Phoenix - spring images, HiRISE views of Phoenix after the long, long winter Options

[Deimos]

Yes, there are concepts out there. There are still concepts for short-lived summer missions, too. For a fixed (ie, non-MSL-like) budget you have to trade one capability for another, so the choices will vary according to the proposer's goals.

[PaulM]

Still, best case is that there could be some repetitive imaging and MET data, and that would be quite cool.

Are you saying that Phoenix's cameras would more likely to work than the motors that drive them and therefore the cameras might only be able to repeat the last photograph that they took back in 2008?

Am I correct in thinking that the Surface Stereo Imager is currently pointing at the sky. I say this because I think that this is the last photo that that imager ever took:

http://phoenix.lpl.arizona.edu/images.php?...523&cID=377

I think that the Robotic Arm Camera may have been left pointing at something more interesting:

http://phoenix.lpl.arizona.edu/images.php?...206&cID=375

Of course it is possible that these cameras were successfully commanded to turn to something else after taking these pictures and so Surface Stereo Imager repetitive imaging might be more interesting?

[Deimos]

One principle that guides my expectations is that if one improbable thing happens, that does not imply all more probable things happen as well. So, the if the solar panels and all other critical path elements work, anything else might still fail. If the CCDs and imaging electronics work, the motors might still fail. But I do expect that if we ever take more pictures, we could likely point them. I think that would be critical--the camera is aimed down, fully stowed.

However, a lazarus mission would not allow new sequences each day. Planning for post-sol-151 ops was aimed at one or few repetitive monitoring sequences. First, the work that goes into a lazarus day is more than what a normal day needed, and could requires days on Earth--if the full ops team were restored. Getting a sequence on-board that can be read on wake-up is risky, and frankly a lot can be gained by well-designed repetitive work. Also, much of the onboard infrastructure that made sequencing do-able will not function. Second, the conditions of a lazarus day are poorly determined--when you plan, you do not know if the first activity is at 8 am or 11 am. You might have to wait 3 hours to move the camera without heating, or heat so long you risk damage if you guess wrong. The comm pass might come 5 hours after wake-up or 9 hours after wake-up. The same unknowns apply every day. Frankly, wake-up could happen more than once in a day, with non-graceful shutdowns in between, so you're recovering from an unknown state. Always. Third, any activity done has to be low cost and borrow people from other highly-stressed projects (and some are simply not available). We may not be able to change from what was planned in November 2008; of course, imaging modules are somewhat plug 'n' play (meaning they might change from November, not day-to-day).

So, you might be able to include a small panorama in the sequence--and then see that pan every day. There were more creative ideas floating around, but creative = risky and difficult. I suppose risk tolerance might be a wee bit higher these days... So, things we might see include (over-the-top optimist's list): MET, which would be able to use its own flash, giving PT data for most awake-time; TECP (air); daily RAC rgbn image at Alviss; SSI set (full-frame telltale, frost-spot(s), cal/magnet/illumination target, sky); lidar. Unlike normal ops, the camera is never stowed and never uses a solar filter.

[hendric]

If Phoenix does make it through Lazarus mode, could continuous sunlight during the summer allow for more robust operations? (I know, "I smell a whole lotta 'if' coming off this plan" )

[Deimos]

Continuous sunlight could be a game changer, depending on the list of what still works (also, presumably, the success of some proposed mission of opportunity to NASA). Plenty of time to think about that later. Regardless of what's happen ing with comm, there really is no formal contact among the science team--actually, no formal science team any more.

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

Phoenix website was updated for a first time after a long hiatus:

http://phoenix.lpl.arizona.edu/index.php

[climber]

So, today's the day!

[Dominik]

I've checked the JPL and NASA sites and even the Phoenix Twitter channel and so far there seems to be no news at all.

A fresh (2-3 days old) picture of the landing site would be great to check, how much ice is left that could cover the solar panels. If the situation is similar to the one in the latest HiRise image, then I think it's very unlikely that the lander already produces enough power to communicate.

[centsworth_II]

I've checked the JPL and NASA sites and even the Phoenix Twitter channel and so far there seems to be no news at all.

This person found news. The news is simply, 'We're trying, nothing yet.'
'

[Dominik]

Just a short update, for those who don't follow the NASAJPL Twitter channel:

No signal from @MarsPhoenix after 11 listening passes completed Mon./Tues. Odyssey will be "all ears" during 19 more passes this week.

[MahFL]

Thank you for the update. One point though, Oddy does hail Phoenix actively though doen't she ?

[ElkGroveDan]

Oddy? I'm not sure that's an approved nickname here

[Deimos]

Yes, ODY hails, while theoretically PHX listens and responds to hails.

[Dominik]

I think, this is the last update from NASAJPL until February...

Listening campaign for @MarsPhoenix is over for now, w/ no signal detected. Odyssey will listen again in Feb & March when sun is higher.

[vmcgregor]

For the January attempts, Odyssey was only listening and not hailing.
Odyssey will hail Phoenix during the February and March campaigns.