Getting to 'Big Crater', A little premature speculation |
Getting to 'Big Crater', A little premature speculation |
Sep 21 2006, 11:57 AM
Post
#1
|
|
Member Group: Members Posts: 813 Joined: 8-February 04 From: Arabia Terra Member No.: 12 |
Opportunity is not quite at Victoria yet, but on the horizon is a tantalising goal for the future- the big eroded crater to the south-east, the rim of which is already visible. This is the first 'large scale' topography of the mission so far. Wouldn't it be great if Opportunity could get to these hills and uncover their secrets?
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/sfjcody2/route_to_big.jpg |
|
|
Sep 22 2006, 07:17 AM
Post
#2
|
|
Chief Assistant Group: Admin Posts: 1409 Joined: 5-January 05 From: Ierapetra, Greece Member No.: 136 |
Me n'either, it's just too far. I might believe in it if ;
a - Victoria wasn't waiting here for us b - The road up there is smooth all the way Nico -------------------- photographer, space imagery enthusiast, proud father and partner, and geek.
http://500px.com/sacred-photons & |
|
|
Sep 22 2006, 07:37 AM
Post
#3
|
|
Member Group: Members Posts: 813 Joined: 8-February 04 From: Arabia Terra Member No.: 12 |
I don't really believe it either, but if Opportunity ever gets to the point where it can be said to have 'done' Victoria crater, and if it is still mobile at that point, and if it's not trapped in the crater it would probably be worthwhile to extend the 'baseline' for measurements of horizontal compositional variation in the Meridiani bedrock by driving a long distance south-east (more or less the opposite direction from Eagle crater). Which just happens to be the direction of 'big crater'...
|
|
|
Sep 22 2006, 07:56 AM
Post
#4
|
|
Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 3648 Joined: 1-October 05 From: Croatia Member No.: 523 |
... if it's not trapped in the crater ... That's a BIG IF, if you ask me. I dunno, that V thing looks really steep, one has to wonder if Oppy'll be able to safely get in there in the first place! -------------------- |
|
|
Sep 22 2006, 08:14 AM
Post
#5
|
|
Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 2920 Joined: 14-February 06 From: Very close to the Pyrénées Mountains (France) Member No.: 682 |
That's a BIG IF, if you ask me. I dunno, that V thing looks really steep, one has to wonder if Oppy'll be able to safely get in there in the first place! So far, in Meridianii we only know (or search) "under" the plain. If we can climb this hill, we'll have what we're missing : a view "above" the plain and we'll may be see how deep the standing water has been. This must definately be a goal for MRO...in case Oppy will not reach the hills Once again, take the distance from Eagle to Vicky, double this i.e about 15km, and you're at the hill. Not "that" far away. -------------------- |
|
|
Sep 22 2006, 08:31 AM
Post
#6
|
|
Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 3648 Joined: 1-October 05 From: Croatia Member No.: 523 |
Once again, take the distance from Eagle to Vicky, double this i.e about 15km, and you're at the hill. Not "that" far away. Yeah, but consider how many more months/years that is. Is it really realistic to expect Oppy to live that long? While she's maybe getting smarter with time, she's certainly not getting any younger. -------------------- |
|
|
Sep 22 2006, 08:42 AM
Post
#7
|
|
Member Group: Members Posts: 813 Joined: 8-February 04 From: Arabia Terra Member No.: 12 |
One more reason to be interested in going to this place: the rim of Big Crater (certainly the eastern rim, probably also the western rim, although it's hard to tell at this resolution) is not coated in blueberries- there's no hematite signal there! Whatever kind of bedrock it's made of is not the kind Oppy has seen to date...
http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/jpeg/PIA05154.jpg |
|
|
Lo-Fi Version | Time is now: 24th April 2024 - 05:49 PM |
RULES AND GUIDELINES Please read the Forum Rules and Guidelines before posting. IMAGE COPYRIGHT |
OPINIONS AND MODERATION Opinions expressed on UnmannedSpaceflight.com are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of UnmannedSpaceflight.com or The Planetary Society. The all-volunteer UnmannedSpaceflight.com moderation team is wholly independent of The Planetary Society. The Planetary Society has no influence over decisions made by the UnmannedSpaceflight.com moderators. |
SUPPORT THE FORUM Unmannedspaceflight.com is funded by the Planetary Society. Please consider supporting our work and many other projects by donating to the Society or becoming a member. |