Post-Solstice at Home Plate North Options

[climber]

I will risk to speak my opinion: the best place to get a cleaning event will be between HP and VB where we could get some Venturi's effect (acceleration of air flow beteween 2 highest points). i must said that it's more a "hope" than anything else.

[marsophile]

What I'm concerned about now is the settling out of dust which happened at the end of the major storms last year. As I recall when the skies cleared and tau dropped whrs began to plummet too from the accumulation of dust. Let's hope that doesn't occur here, even on a small scale.

It's a good thing the rover is currently tilted, so it presents a smaller "catch" area to vertically falling dust. My recollection is that the cleaning events all took place on Husband Hill. It makes sense that hilly areas would catch more wind. Perhaps when the rover gets on top of home plate, it might help.

Maybe the vibration trick that Opportunity is currently trying to clean the MTES might tend to shake dust off Spirit's solar panels while it is on an incline? Of course it doesn't have the energy to try anything like that now, but maybe later in the Spring or Summer? Kind of like a dog drying itself after a dip in the water!

[FIN Mars]

If the worst option comes true and Spirit dies, this will be black week
Where are you, saving dust devil...

[climber]

In case you missed these TPS news: http://planetary.org/news/2008/1113_Mars_E...ate_Spirit.html

[centsworth_II]

If the worst option comes true and Spirit dies, this will be black week

Just when things are looking up, why you gotta go and bring us down?

I wonder what the "new" absolute minimum power production requirement level is to keep Spirit alive until increased sunlight or a cleaning event come her way? 80 whrs was too low. Is 150 whrs enough for a long term siege? 120?

[djellison]

Does anyone recall the last location where Spirit had a cleaning event, and how far away that was?

The Eastern side of home plate. All of 20m away.

Doug

[dot.dk]

FULL INLINE QUOTE REMOVED - Admin

When was that? Can't remember

[djellison]

http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.p...st&p=130510

Sol 1104 - 310 Whrs
Sol 1219 - 600 Whrs
Sol 1240 - 750 Whrs

[brellis]

A cleaning event just prior to the big dust storm -- one might suspect the increasing winds were part of the approaching storm system. That wind cuts both ways!

If only we could pray for rain!

[alan]

Top two rows of the Bonestell panorama are now complete

[fredk]

New release:

...the dust buildup on the panels themselves has worsened. Only 30 percent of the light hitting them gets through the dust and is usable by the photovoltaic cells, down from 33 percent before the storm.

A ten percent drop in transparency. Could've been worse. Let's hope there's not too much more dust still to settle.

[Vultur]

Hoping for some cleansing s.

Still, I'm glad the immediate crisis is over.

I don't think conjunction is that far away ... I hope she can hold on through it!

[djellison]

The word is, the last three sols (1730-1732) were all 160-170Whrs power, with actual useage being >20Whrs LESS than that - so entirely power positive.

Doug

[BrianL]

What power levels are needed before they will try driving again?

[djellison]

Back to 240+ I would have thought. We'll be in this location till after conjunction.