Digging in Options

[dilo]

Thanks, Vladimorka... so we will have to wait fo a while!

[edstrick]

4 pics of the area directly in front of Spirit. Raw bands 2,5,7 composites... two with rover in view contrast stretched to improve dark soil detail. Some bright areas are saturated in the data.

Quite complicated wind ripples and granule/sand deposits.. also note bright red coating with much bluer stuff inside exposed by wheel gouges.



post slightly too big.. here's the 4th

Attached thumbnail(s)

 

[helvick]

Well, ignoring the dust buildup and battery recharge capacity, about 7 months from now (or 200 sols, if my math is correct) the solar exposure will be around tosol levels with lowest on august 6th
Another OT: in Starry Night Pro a martian day of 24.656944 hours works much better than the wikipedia value of 24.622962

By my calculations the lowest insolation level at Spirits latitude occurs on July 27th when you take eccentricity and obliquity into account and disregard the atmosphere. The insolation on that day is 2770 whr/m^2. Today it's 3200 whr/m^2 and will be back at that level on October 21. Obviously the Solar Panels' power generation capacity also depends on accumulated dust and atmospheric opacity though and my best guess for that at the moment is that the minimum power generation level for Spirit will be on September 8th assuming dust deposition remains constant. After that the rate at which Insolation rises increases faster than losses due to dust for a while but the amount of dust is very problematic now and without a cleaning event Spirit's ability to generate power will not rise above 276 whr per sol again when horizontal.

The Wikipedia value is the Martian Siderial day, your better value for Starry Night is closer to the Solar day (24.65979 earth hours).

[Joffan]

The thing I like most, regarding all this discussion on what to do next, is the belief in a long-term working (if somewhat crippled) rover. For example, at the JPL site, we have sentiments like:

After the winter solstice in August, depending on energy levels, scientists may direct the rover to pivot around the disabled, right front wheel to get different targets within reach of the arm. When the winter season is over and solar energy levels rise again, scientists will direct Spirit to leave its winter campaign site and continue examining the "Columbia Hills."

So this is planning what to do in maybe 9 months time. Awesome.

[Jeff7]

So this is planning what to do in maybe 9 months time. Awesome.

I can't imagine that things will get worse for it over the winter. It's away from El Dorado, which was apparently a prime location for dust deposition, and on a bit of a slope. It might get a bit of a cleaning from light winter breezes. If nothing else, the low winds of winter might help ensure less dust buildup.



This is just going to be so utterly devastating when they finally do announce to the world that the rovers are no more.

[Shaka]

Like losing family.

Once more into the breach, dear friends!

[RNeuhaus]

During the winter, Spirit will be almost hibernated. Only moving part will be its IDD and MST. These won't kill anything to Spirit until after between Sept-Oct.

Rodolfo