You know maybe next time they will design these rovers with some kind of wind shield wiper for the solar panels. Seriously, they have been operating
long past their expected life span. I hope they will last through the Martian Winter or catch another lucky break from a dust devil to clean them off.
These rovers are like the Energizer Bunny. They just "keep on going".
Never mind life on Mars, what about a car wash?, page 1
privacy
Pages:
ATS Members have flagged this thread 3 times
ATS Members have flagged this thread 3 times
Topic started on 15-12-2007 @ 12:39 AM by Enceladus
IT LOOKS like some weird winged insect camouflaged by mother nature to shield it from hungry predators. But it is really NASA's six-wheeled Martian
robot, Spirit, filthy with dust after four years of exploring the red planet.
When motoring through dusty deserts more than 88 million kilometres from the nearest car wash, it is hard to stay clean.
Spirit's new self-portrait reveals that the rover, never expected to survive for more than 90 days when it landed in January 2004, is now so dirty it is in danger of vanishing from sight - blending in with the planet's natural colour.
The dust may be the death of the mechanical pioneer which has driven more than 7.4 kilometres in 47 months, 12 times further than it was designed to travel.
Read complete article here
When motoring through dusty deserts more than 88 million kilometres from the nearest car wash, it is hard to stay clean.
Spirit's new self-portrait reveals that the rover, never expected to survive for more than 90 days when it landed in January 2004, is now so dirty it is in danger of vanishing from sight - blending in with the planet's natural colour.
The dust may be the death of the mechanical pioneer which has driven more than 7.4 kilometres in 47 months, 12 times further than it was designed to travel.
Read complete article here
reply posted on 15-12-2007 @ 01:41 AM by internos
The deck of NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit is so dusty that the rover almost blends into the dusty background in this image assembled from frames taken by the panoramic camera (Pancam) during the period from Spirit's Sol 1,355 through Sol 1,358 (Oct. 26-29, 2007).
Dust on the solar panels reduces the amount of electrical power the rover can generate from sunlight each sol. Earlier self-portraits by Spirit, such as one taken on Sol 586, offer a comparison view of cleaner solar panels.
The vertical projection used here produces the best view of the rover deck, though it distorts the ground and antennas somewhat. The eight-pointed star shape near the front of the rover (bottom of the image) marks the location of the camera mast, which is out of view of the Pancam atop the mast.
marsrover.nasa.gov...
I've found two images in order to make a comparison:
2007
Image source:
marsrover.nasa.gov...
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Cornell
2005
Image source:
www.nasa.gov...
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Cornell
Thank you for sharing this find
[edit on 15/12/2007 by internos]
reply posted on 17-12-2007 @ 12:08 AM by Enceladus
Spirit Scouts Home Plate For Safe Haven
Spirit has arrived at the north edge of "Home Plate." The rover will spend the next few Martian days, or sols, scouting the edge of Home Plate and acquiring images of the slopes to determine the best site for "Winter Haven 3," where Spirit will try to survive another season of minimal sunlight. Once the team selects a site, Spirit will drive down the north-facing edge of Home Plate and maneuver into position to achieve the highest northerly tilt possible.
Power levels are dropping rapidly, partly because the sun continues its retreat north on its way to winter solstice, and partly because the landscape tilts slightly southward near the rim. Drive sols are so precious and few, the team has been working long hours and weekends to make the most of the remaining sunlight.
Read complete article
Spirit has arrived at the north edge of "Home Plate." The rover will spend the next few Martian days, or sols, scouting the edge of Home Plate and acquiring images of the slopes to determine the best site for "Winter Haven 3," where Spirit will try to survive another season of minimal sunlight. Once the team selects a site, Spirit will drive down the north-facing edge of Home Plate and maneuver into position to achieve the highest northerly tilt possible.
Power levels are dropping rapidly, partly because the sun continues its retreat north on its way to winter solstice, and partly because the landscape tilts slightly southward near the rim. Drive sols are so precious and few, the team has been working long hours and weekends to make the most of the remaining sunlight.
Read complete article
reply posted on 17-12-2007 @ 02:01 AM by internos
reply to post by Solarskye
They have also the ability to make self portraits using their panoramic camera
They have also the ability to make self portraits using their panoramic camera
Pages: ^^TOP^^
NIBIRU AT LAST?? Brazilian Astronomer claims have found rogue planet hidden behind Neptune.
Posted 11 days ago with 48 member flags
Posted 11 days ago with 48 member flags
New object near the sun. Video is up. It\'s coming out of the sun. Zoomed in better.
Posted 12 days ago with 27 member flags
Posted 12 days ago with 27 member flags
ISS call to NASA Reveals \'ENTITY Growing in Size\'; 2 Bright Beams Energy/Light directed AT our Sun
Posted 15 days ago with 26 member flags
Posted 15 days ago with 26 member flags
33 Amazing pictures of planet earth taken by Astronaut Andre Kuipers from space
Posted 7 days ago with 26 member flags
Posted 7 days ago with 26 member flags
SOMETHING MASSIVE ON THE SUN!!! Yep sunspot AR1476...An Amateur photo (That’s me!)
Posted 12 days ago with 23 member flags
Posted 12 days ago with 23 member flags
Newest topics, updated in real-time:
Is it true that after a civilization's the peak of its power they go into a technological decline?
Ancient & Lost Civilizations: 46 minutes ago
Ancient & Lost Civilizations: 46 minutes ago
Newest topics getting flags, in real-time:
Obama Twice Mistakenly Mentions ‘My Sons,' While Defending Contraception Mandate
US Political Madness: 16 hours ago, 11 flags
US Political Madness: 16 hours ago, 11 flags
Guards at most well known women's prison in Alabam regularly rape inmates
General Conspiracies: 12 hours ago, 11 flags
General Conspiracies: 12 hours ago, 11 flags
The FBI Is Now (Officially) Spying on Your Internet Activity
Breaking Alternative News: 12 hours ago, 10 flags
Breaking Alternative News: 12 hours ago, 10 flags
Newest topics getting replies, in real-time:
Obama Twice Mistakenly Mentions ‘My Sons,' While Defending Contraception Mandate
US Political Madness: 16 hours ago, 101 replies
US Political Madness: 16 hours ago, 101 replies
Guards at most well known women's prison in Alabam regularly rape inmates
General Conspiracies: 12 hours ago, 62 replies
General Conspiracies: 12 hours ago, 62 replies
Gun Deaths Outpace Motor Vehicle Deaths in 10 States in 2009 New Analysis Shows
Breaking Alternative News: 16 hours ago, 43 replies
Breaking Alternative News: 16 hours ago, 43 replies
The Above Top Secret Web sites are a
wholly owned social content community of
The Above Network, LLC.
This content community relies on
user-generated content from our member contributors.
The opinions of our members are not those of site ownership
who maintains strict editorial agnosticism and simply provides
a collaborative venue for free expression.
ATS Server: www2.theabovenetwork.com
Header data: 0.002 seconds
Page processed in: 0.107 seconds
wholly owned social content community of
The Above Network, LLC.
This content community relies on
user-generated content from our member contributors.
The opinions of our members are not those of site ownership
who maintains strict editorial agnosticism and simply provides
a collaborative venue for free expression.
ATS Server: www2.theabovenetwork.com
Header data: 0.002 seconds
Page processed in: 0.107 seconds
