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Originally posted by abeverage
Perhaps I was premature but it is now Wednesday afternoon and no updates...
"We have successfully completed the brain transplant," said Curiosity Mission Manager Mike Watkins of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. "Now we are moving on to a new phase of functional checkouts of the science instruments and preparations for a short test drive."
The first drive, possibly within a week or so, will likely include short forward and reverse segments and a turn. Curiosity has a separate drive motor on each of its six wheels and steering motors on the four corner wheels. Preparation and testing of the motor controllers will precede the first drive.
After the test drive, the planning schedule has an "intermission" before a second testing phase focused on use of the rover's robotic arm. For the intermission, the 400-member science team will have the opportunity to pick a location for Curiosity to drive to before the arm-testing weeks.
Originally posted by sprtpilot
Think people. Software update? How does that remotely make sense? Just downloading updates over the internet frequently results in corruptions, incomplete file transfers, and buff buff buffering problems. We are supposed to believe they have to "update software" remotely (to say the least) just days after landing?
Originally posted by miniatus
The curiosity rover, last I heard.. was in the middle of performing a software update that will take 4 days to complete.. which isn't yet finished.. the software is to aid in navigating the surface I do believe..
www.computerworld.com...
NASA's Mars Curiosity rover is three-quarters of the way through a major software upgrade NASA has dubbed a "brain transplant."
The four-day software upgrade started Saturday and, if all goes as planned, should wrap up by Tuesday afternoon. So far all has gone exactly as planned, said Guy Webster, a spokesman for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).
I doubt it can do much during it's "brain transplant" ..
The update began Saturday so that coincides with 3 days without updates.edit on 8/14/2012 by miniatus because: (no reason given)
Originally posted by Xterrain
Why does it need a software update after being on the ground for such a short amount of time? What's this thing guided by, Windows?
Originally posted by Soylent Green Is People
Originally posted by abeverage
Perhaps I was premature but it is now Wednesday afternoon and no updates...
No image updates, but there have been news updates. The software installation is done, but they are still going through equipment checks. They haven't driven yet, either, and the wheels will be checked out before proceeding with a drive.
"We have successfully completed the brain transplant," said Curiosity Mission Manager Mike Watkins of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. "Now we are moving on to a new phase of functional checkouts of the science instruments and preparations for a short test drive."
The first drive, possibly within a week or so, will likely include short forward and reverse segments and a turn. Curiosity has a separate drive motor on each of its six wheels and steering motors on the four corner wheels. Preparation and testing of the motor controllers will precede the first drive.
After the test drive, the planning schedule has an "intermission" before a second testing phase focused on use of the rover's robotic arm. For the intermission, the 400-member science team will have the opportunity to pick a location for Curiosity to drive to before the arm-testing weeks.
Source
Have they already posted an entire 360-panorama of where they are sitting, or are there more hi-res images not yet posted of that area?
edit on 8/15/2012 by Soylent Green Is People because: (no reason given)
Originally posted by Soylent Green Is People
Originally posted by Xterrain
Why does it need a software update after being on the ground for such a short amount of time? What's this thing guided by, Windows?
Because when it landed, the computer was still optimized for spaceflight and landing. Now that it has landed, the computer can be optimized for roving.
Originally posted by abeverage
Day 7...
Although I do hope Curiosity is ok!
Originally posted by Soylent Green Is People
Originally posted by abeverage
Day 7...
Although I do hope Curiosity is ok!
There is no reason to think it isn't. They are still going through all of the post-landing testing procedures. This was planned. Even before the landing, they said it may even take ten days of testing after touchdown to even start driving the rover, and to start the actual science part of the mission.
Even that first panoramic mosaic was simply a test of the camera system. The camera was pre-programmed to take those pictures upon deployment of the mast cam as part of the testing process. It also served the purpose to see part of the rover;s surroundings, but it was still part of the testing procedures, which was planned to take several days.
There are many important systems on the rover that need to be checked out before the actual science mission can begin -- and it isn't all about the pictures, anyway. The pictures are more of a way for the scientists to find things to study with their suite of other advanced analysis instruments. Even in the future, once the science mission actually begins, a lack of images would not necessarily mean a lack of science being done.
edit on 8/16/2012 by Soylent Green Is People because: (no reason given)
Originally posted by sprtpilot
Think people. Software update? How does that remotely make sense? Just downloading updates over the internet frequently results in corruptions, incomplete file transfers, and buff buff buffering problems. We are supposed to believe they have to "update software" remotely (to say the least) just days after landing?
Originally posted by abeverage
...Thanks for the imput and I don't mean to sound like a total rube I was just not informed as much about this mission.
Originally posted by Soylent Green Is People
Originally posted by abeverage
...Thanks for the imput and I don't mean to sound like a total rube I was just not informed as much about this mission.
I never thought you did sound like a rube
By the way, there is a press teleconference (an audio press conference) tomorrow at 1:30 PM EDT (1730 UTC):
NASA to Host Curiosity Rover Teleconference Aug. 17
Originally posted by Soylent Green Is People
By the way, there is a press teleconference (an audio press conference) tomorrow at 1:30 PM EDT (1730 UTC):
NASA to Host Curiosity Rover Teleconference Aug. 17