Update to sol 1439. 70 meters short of 14 km!
Fernando
 The_Martian_Way_MSL_Curiosity_Sol_1439_2016AUG24.kmz ( 427.11K ) Number of downloads: 346

I had originally posted this information on another thread, but then Phil started this topic and I think it fits better here.

ESA has relased information [LINK] on Schiaparelli's intended landing site on Meridiani Planum, including the landing elipse which, at its eastern edge, just grazes the Endeavour crater. Perhaps Opportunity could spot Schiaparelli descending under its parachute on October 19?

The landing ellipse's size is given on the above mentioned article as 100x15 km, but this could be a simplification for in order to match the ellipse on this image, I had to make it 115.4x23.9 km. The ellipse is centered at 2.048S, 6.114W.

This is how it looks on Google Earth (Mars):


And here is the KMZ file:  Schiaparelli.kmz ( 19.26K ) Number of downloads: 2437


Fernando

A circular view superimposed on a map: what a great idea. This is very useful. Thanks Phil.
Fernando

Hello scalbers.
A search on the web turned up this simple BASIC program [LINK] by the Australian Space Academy.

Also check The Mars Clock by NASA/GISS. Install it, in case you do not have already.

1. On the "Settings" windows select the "Plot" tab
2. Enter or select the following values for the variables:
   1. Plot: Local Panorama
   2. Type: Lander Mission
   3. Lander Site: MSL Curiosity
   4. Plot Elements: Graphic and Data
3. From the major menu bar select "View" then "Panorama" from the pull down menu
4. From the major menu bar select "Window" then "Plot" from the pull down menu

This clock is at http://www.giss.nasa.gov/tools/mars24/


Fernando

Update to sol 1431, plus provisional update to sol 1432.
Fernando

 The_Martian_Way_MSL_Curiosity_Sol_1432_2016AUG17.kmz ( 426.04K ) Number of downloads: 347

As Emily suggested, perhaps this post should be moved to a new subtopic.

EDIT: I have moved the contents to here.

Fernando

This update to sol 1427 also includes the PDS Release 12 data, which covers the route for sols 0-1301, and the Analyst's Notebook data for sols 1-1293. The route has now about 14.200 data points.
Fernando
 The_Martian_Way_MSL_Curiosity_Sol_1427_2016AUG11.kmz ( 425.26K ) Number of downloads: 341

If you have, or install, Google Earth (except for the mobile version) you can dowload a KMZ file with a collection of planned routes. Please see Posts #691 and #742.
Fernando

Here is MSL "Curiosity"'s full 4-year traverse, with some milestones and major locations.
Fernando

Hello Geopardy!

You may want to see, on this forum, Posts #494, #661, #666, #676 and #693 on what the KMZ file is and how to use it, and Posts #564, #652, #767 and #797 as examples of what can be done with it.
For a companion file, with proposed routes, please see Posts #691 and #742.
Enjoy!


Fernando

It was four years ago today ...

Update to sol 1417. Congratulations to the team and Many Happy Returns, Curiosity.

 The_Martian_Way_MSL_Curiosity_Sol_1417_2016AUG06.kmz ( 409.1K ) Number of downloads: 451

Ok Seán, you made a good sale . Thank you! I supose I was being too cautious, as I know next to nothing about image processing. It looks simple, but I'm sure I have a lot to learn. So here is my first attempt at ICE.
Fernando

Hi Seán, Thank you for the tip. I saw some contributions (e.g. Paul H) that make use of it. It is in my list of "things to learn". So little time, so much to do ...
Fernando

Update to sol 1410 plus provisional to sol 1412 (based on some poorly stitched images).
Fernando
 The_Martian_Way_MSL_Curiosity_Sol_1412_2016JUL27.kmz ( 408.58K ) Number of downloads: 361

Using MS Paint, I quickly cobbled together some images from sol 1412, which helped me pinpoint the drive's end location. I trust our resident image wizards will provide "the real thing"
Fernando

I think you're right. When I first saw it in this image I wondered whether it was on the slope of that butte or somewhere behind it. It increasingly looks like it is on the butte. If so we may get a good look at it since the JPL image for sol 1384 shows a notional route that passes quite close to it.
Fernando

Hi centsworth_II and Seán, thanks for the information.
I had looked in Joe's site, hopping to use the "map it" function which would have given me a "corridor" to locate the rock. Unfortunately an error is returned when I try to map that image. Hopefully, Curiosity's route will take her closer to the rock.
Seán, I had not used your model before: I am blown away. Absolutely priceless as well as the movies you've recently posted (for some reason my Firefox does not like them, I have to view them with another browser). Keep it up!
Fernando

I've been away for a while ... and coming back there are so many excelleny posts! Congrats and thanks to all the authors.

I am intrigued by the location of the precariously balanced rock. Here is the link to the image. So, I tried to locate it using neo56's panorama from post 136. I think the rock faraway to the southwest has a low probability. There are two candidates much closer. What do you think?
Fernando.

It took me longer than I expected to "come back to operations". After some vacation I found myself really busy. Then things pile up. There was a lot to catch up with, here and in other threads. With recourse to Phil's maps, the JPL site, and Paul and Jan's images, I managed to finally update MSL's route to sol 1405.

I did notice the route change for sol 1376, from the images posted for sol 1378 and for sol 1383, but I did not implement it. PDS release 12, due on August 1st, will not cover up to that sol, but Release 13, due on December 5, will. If the change is in that data I'll pick it up automatically.

Fernando

Update to sol 1405:  The_Martian_Way_MSL_Curiosity_Sol_1405_2016JUL22.kmz ( 406.72K ) Number of downloads: 412

Perhaps this page can be helpful: NASA/JPL: Spacecraft: Cruise Configuration

Edit: nice article [link] Does the wheel size (26 cm) allow a rough estimate of the base plate size?
And a photo (#3) [link]
Fernando

May 26 - fourth sucessful landing (third in a row) of Space X's Falcon 9 first stage.
This is not routine, this is NOT routine, this ...

Youtube accelerated video of the landing, captured by the first stage itself [link]

Fernando

Update to sol 1352 plus provisional to sol 1353 (arrival point from Paul's panorama). Corrected the route for previous sol and the viewpoint.
Fernando

 The_Martian_Way_MSL_Curiosity_Sol_1353_2016MAY28.kmz ( 404.21K ) Number of downloads: 386

Update to sol 1346.
Fernando
 The_Martian_Way_MSL_Curiosity_Sol_1346_2016MAY22.kmz ( 403.17K ) Number of downloads: 323

Thank you Phil. Here is the update to sol 1342.
Fernando
 The_Martian_Way_MSL_Curiosity_Sol_1342_2016MAY17.kmz ( 403K ) Number of downloads: 306

Celebrating Curiosity's two Mars years exploring Gale: Full traverse map with major dates and locations, and odometry.
Fernando