicated individuals… Spirit carries the dream of exploration the brave astronauts of Columbia held in their hearts."

This mission has received a great amount of attention from the American public and people all over the world. Between noon before Spirit landed and 6:30 AM on Tuesday, NASA’s website received 916 million hits and users downloaded 15 terabytes of information. That’s enough information to fill 20,000 CDs.

January 5
Further proof of the successful landing came on the rover’s first full day on Mars. The robotic arm of the rover contains the Mössbauer Spectrometer, Microscopic Imager, and the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer. Diagnostic tests show that all three instruments are in perfect working order.

The panoramic camera took an image of the entire landing site and identified an apparent crater 30 feet in diameter and 40 feet from the lander. Aside from a couple rocks along the way, this crater, named Sleepy Hollow due to the late nights for the mission team, will be the first destination for Spirit. The camera also took a stereo image of the landing site, which yields a 3D image when viewed with the traditional red and blue 3D glasses. A tiny color image was received which indicates that Spirit has taken images in color and currently has the images in its memory.

More test are required before the rover can leave the lander. The next step will be unfolding the front legs of the rover.

January 4
“This is a big night for NASA. We’re back,” said Sean O’Keefe, NASA Administrator. At 11:35 Eastern Standard Time on January 3, Spirit touched down on the surface of Mars. Right before impact, a series of airbags inflated to protect the lander when it hit the ground. The impact sent the lander bouncing as high as 4 stories and may have bounced more than a dozen times and traveled more than a mile from the landing spot. This technique sounds risky, but it has worked in the past, on the 1997 Pathfinder mission, for example. Since the craft is a rover, it is not as important that the craft lands in a specific spot. Gusev Crater, the site of the landing, is bigger than Connecticut, so there was no risk of the lander bouncing outside of the crater.

After coming to a complete stop, the pyramid shaped lander opened up and began transmitting a signal to Earth to indicate that it had arrived safe and sound. Everything appeared to be working perfectly. The lander even landed right side up. There was a self-righting mechanism incase the lander did land on a side, but this was not necessary. Because of the near flawless landing, there was hope that Spirit would be able to transmit pictures from Mars before contact was lost for the night.

Approximately 3 hours after landing, high-resolution black and white pictures of Mars were received on Earth. These pictures showed great detail of a flat, sandy, rocky landscape perfect for maneuvering a rover around and performing experiments. The rover will need approximately 9 days to ensure that all equipment is working well before it can leave the lander.

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