On The Way To Home Plate, a possible route and calendar Options

[ustrax]

As one year ago the question is launched:
Will Spirit make it?

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b14/ustrax3/hip.jpg

If Ultreya reveals to be nothing worthy then it would be faster, but...

Any other guesses?

[RNeuhaus]

It is a tough decision. Go East to visit Thira, Go South to visit Ultreya and Home Plate or Go North to visit another basin. Now Spirit is somewhat handicapped with little RAT, X Particle Alpha and Moussbauer. The only IDD can serve us are microscopic, pancam and navcam which will be worth as long as the solar power is worn out. Then, I think the base for the decision is the most probably lenght time that Spirit can survive: Solar power. From this, I think, it can last until March 2006. Then, it is 7*30 = 210 Earth days months ahead. Then, as Doug says that the time to take from Summit to HomePlate is between 60 to 240 sols. Now, It is probably, the decision to go anywhere (north, south or east) is the last most important decision. The last decision must be the ones most interesting of all. Go to East to Thira, is out of range. Go to North and South are the last two options. But, the north side, I don't know if there another such interesting stuff as the south with Ultreya or HomePlate.

Rodolfo