The Start of the Drive East, Up to Cambridge Bay Options

[fredk]

I doubt we're anywhere near the 900's. We were in the mid 300's last week, and the message described it as a "little power boost". But visually it's pretty impressive. We should hear some numbers in this week's Oppy update...

[ElkGroveDan]

I doubt we're anywhere near the 900's.

[marsophile]

... patch of rough-looking drifts, so I would imagine a detour to the south...

There are some interesting outcrop exposures in that rough area though, and the area seems to have been peppered with impactors.

[Phil Stooke]

Right, but there are outcrop exposures in safe places as well.

Phil

[kungpostyle]

Power up to 492 watts
http://marsrovers.nasa.gov/mission/status.html#opportunity

[maycm]

Power up to 492 watts
http://marsrovers.nasa.gov/mission/status.html#opportunity

The comparison to a "100 watt light bulb" is rather misleading though, isn't it?

I would prefer something that says "The rover can operate 80% of its instruments for 4 hours, or drive for 3 hours". Telling me how long a light bulb would operate gives me no clue as to how to relate it to rover operations.

[djellison]

The comparison to a "100 watt light bulb" is rather misleading though, isn't it?

It tells people what the number actually means. It's the opposite of misleading.

And what that amount can let the rover do is self evidence by reading what the rover has actually done.... specifically
"With the extra energy from the Sol 2298 cleaning event, Opportunity was able to perform back-to-back drives on Sols 2299 and 2300 (July 12 and 14, 2010), each over 70 meters (230 feet)."

Furthermore - there are many issues besides Whrs that dictate what the rover can and can't do on a given sol. To state Xhrs of driving would be very misleading- because other factors means they can't necessarily do that every day.

[marsophile]

I wonder if the cleaning event has helped to clear the dust off the MiniTes? There might be a reluctance to check this though in view of the MTES/Pancam handshake issue that led to a command sequence abort.

[fredk]

Power up to 492 watts

That's really impressive for winter! The dust factor leapt from 58% last week to 70%. The best we could do now would be with 100% dust factor: with everything else the same, we'd get about 700 Whrs.

[Guest_Sunspot_*]

#Opportunity is 40% of the way from Victoria to Endeavour. I have an idea to speed up our drives as much as 30%. Discussion tomorrow.

Any theories on what this might involve doing?

[NW71]

Any theories

Scott has updated his twitter;

"We are "go" to try the experiment that, if it works, drives Opportunity to Endeavour up to 30% faster (maybe even more). Pedal, meet metal."

[NW71]

Sunspot,

My first reaction was that I noticed his twitter discussed moving faster but not further, however, his latest twitter would suggest it is further (as well as possibly faster).

I do find 30% a staggering amount of improvement but I have already learnt to believe pretty much anything is possible where these rovers are concerned. After all, what's 30% when you have surpassed your longevity by 2450% ! It will be very interesting (and frustrating) if the RF wheel current would be affected (and thus negate the 30% proposed boost) in anyway by whatever Scott has in mind

I look forward to the experts on UMSF giving us their opinions.

However they try it, a successful experiment would, I don't think it's too much to suggest, rewrite all the rules yet again on this mission.

Neil

[SFJCody]

Scott Maxwell's response to someone's query about what the new technique entails:

Backward autonomous hazard avoidance. 1. Slew camera around until it almost sees LGA 2. Turn til camera aimed straight back.

3. Image in drive direction. 4. Turn back on course. 5. If safe, drive 1m goalward. Repeat until out of time, up to 20m/sol.

All familiar pieces, just never combined this way before -- previously did hazav forward, but fwd driving hurts RF currents.

Can think of reasons it might not work, but good odds -- and if it works, the payoff could be enormous. Fun, either way :-)

As terrain becomes flatter, we'll be able to do longer blind drives, *plus* this technique, if RF wheel currents permit.

[Pertinax]

Can think of reasons it might not work, but good odds -- and if it works, the payoff could be enormous. Fun, either way :-)

I love the innovation and the attitude!

Please forgive the reiteration of an oft noted truth: It is such a treat to not only be fellow travelers on Mars, but to also have a glimpse of the innovation (and to borrow from Mike Rowe even imitation) that drives our explorers onward.

Thank you SFJCody for your post.


-- Pertinax

[MahFL]

..Telling me how long a light bulb would operate gives me no clue as to how to relate it to rover operations...

There are a million factors afecting how the rovers operate.
At the start they had about 900 watt hours, in midwinter about 240, so 492 is pretty good, enabling two 70m drives back to back, which is what most of us and the rover team wants.