Let's even call it the "Red Sea of Sand of Meridianii"

This is the horizon part of Ant103's panorama of the drive direction, with a bit of vertical stretching. A factor of ten. It shows that smooth patch off to the left - east - and the bigger drifts ahead and to the right. Looks like the outcrop area is slightly elevated. This doesn't really look ideal to me. I think the immediate drive might be in this direction, but I would expect a turn to the west in a while to head towards that smoother route.

Phil

Good work Ant & Phil!

> I think the immediate drive might be in this direction, but I would expect a turn to the west in a while to head towards that smoother route.

To the west or to the left - east?
I'm a bit puzzled by the current choice of route. There're smooth areas both to the west (W spur) and to the east (SW corridor) of the current position but everything, including today's planned post-drive images, indicates they are heading right to this big patch of bedrock due south.

Either direction might work but I intended to say what I did say - right - or west, as I indicated on a map in the other thread.

Phil

http://planetary.org/blog/

Quote: "Opportunity was headed for an area where the north-south dunes of Meridiani Planum were spread thinly over exposed bedrock, a landscape that would provide Opportunity with a "highway" southward on its journey toward Endeavour crater."

Don't read more into my update than is there -- that's no more than a summary of what appears to be the consensus view on this forum! You guys are my best "source" for MER news, as you all follow it much more closely than I do. I think we all agree that the direction of Opportunity's drive is taking it toward more driveable terrain -- the debates here are about exactly which direction it's headed.

I'm sure there will be more informed detail forthcoming this weekend when Salley will post her usual update.

--Emily

Why should you be puzzled when, apparently, the rover is heading towards bedrock? doesn't that mean safer drives? At least that was what I had in mind when marking my path, aiming whenever possible to patches of solid ground and not smooth dunes...but hey...what do I know?...

Unfortunately, in this area the bedrock outcrops have the largest drifts scattered across them. So they are not a 'highway' as they were near Erebus.

Phil

Thinking the same thing, Phil... look like big dunes wandering the bedrock road ahead... we shall see .....

Looking at those sand sea vistas... I think of Arthur C. Clarke's "The Sands of Mars"... wouldn't we all love to be trotting along there in person... listening to the lonely whistle of wind....

Craig

I can't quite yet imagine what the wind would sound like...

Come on, Phil we're Canadians. That describes our highways perfectly.

I think it's a great strategy having a sure footing of bedrock under the wheels and drive around the dunes. There is much less slippage and, with the availability of HiRISE maps, the route can be planned for longer distance ahead more accurately.

Understood. I got confused by your reference to the smooth terrain at the left on your Phil-o-vision.


That's my point too. However I hope we will see some clever usage of autonomous driving technics.

I'll use this same post to say that the drive planned for sol 1693 was executed and Opportunity moved another 110m due south. Expect bigger dunes right ahead.

Pando, my friend! Who would say we would be discussing this after all this years?...
Those are exactly my thoughts, even if we recall that near Jammerbugt we had some bedrock too, I believe that solid ground + HiRISE maps + new software are, in my humble special cookie opinion, the best option for Opportunity in the current scenario.

Tesheiner, I'm curious to see your updated map...