To the Cape!, Quackmire and arm troubles Options

[ustrax]

Great blog, great pan! Looks like you'll have a lot of work in the coming days...

[Stu]

Oh boy we're gonna see some sights over the next few days and weeks... here's the latest view...

[edstrick]

..."...as it shows the region we're all interested in I thought I'd process what is down so far."

I've kept looking at the transition between the cobbly/blocky surface next to the base of the cape and the flatter, but dustier, more mantled surface further from the cape... and keep thinking that slope angle limits permitting...... there's a potentially drivable route...

pant-pant!

[climber]

This is just the start of the sol 1487 pan but as it shows the region we're all interested in I thought I'd process what is down so far.
James

On the full resolution image we can clearly see the "pavment" under the dust so, I think it'll be driveable.

[Stu]

Couple more pieces of the puzzle filled in...



I know others will do a lot better - by getting rid of those horrible dark lines, for example - but I wanted to have a go... can't resist this low angle lighting...

And a quick 3D of the base of the cliff... looks like there is some interesting terrain over there, some dips and hollows, and some very interesting rocks to look at close-up...

[jamescanvin]

It looks like the 3rd row of the 1487 pan, that is not down yet, is of the sky. So this is a quick go at essentially the finished 6x2 image.



Click image

James

[djellison]

It looks like the 3rd row of the 1487 pan, that is not down yet, is of the sky.

Ryan ( http://martianchronicles.wordpress.com/ ) said that they downlinked all the thumbnails - but then threw away the sky images They commanded a bigger mosaic than they needed, as it was commanded in the blind before the drive.

Doug

[Ryan]

Yep, didn't want to waste bits downlinking blank sky images. I've posted the full-res false-color (uncalibrated) mosaic in my latest update: http://martianchronicles.wordpress.com/200...sols-1492-1494/

Enjoy!

[Tesheiner]

There are some fresh pictures on the Exploratorium of the latest move by Opportunity during sol 1495.
The latest significant drive was on sol 1491 (check the route map) and there were two "drive attempts" after that one, on sols 1493 and 1495, both of them resulting on tiny uphill movements.
Have a look to the fhazcam shots from those sols here below (gamma corrected). Don't you think the forward left wheel is sliping and digging in the soil?

Sol 1491 (original: http://nasa.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportu...84P1212R0M1.JPG
)
Sol 1493 (original: http://nasa.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportu...86P1212R0M1.JPG
)
Sol 1495 (original: http://nasa.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportu...88P1212R0M1.JPG)

[fredk]

Don't you think the forward left wheel is sliping and digging in the soil?

I'd say it is digging in, to a small depth. But of course on such a steep slope even a small amount of slippage is concerning. When you look at these images it's easy to forget about the slope and mentally "subtract it off".

On the other hand, we apparently have bedrock not far below the surface here. And the best rover drivers in the solar system at the wheel.

I have to say though that I'm surprized that it appears they intend to take a direct route to the target, over this sandy surface, rather than following the exposed rock to the left (upslope) as far as possible, before heading downslope. Perhaps they've chosen the route with the shallowest slopes.

[Astro0]

Animation of Tesheiner's and fredk's observation.


This is going to be a long and winding road.

Astro0

[Tesheiner]

> This is going to be a long and winding road.

Definitely.
Check the latest fhazcam shot from a few hours ago during sol 1496.


The original image without any "enhancements" is here: http://nasa.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportu...90P1213R0M1.JPG

[mike]

Fear not, they will reach their goal. They must.

[Tesheiner]

I'm not sure to be correctly interpreting the mobility data from the PCTD but based on that info I calculated the amount of slippage which happened during the driving attempts of last sols. During sol 1493, Opportunity was expected to move some 24cm but actually moved just 7cm; that corresponds to 70% slippage. During sol 1495, she was expected to move 56cm but did only 5cm; 90% slippage. There are not enough data from sol 1496 to calculate any slippage factor.

Opportunity was scheduled to move again tosol (1497). Fingers crossed.

[djellison]

View from Jan 11th of Oppy in Vic crater.

Attached thumbnail(s)