NASA Mars Rover Spirit Status 9 June 2006
SPIRIT UPDATE: Progress on Long-Term Experiments – sol 860-866, June 9, 2006:
Spirit is healthy and continues to make progress on the rover’s winter science experiments. Spirit has begun work on a new “photon transfer calibration” experiment designed to measure electronic noise (unwanted signals) picked up by CCDs (charge-coupled devices — imaging sensors that convert light into electrical current) in the rover’s cameras. This week the rover conducted the calibration experiment on the panoramic camera and rear hazard-avoidance cameras.
Spirit also began an experiment to look for wind-driven changes in the Martian surface by making the first of several monthly checks, using all 13 filters of the panoramic camera, of a bright soil target nicknamed “Tyrone.” In addition, that camera acquired column 18 of the “McMurdo panorama.” Rover science team members prepared to have the rover remove another 2 millimeters of soil as part of a soil analysis experiment. The newly exposed soil target will be called “Progress 3.”
Sol-by-sol summaries:
Sol 860 (June 4, 2006): Spirit completed 30 minutes of remote sensing and conducted the photon transfer calibration on the panoramic camera. Demonstrating that the rover is capable of multi-tasking, Spirit spent 60 minutes communicating with NASA’s Mars Odyssey spacecraft as Odyssey passed overhead while Spirit also studied Martian terrain targets with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer.
Sol 861: Spirit collected images with the microscopic imager and transmitted 70 megabits of data over UHF frequencies during a morning telecommunications link with Odyssey. Spirit also checked the three-dimensional movement of the rock abrasion tool at the end of the rover’s instrument arm. This process involves taking measurements from encoders, which resemble dials on a safe. The encoders tick off the distance traveled by motor shafts and convert the mechanical motion into electronic signals. The results enable engineers to check for slippage or sticking that would necessitate changes in the amount of movement needed to position the instrument as desired.
Sol 862: Spirit acquired the first part of Column 18 (a 1-by-3 mosaic) of the McMurdo panorama. The rover spent 60 minutes communicating with Odyssey as it passed overhead, while also conducting remote targeted sensing using the miniature thermal emission spectrometer.
Sol 863: Spirit acquired the second half of Column 18 (a 1-by-3 mosaic) of the McMurdo panorama and took a picture of the Martian sunset.
Sol 864: Spirit took a 13-filter color image of the Tyrone soil target using the panoramic camera and conducted analysis of the ground and sky at different elevations using the miniature thermal emission spectrometer.
Sol 865: Spirit completed the photon transfer calibration experiment on the rover’s rear hazard-avoidance cameras.
Sol 866 (June 10, 2006): Plans called for Spirit to use the rock abrasion tool to brush away a third layer of soil 2 millimeters thick from the soil target called Progress. Spirit was to spend 54 minutes on the task as part of a progressive soil brushing experiment before documenting the spot with images from the panoramic camera using all 13 color filters.
Odometry:
As of sol 863 (June 7, 2006), Spirit’s total odometry remained at 6,876.18 meters (4.27 miles).
