The Conjunction Plan Options

[djellison]

CODE

4. What EDRs did we request?

Expected EDRs by sequence number and image type:

Sol   Seq.Ver  ETH ESF EDN EFF ERP Tot  Description
----- -------- --- --- --- --- --- ---- -----------
01724 p1550.01 2   0   1   0   0   3    navcam_tau
01724 p1588.03 6   0   6   0   0   12   navcam_cloud_movie_right_eye_pri_57
01724 p2600.12 2   2   0   0   2   6    pancam_tau
01725 p0060.02 40  40  0   0   0   80   photon_transfer_left_navcam
01725 p2601.03 4   2   0   0   2   8    pancam_tau_L78R48
01726 p1588.03 6   0   6   0   0   12   navcam_cloud_movie_right_eye_pri_57
01727 p0061.01 40  40  0   0   0   80   photon_transfer_right_navcam
01728 p0064.01 40  40  0   0   0   80   photon_transfer_left_front_hazcam
01728 p1588.03 6   0   6   0   0   12   navcam_cloud_movie_right_eye_pri_57
01729 p0065.01 40  40  0   0   0   80   photon_transfer_right_front_hazcam
01730 p0066.01 40  40  0   0   0   80   photon_transfer_left_rear_hazcam
01730 p1588.03 6   0   6   0   0   12   navcam_cloud_movie_right_eye_pri_57
01731 p0067.01 40  40  0   0   0   80   photon_transfer_right_rear_hazcam
01732 p0068.02 40  40  0   0   0   80   photon_transfer_mi
01732 p1588.03 6   0   6   0   0   12   navcam_cloud_movie_right_eye_pri_57
01733 p0062.01 40  40  0   0   0   80   photon_transfer_left_pancam
01734 p0063.01 40  40  0   0   0   80   photon_transfer_right_pancam
01734 p1588.03 6   0   6   0   0   12   navcam_cloud_movie_right_eye_pri_57
01736 p1588.03 6   0   6   0   0   12   navcam_cloud_movie_right_eye_pri_57
01738 p1588.03 6   0   6   0   0   12   navcam_cloud_movie_right_eye_pri_57
01740 p1588.03 6   0   6   0   0   12   navcam_cloud_movie_right_eye_pri_57
      Total    422 364 55  0   4   845

Looks like a busy time - the Photon Transfer sequences are interesting, I'll ask some Q's as to what that's about. With a healthy rover, Conjunction must be frustrating. Safe, low data volume, but time consuming sequences are all good

Doug

[SpaceListener]

The programming activities are for 14 Sol. I tought that the conjunction will last 3-4 weeks if the communication between Mars and Earth is allowed only up to 5 degree from the Sun. The 14 Sol, means that the communication between two planets is up to 3 degree from the Sun.

[djellison]

The 14 sols is simply what's available on the PCDB at the moment. There may be a longer plan - I don't know - we've been told elsewhere how long conjunction will actually last.

Doug

[SpaceListener]

About PCDB, I have not found any meaning from Google Search engine. In fact, it has many meanings. I imagine it might refer to an database where the information is kept.

Changing the theme, about the photon transfer, I searched it and I think I have not concluded it except it might be narrowed down:

Hence, conservation of momentum requires that at least two photons are created, with zero net momentum. The energy of the two photons—or, equivalently, their frequency—may be determined from conservation of four-momentum. Seen another way, the photon can be considered as its own antiparticle. The reverse process, pair production, is the dominant mechanism by which high-energy photons such as gamma rays lose energy while passing through matter.

The classical formulae for the energy and momentum of electromagnetic radiation can be re-expressed in terms of photon events. For example, the pressure of electromagnetic radiation on an object derives from the transfer of photon momentum per unit time and unit area to that object, since pressure is force per unit area and force is the change in momentum per unit time.

Reference from Wikipedia.

[djellison]

It's the database of MER images maintained at Cornell.

[mcaplinger]

about the photon transfer...

Photon transfer is a technique to compute the gain and noise of a camera system from multiple images at different signal levels, originally developed by Jim Janesick when he was at JPL.

http://www.couriertronics.com/docs/notes/c...tion_Method.pdf

[centsworth_II]

The programming activities are for 14 Sol. I tought that the conjunction will last 3-4 weeks...

according to Steve Squyres' comments to ustrax, Opportunity will be ready to move on about mid December. It looks to me like the planning to sol 1740 brings us to that point.

[SpaceListener]

Good for the clarification about PCDB, Photon Transfer Curve (really good article) and the conjunction dates. Many thanks!

[Guest_Oersted_*]

The Christmas holidays come early to the MER crew this year

[Nirgal]

Opportunity will be ready to move on about mid December.

Wow, now that's great news !
I was afraid that the immobility break would last at least until after christmas/new year ...

Does anyone know whether we will be in restricted or unrestricted sols by the time we resume our journey ?

[RoverDriver]

Wow, now that's great news !
I was afraid that the immobility break would last at least until after christmas/new year ...

Does anyone know whether we will be in restricted or unrestricted sols by the time we resume our journey ?

Opportunity will be rated R for the first week after Conjunction. Before we drive off we also need to complete IDD work on Santorini.

Paolo

[SpaceListener]

An new Oppy activity during the conjunction:

This coming weekend, engineers plan another attempt to remove dust from the miniature thermal emission spectrometer mirror by shaking it.

http://www.marsdaily.com/reports/Opportuni...ndence_999.html
How can Oppy shake her solar panels?

Driving over the rocks?

[djellison]

From Mini-TES - not the solar panels. Mini-TES has a mirror at the top of the mast, which is caked in dust - they will shake it in an attempt to get rid of some of the dust.

Doug

[jamescanvin]

And although that report you link is dated with today's date, it is a verbatim copy of a rover update that was posted on the MER site nearly two weeks ago! Very poor 'journalism' there.

So by 'this coming weekend' read 'a week or so ago'

The Rover Update on the Planetary Society says that the shake has already happened and failed to dislodge any dust (or the dust is on other optical parts) and they will now just leave the cover open and hope for a wind cleaning event.

James

[Doc]

I really don't want to dash hopes of recovering the m-TES. But let's look at the facts; it is much easier for fine dust to drift into the pancam mast shaft and collect onto horizontal surfaces at the bottom i.e optics. The exposed (vibrated) mirror would be less likely to collect dust due to its slanting orientation as such */*. Again, apologies to all disturbed ones.