[X] My Assistant

[Guest_Sunspot_*]

Have mission controllers ever considered using the IDD to try and move a rock or turn one over?

This one on the Erebus Highway would be a good candidate:

http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportuni...00P2365L7M1.JPG

[Jeff7]

It would probably be safer to park one of the rovers wheels on such a rock, lock all the other weels and then turn the one on the rock. Similar to what is done when trenching with the front wheels. It would also allow you to move considerably larger objects.

Or put that stuck front wheel to some good use.
Position the front wheel to the left of a rock, so that the wheel is also resting on loose sand.
Lock all other wheels, and rotate just that one wheel, to try to dig it in a bit.
Now turn the entire rover to the right. Rock will be caught by the wheel and shoved completely aside. And if we're lucky, it might catch something and flip over.
Now, turn back, and look for bugs and worms under the rock.
Spinning a wheel on top might merely abrade the rock (at least we'd have a reserve RAT, right?).