MARS: CURIOSITY u krateru GALE Vol II.

Sols 1572-1574: New diagnostics

6 January 2017
MSL drove nearly 17 meters on Sol 1571, to a location with bedrock outcrops in the arm workspace.  So the weekend plan includes lots of arm work as well as remote observations.  On Sol 1572, MAHLI will take images of the REMS booms to diagnose recent problems with the wind sensors.  Some of the wind sensors on one boom have not functioned since landing, and sensors on the other boom have been acting up lately.  Later that afternoon, MAHLI will take a couple images of a yellow/red color boundary at "Greenstone" and a full suite of images of a yellow bedrock target named "Isle Au Haut."  The APXS will then be placed on Isle Au Haut for an overnight integration.  Early on the morning of Sol 1573, Navcam will search for clouds and Mastcam will measure the amount of dust in the air by imaging the Sun and the distant crater rim.  These dust measurements will be repeated at two other times of day later that sol.  Later that morning, ChemCam will acquire passive (no laser) observations of its calibration target.  Then the arm will go to work again to perform new diagnostic tests of the drill feed mechanism, to help us understand whether the drill feed stall is more sensitive to rotary-only or percussive drilling.  The test data acquired to date indicate an intermittent problem with the internal brake within the motor that feeds the drill forward and backward relative to the rest of the turret.  Fortunately, we are able to do everything except drilling while the investigation continues, but the team has decided not to try again to drill at Precipice, and to continue driving up the flank of Aeolis Mons ("Mount Sharp"). 
After the drill tests, ChemCam will perform some more calibration activities, and acquire LIBS data on Greenstone and a bedrock exposure called "Birch Harbor Mountain."  The Right Mastcam will then image these targets and bright vein targets dubbed "Tarrantine" and "Flying Mountain."  On Sol 1574, ChemCam and Right Mastcam will observe Isle Au Haut before the rover drives away.  After the drive, the arm will be unstowed and Navcam will take a stereo pair of images of the arm workspace to set us up for possible contact science on Sol 1575.  It will be another busy weekend for our intrepid rover!
by Ken Herkenhoff

Mars je itekako "živ" organizam...Erodivni procesi koje izaziva pjesak nošen vjetrom je  konstantan. 
Vidimo promjene zabilježene u vremenu 16 solova (marsovih dana).

sol 1574  ...cca 25 m naprijed...

Curiosity Encounters Robotic Arm Fault

By Leonard David
January 11th, 2017

Curiosity Navcam Left B image acquired on Sol 1575, January 10, 2017.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
 
Now in Sol 1576, NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover encountered an “arm fault” that prevented the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) full suite from completing it task, leaving the camera close to the surface with its dust cover open.
The issue also precluded the robot from making planned remote science and driving duties, reports Ken Herkenhoff of the USGS Astrogeology Science Center in Flagstaff, Arizona.
“Fortunately, this fault has occurred before and is well understood, but recovering from the anomaly made for a rather hectic day,” Herkenhoff adds.

Curiosity Navcam Left B image acquired on Sol 1575, January 10, 2017.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Exposed optics
A first order of business was to get MAHLI into a safe configuration, so the Sol 1576 plan starts with a single MAHLI image to look for evidence of dust on the exposed optics.
Front Hazcam images will be taken before and after MAHLI is retracted from the surface, then Right Mastcam will take a picture of MAHLI’s optics, again to look for dust contamination.
Finally, the MAHLI dust cover will be closed and Curiosity’s Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) device is to be placed on Dorr Mountain for a short integration.
Distant mesa
The plan calls for the arm to be stowed and Right Mastcam will acquire a 5×1 mosaic of a distant mesa named “Lobster Mountain.”
On the schedule is use of the Chemistry & Camera (ChemCam) and Right Mastcam to observe Dorr Mountain and a bedrock target dubbed “Parkman Mountain,” and Left Mastcam will take another image of the rover deck to monitor changes in the dust and sand on the deck, Herkenhoff reports.


Curiosity Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) photo acquired on Sol 1575, January 10, 2017.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
Also on tap, the robot’s Mastcam is to measure the amount of dust in the atmosphere before the drive is attempted again.
Overnight recharging
“We don’t expect as much data as usual in time for planning the next Sol, so we had to carefully prioritize the post-drive imaging, which includes another Navcam stereo pair of the arm workspace,” Herkenhoff adds.
Later in the Sol, ChemCam is to autonomously observe a target selected by the Autonomous Exploration for Gathering Increased Science (AEGIS) software.

Curiosity Mastcam Right image taken on Sol 1574, January 9, 2017.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
 
“Finally, the rover will recharge overnight to get ready for more fun on Sol 1577,” Herkenhoff concludes.
Planned rover activities are subject to change due to a variety of factors related to the Martian environment, communication relays and rover status.
Posted in Space News

Sol 1576: Arm fault

10 January 2017
MSL planning started 2 hours later than usual today because the Sol 1575 data needed for planning weren't expected until almost 10 AM PST.  Unfortunately, the news was not good:  An arm fault prevented the MAHLI full suite from completing, leaving the camera close to the surface with its dust cover open.  The remote science and drive that were planned to follow were also precluded.  Fortunately, this fault has occurred before and is well understood, but recovering from the anomaly made for a rather hectic day for me as SOWG Chair!  The first order of business was to get MAHLI into a safe configuration, so the Sol 1576 plan starts with a single MAHLI image to look for evidence of dust on the exposed optics.  Front Hazcam images will be taken before and after MAHLI is retracted from the surface, then Right Mastcam will take a picture of MAHLI's optics, again to look for dust contamination.  Finally, the MAHLI dust cover will be closed and APXS placed on Dorr Mountain for a short integration.  The arm will then be stowed and Right Mastcam will acquire a 5x1 mosaic of a distant mesa named "Lobster Mountain."  ChemCam and Right Mastcam will observe Dorr Mountain and a bedrock target dubbed "Parkman Mountain," and Left Mastcam will take another image of the rover deck to monitor changes in the dust and sand on the deck.  Mastcam will also measure the amount of dust in the atmosphere before the drive is attempted again.  We don't expect as much data as usual in time for planning the next Sol, so we had to carefully prioritize the post-drive imaging, which includes another Navcam stereo pair of the arm workspace.  Later in the Sol, ChemCam will autonomously observe a target selected by the AEGIS software.  Finally, the rover will recharge overnight to get ready for more fun on Sol 1577.
by Ken Herkenhoff

sol 1576
Prema Midnightplanets prevoženo je 29.4 m (SE).
U mapu a. Phil Stoke sam unio približni položaj vozila za ovu lokaciju, odnosno sol.
Stay stunned!

sol 1576: Mapa Phil Stooke...

Sol 1577 ...Prevoženo 54.4 m.

Kompozit navCam s pozicije sol 1577:

Već je prošao i sol 1578...
Prelazak preko dine. Iskreno, ovo sam očekivao da će učiniti još i prije...
Pažljivo..step b step. 

Prelazak dine  bez problema...

Bez dvojbe, još jedan meteorit...

Ovdje se moglo prijeći na drugu stranu, ali se propustilo...

Sols 1579-1582: A 4-sol plan

13 January 2017
After a 25-meter drive on Sol 1578, MSL is surrounded by more dark sand than usual, but there is enough rock exposed that we had a lot of science targets to choose from today.  Due to the US holiday on Monday, we are planning 4 sols today.  The first sol will include only REMS atmospheric observations while the rover recharges after the SAM methane measurement the night before, but the rest of the plan is packed!  Sol 1580 starts with ChemCam passive (no laser) measurements of the sky and calibration targets.  Then we'll use the laser to zap rock targets "Oak Bay" and "Rockport" and take Right Mastcam images of them.  Mastcam will also acquire a mosaic of bedrock exposures just west of the rover, measure dust in the atmosphere, and take another image of the rover deck.  Later that afternoon, ChemCam and Right Mastcam will observe disturbed sand at "Kennebec," an undisturbed ripple called "Spruce Top," and bedrock targets named "Traveler" and "Mars Hill."  Right Mastcam will also acquire a 3x1 mosaic of a more distant outcrop dubbed "Ogler Point." 

Sol 1581 is dominated by contact science, starting with full suite of MAHLI images of Mars Hill.  MAHLI will also take close-up images of nearby "Camera Hill" and acquire a 3-image mosaic of the layered outcrop target "Small Falls."  The APXS will be placed on Camera Hill for a short integration, then on Mars Hill for an overnight integration. 

On Sol 1582, Navcam will search for clouds and dust devils before the rover drives away.  After the drive, AEGIS will again be used to autonomously select a ChemCam target and acquire data, and MARDI will take another image during twilight.  Finally, the rover will get some well-earned rest overnight.

by Ken Herkenhoff

sol 1578
Ovo me iznenadilo...išlo se  JI, dok se meni učinilo da je prema JZ.

Ne mislim da je ova zadnja  Philova lokacija baš previše točna.
Moj rezultat je ipak malo drugačiji.