* Astronomy

SPIRIT UPDATE: Spirit Tests New Computer Smarts, Studies Rocks and Terrain - sol 1051-1057, December 22, 2006:

Spirit is healthy and conducting scientific analysis of a rock target known as "Palma." During the past week, Spirit tested some new software sequences, including a "watch for dust devil" command and an automatic placement command.
On the rover's 1052nd Martian day, or sol, of exploring Mars (Dec. 18, 2006), Spirit ran part of the dust devil watch, acquiring six images during the process, but did not run the dust-devil detection part of the program. Rover handlers planned to rerun the test on sol 1058 (Dec. 24, 2006).
On sol 1053 (Dec. 19, 2006), Spirit terminated a test run of a command sequence for autonomous placement of the rover's robotic arm on a scientific target. The sequence involved touching a target with the Mössbauer spectrometer, changing tools to the microscopic imager and suspending it 10 centimetres above the target, changing tools to the alpha-particle X-ray spectrometer, and placing the alpha-particle X-ray spectrometer on the target. Spirit made preparations to run the test again on a new target on the same day that some Earthlings celebrate as Christmas Eve.

Sol-by-sol summary:

Sol 1051 (Dec. 17, 2006): Spirit turned to face a rock outcrop known as "Esperanza," acquired images with the hazard avoidance cameras and a 360-degree panorama with the panoramic camera, and scanned the sky for clouds with the navigation camera. The rover measured atmospheric dust, looked at the sky, examined the terrain, and completed a survey of individual rock grains, known as clasts, using the panoramic camera.

Sol 1052: Spirit conducted step No. 2 of the new capability to watch for dust devils and scanned the sky for clouds with the navigation camera.

Sol 1053: Spirit acquired microscopic images of Palma, conducted step No. 2 of the autonomous placement test, monitored dust in the atmosphere with the panoramic camera, scanned the sky and ground with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer, scanned the sky for clouds with the navigation camera, and monitored the rover mast for dust accumulation.

Sol 1054: Spirit scanned the sky and ground with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer and collected miniature thermal emission spectrometer data from a ground target known as "Melchior." The rover continued to measure atmospheric dust opacity and take images of the sky with the panoramic camera.

Sol 1055 (Dec. 21, 2006): Because the rover was not stationed at the appropriate distance from the target for the automatic placement test, Spirit prepared to run the test with the alpha-particle X-ray spectrometer a second time, followed by six hours of measurement with the instrument. Spirit was slated to scan the sky, ground, and a target known as "Druzhnaya" using the miniature thermal emission spectrometer as well as acquire frames for a dust devil movie.

Sol 1056: Plans called for four hours of analysis of Palma using the Mössbauer spectrometer, measurements of atmospheric dust with the panoramic camera, a check for changes over time in the miniature thermal emission spectrometer, and a scan of the ground and sky at various elevations using the miniature thermal emission spectrometer. Spirit was also to acquire panoramic camera and stereo images of a rock nicknamed "Orcadas."

Sol 1057 (Dec. 23, 2006): Plans called for Spirit to conduct an additional 3.5 hours of study of Palma using the Mössbauer spectrometer, measure atmospheric dust with the panoramic camera, check for drift (changes in time) in the miniature thermal emission spectrometer, scan the sky and ground with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer, check the calibration target of the same instrument, and use it to scan a rock target known as "Gueslaga."

Odometry:
As of sol 1054 (Dec. 20, 2006), Spirit's total odometry was 6,886.80 metres.

Image taken by the Spirit rover on Sol 1050.


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Credit NASA

SPIRIT UPDATE: Relay Link Restored After Orbiter's Recovery - sol 1043-1050, December 18, 2006:
After Spirit drove on sol 1041 (Dec. 7, 2006), NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter went into safe mode before the rover's could relay data to Earth about results of the drive. (Safe mode is a protective state during which only the systems essential to spacecraft health continue operating. This incident of Odyssey temporarily going into safe mode has been attributed to a burst of solar activity.) Since the rover team didn't have current information about Spirit's position and state, the rover spent eight successive Martian days, or sols, collecting untargeted remote sensing data.
Data transmission directly to Earth from Spirit on sol 1046 (Dec. 12, 2006) confirmed that Spirit was healthy. Odyssey recovered the following day and resumed relaying data from Spirit, transmitted from the rover to the orbiter in the UHF radio band.

Sol-by-sol summary:

Sol 1043 (Dec. 9, 2006): Spirit surveyed the rover's tracks using the miniature thermal emission spectrometer and measured atmospheric dust opacity with the panoramic camera. The rover surveyed the sky and ground with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer.

Sol 1044 : Spirit surveyed the area where the rover spent the past Martian winter with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer and took panoramic camera images of the area.

Sol 1045 : Spirit took thumbnail images of the sky with the panoramic camera and scanned the sky for clouds with the navigation camera. Spirit monitored the rover mast for dust and relayed the first bits of scientific data collected and stored on sol 1040 (Dec. 6, 2006).

Sol 1046 : Spirit surveyed the rover's winter haven with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer and monitored atmospheric dust with the panoramic camera. The rover scanned the sky and ground with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer.

Sol 1047 : Spirit collected miniature thermal emission spectrometer data from a soil target known as "Tyrone" and continued acquiring panoramic camera images of the rover's winter haven.

Sol 1048 : Spirit acquired thumbnail images of the sky with the panoramic camera and scanned the sky for clouds with the navigation camera. The rover monitored atmospheric dust with the panoramic camera, and surveyed the sky, ground, and calibration target with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer.

Sol 1049 : Spirit acquired navigation camera images in support of miniature thermal emission spectrometer measurements of the rover's surroundings. The rover monitored atmospheric dust with the panoramic camera and acquired panoramic images of the area ahead.

Sol 1050 (Dec. 16, 2006): Spirit's instructions call for scanning for clouds and dust devils with the navigation camera, surveying the mast for dust accumulation and observing the sky and ground with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer.

Odometry:
As of sol 1048 (Dec. 14, 2006), Spirit's total odometry was 6,885.62 metres.

Image taken by the Spirit rover with its panoramic camera on Sol 1040.


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Credit NASA