mars rover reaches most significant target yet.

After a perilous 3 year journey, making its way across the treacherous martian terrain, mars rover 'opportunity' has finally reached its goal, a huge crater called Endevour.

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Endeavour is an impact crater located in Meridiani Planum on Mars. Endeavour is 22 kilometers (13.70 miles) in diameter. Using Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter data, phyllosilicate-bearing outcrops have been detected along the rim of this crater. These minerals may have formed under wet conditions in a low-acidic environment during the early history of Mars.

en.wikipedia.org...

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/ac4fdacc8a4e.jpg[/atsimg]
incredibly the rover began its service in 2004 at a smaller crater and was only designed to last 3 months.. it had already been active on the surface for 4 years when in set off for endevour (from victoria crater) In june this year it passed the 30km mark, 50 times its design distance.

Opportunity's arrival at Endeavour marks a huge milestone for the mission. The goal seemed "almost unbelievably audacious" when it started heading there, says James Wray of the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta.

It is believed from studying the rocks around the rim of this crater, that it is from the earliest and wettest time in mars history. it is also believed it contained water and could hold clues to whether life on mars ever exsisted.

The rovers have previously studied rocks that were once immersed in acidic, salty water, The 20-kilometre Endeavour, by contrast, seems to have harboured water friendlier to life, since the crater contains clay minerals that require a relatively neutral pH to form. What's more, orbital measurements do not indicate that the ancient water was salty - though salty water may be flowing on Mars today

The rover might reveal what form the water at Endeavour took. If it finds rocks bearing the imprint of ripples, that would suggest that water pooled on the surface, while if it spots rocks threaded with veins of clay minerals, that would point to water percolating underground,

www.newscientist.com...

Whatever it finds.. I am impressed by what this little "robot" has achieved as it goes about its business on another planet, and what we have learnt from it so far has been priceless...

Almost immediately after it landed in 2004 in a region of Mars called Meridiani Planum, Opportunity made a watershed discovery: rocks at its landing site had formed in ancient lakes

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The Mars Rover.... A true explorer for all mankind... I salute thee..

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reply to post by Misterlondon

Yea I love hearing about the new things these rovers are constantly finding out there.. I bet there's even more things it's seen/discovered and we're not allowed to know right now.. or ever.. whatever NASA's mood is that day

Originally posted by 31Bravo
reply to post by Misterlondon

 

Yea I love hearing about the new things these rovers are constantly finding out there.. I bet there's even more things it's seen/discovered and we're not allowed to know right now.. or ever.. whatever NASA's mood is that day

yeah.. im sure there is alot "they" know that we don't.. But the feed of new information lately has been quite staggering.
Makes me think (i wont say it) but is it leading somewhere?

Good post
But that's not Endeavor Crater, It's Victoria.
2004, Even Pc's bought that year are out of date.

Can't wait for some exploration at an area where there are other types of rocks available.
Hope we can drive down into it...

Just another dry hole.. ZZZZZzz



cant they just make a news confrence and say they made contact with extraterrestrial life and they will be saying hi, just after these commercials

Originally posted by spacedoubt
Good post
But that's not Endeavor Crater, It's Victoria.

2004, Even Pc's bought that year are out of date.

Can't wait for some exploration at an area where there are other types of rocks available.
Hope we can drive down into it...

I dont think it will drive into it, they think old rocks in the crater are buried by sediment..

and your right most items from 2004 are outdated now.. remember the cell phones from back then?

thanks for letting me know about the picture, ill change it now.. (it was labeled Endevour)

reply to post by Misterlondon


You should have an email now....Because of your accuracy.

You can already see some differences in he rock types, tossed out by the impact.
That crater is abut the same size as the Rover has driven since landing.
But finally, some different terrain!

Originally posted by spacedoubt
reply to post by Misterlondon

 

You should have an email now....Because of your accuracy.

You can already see some differences in he rock types, tossed out by the impact.
That crater is abut the same size as the Rover has driven since landing.
But finally, some different terrain!

thank you.. very much appreciated..

its cool when you think of this little rover, just cruising along the surface.. and it is a huge distance for such a little machine.
lets just hope they do find some positive results from these rocks.

and they are already talking about it traveling to another crater after! (if it is still working, by then)

Originally posted by Misterlondon
After a perilous 3 year journey, making its way across the treacherous martian terrain, mars rover 'opportunity' has finally reached its goal, a huge crater called Endevour.

Thread about nothing, and i will count stars made by OP since now.
(yes, mods, i am aware about -1k ats points and my post removal..
anyway, as a member i have right to..post).

To the point: this is SO ridiculous promo for NASA feeble tries for making viewers, ohh guys, wake up.
I can explain that statement if you want me to.

Originally posted by Misterlondon

Originally posted by 31Bravo
reply to post by Misterlondon

 

Yea I love hearing about the new things these rovers are constantly finding out there.. I bet there's even more things it's seen/discovered and we're not allowed to know right now.. or ever.. whatever NASA's mood is that day

yeah.. im sure there is alot "they" know that we don't.. But the feed of new information lately has been quite staggering.
Makes me think (i wont say it) but is it leading somewhere?

Funny you say that.. I just got off the phone with a friend of mine and he said the same exact thing I just read from you.. a lot of people are feeling that way. I don't know what thread, and I'm not even going to begin to look but it was here on ATS someone "claimed" they had an inside source at the NSA and he said his source said to him while they were drinkin a few beers that the government was going to release some info pretty soon that would "rattle a lot of cages" inferring towards space exploration.. I hope that wasn't an attention thread.. I guess we'll see. Good post btw

Originally posted by potential_problem

Originally posted by Misterlondon
After a perilous 3 year journey, making its way across the treacherous martian terrain, mars rover 'opportunity' has finally reached its goal, a huge crater called Endevour.

Thread about nothing, and i will count stars made by OP since now.
(yes, mods, i am aware about -1k ats points and my post removal..
anyway, as a member i have right to..post).

To the point: this is SO ridiculous promo for NASA feeble tries for making viewers, ohh guys, wake up.
I can explain that statement if you want me to.

edit on 10-8-2011 by potential_problem because: (no reason given)

yeah.. i'd like you to explain it..

and what are you talking about counting stars? what does that mean?

reply to post by potential_problem

Please... explain because I'm pretty sure that makes absolutely no sense

reply to post by potential_problem


The only potential problem here is that someone posted an interesting thread about a robot on Mars, Reaching an important destination. Then a totally out-of-line post by you.
It's a space science Forum. the post is about space science. Totally on topic for this forum.

The new photos at the Rover site are showing some other rock types in the distance. I would like to know what they are. how about you? Interested?

For those actually interested..Check out this page, These are all the raw images...From all Opportunity Rover Cameras, Newest at the top.
marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov...

For those NOT interested. Well. Post something interesting, rather than gripe.

reply to post by spacedoubt

I know I've been commenting a lot on this thread, but this is actually the main topic that interests me so sorry to clog up your thread with my 2 cents, but that is amazing spacedoubt.. I had no idea that site existed and I'm really glad you passed that on. Those pics are so well taken in detail you don't really need to imagine being there visually.. very interesting

reply to post by 31Bravo


Thanks to MisterLondon for starting it.
If he didn't, I probably would have..

There are over 200 thousand images there. Will we ever see you again?
BTW...You can download those, and combine them based on the filter that was used, to make color images.
The filter type is built into the file name. You can find the info on that site.....
But there are some posts on ATS about how to do it as well...I can try and dig those up later.

Originally posted by spacedoubt
You can download those, and combine them based on the filter that was used, to make color images.
The filter type is built into the file name. You can find the info on that site.....
But there are some posts on ATS about how to do it as well...I can try and dig those up later.

Yea when you got the time sure.. I'll check on and off. I'm a little lost with making the color images, but I'm sure I can figure it out as long as there are some instructions.

reply to post by 31Bravo


Start at this page
marsrover.nasa.gov...

this is the key to determine which rover, which camera, and most importantly, which filter was used.
marsrover.nasa.gov...

only two of the cameras have more than one filter. the Microscopic camera has two, and the Panorama camera has 7 I think. Plus the Panoramic camera has a left and a right view....

reply to post by spacedoubt


Thanks for the links spacedoubt.. I will take a look at them when I have the chance.

reply to post by spacedoubt

I agree with London on that good info space! I'm checkin it out right now as I type.

reply to post by 31Bravo


You're welcome.
what kind of photo manipulation programs do you have?
Photoshop, or Gimp, Paint.net....Anything like that.

In order to make color images, you'll be downloading sets of images from the Pan Cam..They have to be all left or all right. then through different filters. And all of the exact same location.