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Nasa rovers dig deep in Mars dirt
Los Angeles, Feb 19: Nasa rovers have scratched the surface of Mars to test soil composition in the deepest probe yet of the red planet`s mineralogical origins, an official said yesterday.
Los Angeles, Feb 19: Nasa rovers have scratched the surface of Mars to test soil composition in the deepest probe yet of the red planet's mineralogical origins, an official said yesterday.
A long drive and the most detailed observations yet of the martian soil marked the mid-point of the rover spirit's planned 90-day mission on Mars, project manager Richard Cook said.
Spirit drove about 74.5 feet (23 metres) yesterday-- its 45th day on Mars -- to a feature nicknamed Laguna Hollow, and used its wheels to scuff the fine, dusty soil. The rover deployed its robotic arm and adjusted its position to ready itself for detailed tests of the disturbed area today cook said.
Scientists at Nasa's jet propulsion laboratory in Pasadena, California planned to send spirit on a long driving mission to a nearby crater and a distant complex of hills after initial tests showed no signs that the massive Gusev Crater where the rover landed on Jan. 4 once held liquid water.
But frequent stops to sample the composition of rocks and soil has slowed the journey to the hills, which could test the limits of Spirit's power and life span, cook said.
During the drive to Laguna Hollow yesterday, engineers tested Spirit's ''blind driving'' skills, in which the rover navigates itself, to determine whether longer, twice-daily drives are feasible, cook said.
Engineers believe Spirit sits about 558 feet (170 metres) from a crater that scientists want to investigate, and about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from the East Hill Complex. Cook said Spirit's life spans would likely stretch ''well beyond'' the 90 Martian days, or sols, that the mission originally contemplated. The rover starts its 46th sol today.
''The issue at the back of everybody's mind is that we do go through these deep thermal cycles every day and somewhere around sol 200 we will start having ... Hardware problems,'' Cook said.
In the course of a Martian Day, Spirit and opportunity endure temperature swings of -95 degrees celsius (-139 degrees f) to 10 c (50 f), he said.
Bureau Report
Spirit drove about 74.5 feet (23 metres) yesterday-- its 45th day on Mars -- to a feature nicknamed Laguna Hollow, and used its wheels to scuff the fine, dusty soil. The rover deployed its robotic arm and adjusted its position to ready itself for detailed tests of the disturbed area today cook said.
Scientists at Nasa's jet propulsion laboratory in Pasadena, California planned to send spirit on a long driving mission to a nearby crater and a distant complex of hills after initial tests showed no signs that the massive Gusev Crater where the rover landed on Jan. 4 once held liquid water.
But frequent stops to sample the composition of rocks and soil has slowed the journey to the hills, which could test the limits of Spirit's power and life span, cook said.
During the drive to Laguna Hollow yesterday, engineers tested Spirit's ''blind driving'' skills, in which the rover navigates itself, to determine whether longer, twice-daily drives are feasible, cook said.
Engineers believe Spirit sits about 558 feet (170 metres) from a crater that scientists want to investigate, and about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from the East Hill Complex. Cook said Spirit's life spans would likely stretch ''well beyond'' the 90 Martian days, or sols, that the mission originally contemplated. The rover starts its 46th sol today.
''The issue at the back of everybody's mind is that we do go through these deep thermal cycles every day and somewhere around sol 200 we will start having ... Hardware problems,'' Cook said.
In the course of a Martian Day, Spirit and opportunity endure temperature swings of -95 degrees celsius (-139 degrees f) to 10 c (50 f), he said.
Bureau Report