5000 Sols On Mars, Opportunity Rolls Into History |
5000 Sols On Mars, Opportunity Rolls Into History |
Feb 15 2018, 06:39 AM
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Merciless Robot Group: Admin Posts: 8784 Joined: 8-December 05 From: Los Angeles Member No.: 602 |
As you may have noticed, we have installed a new banner in celebration of this important milestone that Oppy has reached on this terrestrial day (15 Feb/1726 US Pacific Standard Time). Thanks to Emily for creating it, and apologies to all that I was not able to install it a bit better...will work on it some more when I get a chance, promise, first time doing this!
In any case, it's time to reflect on how far both she and we have come. Nobody--and I mean nobody--ever dreamed in their wildest that MER-B would be operating fourteen years after bouncing to the surface, into a hole-in-one filled with blueberries...it was magic, it's BEEN magic, the very best kind...the magic of discovery, the magic of yet another 'new Mars' unfolding before us every day. Here's to the next five thousand!!!! -------------------- A few will take this knowledge and use this power of a dream realized as a force for change, an impetus for further discovery to make less ancient dreams real.
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Feb 15 2018, 07:36 AM
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14433 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1 |
And just in case people forget....that 90 sols expectation was real. REALLY real. See this paper byJake Matijevic in 2002.
92 sols for MER A if sent to Gusev 100 sols for MER B if sent to Meridiani. Tomorrow, we plan sols 5000 and 5001. |
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Feb 15 2018, 10:32 PM
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 2922 Joined: 14-February 06 From: Very close to the Pyrénées Mountains (France) Member No.: 682 |
And just in case people forget....that 90 sols expectation was real. REALLY real. See this paper byJake Matijevic in 2002. 92 sols for MER A if sent to Gusev 100 sols for MER B if sent to Meridiani. Tomorrow, we plan sols 5000 and 5001. What’s the mood within the team to get to this point? Steve stopped a long time ago saying that Oppy could brake any time and that you have to plan sol by sol. I feel like, knowing it for sure, you don’t plan a sol as he could be the last. Any fear about global dust storm? Go Oppy, go -------------------- |
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Feb 16 2018, 09:59 AM
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Member Group: Admin Posts: 976 Joined: 29-September 06 From: Pasadena, CA - USA Member No.: 1200 |
What’s the mood within the team to get to this point? Steve stopped a long time ago saying that Oppy could brake any time and that you have to plan sol by sol.... The mood in the room yesterday was quite giggly. I'll let Doug tell that story. Regarding Oppy dying any minute, when I joined the team in 2004 I told myself I wanted to be the last person to leave the sequencing room after she stopped working. Now I'm getting worried she will outlast me! In 2004 we had flip phones, TV was analog, standard def, and displayed on a CRT (ahem, MER still uses CRT monitors but are finally been phased out). We do keep in mind she's an old lady but in general we do not operate as if she's dying any minute now. We are careful, we deal with her arthritic wheels and arm but science is still our goal. Mars will surely win, but Oppy is definitely a tough cookie. Paolo -------------------- Disclaimer: all opinions, ideas and information included here are my own,and should not be intended to represent opinion or policy of my employer.
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