[X] My Assistant

[mars_armer]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I just heard that there is a serious problem with Spirit's right front drive actuator after yestersol's drive. (This is the actuator that had high currents in the past and led to the backward-driving strategy.) It will take awhile to evaluate the situation, but early speculation is grim.

In a worst-case scenario, they can still drag the bum wheel along, but don't expect another summit view.

Best-case scenario would be a rock or debris jammed in the wheel.

This is a heads-up, sorry I can't really give more info at this time. I still thought you all would like to know.

[GregM]

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[Shaka]

My biggest concern about all of this is that if the Rover cannot climb the hill on 5 wheels, it will not gain enough altitude to catch the wind, and therefore not be able to clean off the solar panel. Even if it gets to the base of the hill and gets on a tilt that alllows better positioning with respect to the sun, it is only buying a little time. Eventually the dust will accumulate on the panel and starve Spirit anyway. Sooner or later it will need wind. The wind is up high on the hill. It needs to be able to climb somehow.

Be brave, Greg! We don't know yet what Spirit can do on 5 wheels. Maybe it will be able to climb McCool, slowly and with frequent roadblocks when the Bad Wheel (TBW) catches on a rock. Then we will have to back up, turn, and go around the rock. It will be slooowwww progress. But we have all the time the gods of space probes have allotted Spirit.
As to catching the wind, we could see a huge improvement as soon as we get into the Pass between McCool and Husband Hills. If you aren't familiar with the wind power they can provide, Google on wind farms, and Tehachapi, San Gorgonio, and Altamont Pass. We don't have to reach the peak of McCool to get the wind. On the contrary, it may be extra strong down in the pass.
To be the final, ultimate, SuperHero of Mars exploration, Spirit needs to slowly climb the north face of McCool Hill. If it gets even half way to the summit, it should have a bronze statue in every city park in America!