Going To Homeplate... - Unmanned Spaceflight.com

Going To Homeplate...

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dilo

Jan 3 2006, 09:49 PM

Post #1

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Short time to enjoy Eldorado images and now... just released picture of HomePlate, I know still hundred of meters away but seems so close!

stitch of two Sol712 NavCams:

It seems Spirit is now at the same level of HomePlate plateau!

Here I tried to identify some features seen from the summit... not totally sure on bright sand spots and rocks, any suggestion?

--------------------

I always think before posting! - Marco -

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Tesheiner View Member Profile	Jan 5 2006, 09:38 AM Post #31
Senior Member Group: Moderator Posts: 4280 Joined: 19-April 05 From: .br at .es Member No.: 253	Just some additional data from sol 713 drive... Taking the little outcrop seen ahead as a reference, the drive can be estimated at about 62m heading SE.

ustrax View Member Profile	Jan 5 2006, 11:03 AM Post #32
Special Cookie Group: Members Posts: 2168 Joined: 6-April 05 From: Sintra \| Portugal Member No.: 228	By the look of this, after the Haskin Ridge, we will have the Haskin Plate? "We will stay on the summit for a few weeks to finish our desired investigations, then go downhill to explore the south inner basin, especially the so-called 'home-plate,' which could be a feature of older rock or a filled-in crater," Wang said. "We will name a major geo-feature in the basin after Larry." http://news-info.wustl.edu/tips/page/normal/5514.html -------------------- "Ride, boldly ride," The shade replied, "If you seek for Eldorado!" Edgar Alan Poe

jvandriel

Jan 5 2006, 11:45 AM

Post #33

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Spirit looking into the driving direction on Sol 707 ?

Taken with the L7 pancam.

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Tesheiner View Member Profile	Jan 5 2006, 12:03 PM Post #34
Senior Member Group: Moderator Posts: 4280 Joined: 19-April 05 From: .br at .es Member No.: 253	QUOTE (jvandriel @ Jan 5 2006, 12:45 PM) Spirit looking into the driving direction on Sol 707 ? Yep. Spirit drove by the left of that strange looking pile of rocks on the second leftmost frame.

djellison

Jan 5 2006, 12:20 PM

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Indeed - my best guess is something like the attached.

I think 713 was a drive sol as well, wee should get the imagery either quite soon on an AM Odyssey pass, or in 12 hours time on a PM after more post drive imaging on 714 They seem to be doing a pattern. Drive & Drive Direction Pancam on some sols, and then Navcam (documenting the terrain I suppose ) on the following sol.

Doug

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abalone

Jan 5 2006, 12:27 PM

Post #36

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The road ahead. When I was a kid we used to make sand toboggans and zoom down hills like this at the beach

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Tesheiner

Jan 5 2006, 12:52 PM

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QUOTE (djellison @ Jan 5 2006, 01:20 PM)

Indeed - my best guess is something like the attached.

I think 713 was a drive sol as well, wee should get the imagery either quite soon on an AM Odyssey pass, or in 12 hours time on a PM after more post drive imaging on 714 They seem to be doing a pattern. Drive & Drive Direction Pancam on some sols, and then Navcam (documenting the terrain I suppose ) on the following sol.

Doug

Well, imagery from sol 713 (site/drive ALHQ) is available since yesterday (GMT). At least the drive-related pictures.
The pattern I see is: drive, forward-looking navcams (5 pics), and drive-direction pancams (4-6 pics) on a sol; then on the following sol the rear-looking navcams (5 pics) prior to driving again to the next site (if not on restricted sols). The reason to that navcam panorama splitting on different sols is possibly related to bandwidth issues.

IMO, Spirit is a bit to the right on sol 713 (based on your attached image). Here is my guess. The circle is just in front of the little outcrop which can be seen on 713 navcam pics.

(194k)

SigurRosFan View Member Profile	Jan 5 2006, 01:25 PM Post #38
Member Group: Members Posts: 531 Joined: 24-August 05 Member No.: 471	Doug, here is a more accurate Sol 713 position. Sol 713 position (321 KB): -------------------- - blue_scape / Nico -

Tesheiner View Member Profile	Jan 5 2006, 01:28 PM Post #39
Senior Member Group: Moderator Posts: 4280 Joined: 19-April 05 From: .br at .es Member No.: 253	Mmm, quite strange... The MER data tracking web reports no available pics for sol 713, but they ARE available at the Exploratorium. Maybe that's what happened to you some day(s) ago, Ustrax. Anyway, this is not the first time it happens. No worry.

djellison View Member Profile	Jan 5 2006, 01:28 PM Post #40
Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14457 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1	Yup - that's more like it. Mine was more a 'over there...ish' wavey-hand type thing Doug

SigurRosFan View Member Profile	Jan 5 2006, 02:10 PM Post #41
Member Group: Members Posts: 531 Joined: 24-August 05 Member No.: 471	Jvandriel, what a fantastic panorama!! Thanks! And here's my new catches the rover view. Sol 713 rover seen from Sol 707 (362 KB): -------------------- - blue_scape / Nico -

Bill Harris View Member Profile	Jan 5 2006, 06:18 PM Post #42
Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 3009 Joined: 30-October 04 Member No.: 105	Remember this press release from 21 May 2004? The MER/JPL site is a bit wonky today and I wasn't able to snag the accompanying image, but Lookout Point is the promontory just west of El Dorado. Just reminiscing... --Bill QUOTE When done there, Spirit will head approximately 620 meters (0.38 miles) to a higher-elevation location informally called "Lookout Point." Spirit might reach Lookout Point by around sol 165 (June 20, 2004). On the way, the rover will pass by and study ripple-shaped wind deposits that may reveal more information about wind processes on Mars. Lookout Point will provide a great vantage point for scientists to remotely study the inner basin area of the Columbia Hills. This basin contains a broad range of interesting geological targets including the informally named "Home Plate" and other possible layered outcrops. These features suggest that the hills contain rock layers. Spirit might investigate the layers to determine whether they are water-deposited sedimentary rock. Once at Lookout Point, Spirit will acquire 360-degree panoramic images of the entire area to help define the rover's next steps. Assuming the rover stays healthy, Spirit will eventually drive down into the basin to get an up-close look at interesting features there. -------------------- Dawn-- Ceres Pluto Encounter Rosetta Mission

djellison

Jan 5 2006, 11:14 PM

Post #43

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Not a great job, but it shows the environs.

Doug

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ustrax View Member Profile	Jan 5 2006, 11:35 PM Post #44
Special Cookie Group: Members Posts: 2168 Joined: 6-April 05 From: Sintra \| Portugal Member No.: 228	QUOTE (djellison @ Jan 5 2006, 11:14 PM) Not a great job, but it shows the environs. Doug Yeap! Spirit's going west... Probably tomorrow we'll face Home (Haskin) Plate from a completely different perspective. -------------------- "Ride, boldly ride," The shade replied, "If you seek for Eldorado!" Edgar Alan Poe

jabe View Member Profile	Jan 6 2006, 12:51 AM Post #45
Member Group: Members Posts: 163 Joined: 16-March 05 From: Oakville, Ontario, Canada Member No.: 201	Gotta love these dunes!!

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