[X] My Assistant

[algorimancer]

Looking ahead to MSL (2010 isn't that far away), it occurs to me that it would be of mutual benefit to try to establish some sort of formal involvement between UMSF (or an interested pool of UMSF members, possibly coordinating through a private sub-forum) and the MSL PI's and associated teams. We've certainly got the talent pool, professional and otherwise, particularly considering the cartography, software development, and analysis which appears here. They could get the benefit of some competent assistance in a variety of forms (gratis), and we could acquire an inside line to the data products we care about. Anyone else think this would be a good idea? I'm not entirely sure how best to go about establishing this relationship, but we already have some members of the MSL team onboard here.

From my own perspective, I would like to be able to hit the ground running from the software perspective from the moment of landing. This means knowledge of such things as vehicle and instrument models (camera models) as well as locations and formats of data products - images, color calibration, and something to the effect of the pancam tracking database. Some aspects of data analysis might also be handled here, and I'm sure we'd all enjoy sharing opinions about mission planning

[mcaplinger]

Anyone else think this would be a good idea? I'm not entirely sure how best to go about establishing this relationship, but we already have some members of the MSL team onboard here.

I'll be more than happy to answer what questions I can about data formats, camera models, etc. but I don't think a formal collaboration is in the cards, at least for the science cameras, whether it's a good idea or not.

and I'm sure we'd all enjoy sharing opinions about mission planning

Sorry, but I think we have enough trouble with the mission planning opinions that are already available

[Guest_AlexBlackwell_*]

I'll be more than happy to answer what questions I can about data formats, camera models, etc. but I don't think a formal collaboration is in the cards, at least for the science cameras, whether it's a good idea or not.

Oh well, I guess when MSL comes around some UMSFers are going to be experiencing PSTSD (Post Squyres Traumatic Stress Disorder)

[mcaplinger]

Oh well, I guess when MSL comes around some UMSFers are going to be experiencing PSTSD (Post Squyres Traumatic Stress Disorder)

Exactly what kind of formal collaboration has Squyres supported? AFAIK the MSL data availability will be just as good as it is with MER. But I'm not on the science team and I don't speak for the science team or anybody but myself on this forum.