Sol 3 and onwards - imaging Options

[djellison]

Keeping with the practice of sol-by-sol discussions, here it is.

[hendric]

Q: Can Phoenix wake in the spring without its batteries? Are they the most likely part to be damaged over winter? Could the wakeup "phone home" procedure end up saturating the telecoms orbiters (heh) if Phoenix tried to do it repeatedly?

Q: Do we have any photos at or near the Phoenix latitude taken in the early spring and mid summer for comparing changes?

Q: What amount of expansion/contraction is expected of the polygons? Will we be able to see noticeable changes?

Q: How late in the winter will MRO be able to view Phoenix? Will it take photos past EOM to watch the surface evolution? (and hopefully get some "engineering photos" of Phoenix's shadow across the surface!)

Q: What kind of effect is predicted on the ground ice accumulation due to the albedo change caused by Phoenix's landing?

Q: Is there a decoder for the windsock speed online somewhere?

Q: Phoenix got below the Mars Scout budget cap by using existing equipment. What is the phoenix's team feelings about building a new lander from scratch within the Scout budget?

Here's a great idea for a flash kid's game: Dig with the scoop and drop it into the instruments! My son could play for hours doing that. Hmmm, crazy thought for the "XM"...Write JPL in the sand.

Thanks Emily!

PS Some questions from friends:
Q: How long before Phoenix team members get "Order of the Phoenix" badges?

Q: Do they expect the digging to shift the lander at all?

Plus the usual "when is the mic going to come on?"