Opportunity Route Map Options

[Tesheiner]

The splotch of white outcrop between C and D is hidden by the splotch of high, dark ripples between B and D. Right?

That's exactly what I thought when making the composition. It's not the first (and won't be the last) time some big outcrops are hidden behind the ripples.
And this is something that makes be feel lost too, because sometimes it happen that after a, let's say, 50m drive the rover is right on a big field of rocks which can't be seen on the previous sol's images.

[Guest_Myran_*]

Oh yes you felt it too then Tesheiner.
It have been this very fast drive that made me loose my bearings, since I was unable to compare from previous days. So yes I accept your interpretation, with just a small wonder why Victoria doesnt look as expected in streched images etc - but no! Dont try to explain that, we'll see in due time.

[Tesheiner]

In those cases (new features invisible on pre-drive images) what usually "saves the day" is a polar projection; it's quite "easy" to match the outcrops seen on orbital imagery (route map) with those on the polar view.

Besides, I've just checked the tracking web and sol 799 (tomorrow) is driving day. In addition, there is a planned 5x1 color panorama tosol: "Junction City" is it's name. I'm 99% convinced that's the big outcrop "B" on my previous post.

[Tesheiner]

Route map, updated to sol 799.

(337k)

In addition, there is a planned 5x1 color panorama tosol: "Junction City" is it's name. I'm 99% convinced that's the big outcrop "B" on my previous post.

It wasn't. Just the ripple to the right of sol 796 pancam mosaic.

[Bill Harris]

We're approaching an area where the going will be a bit slower: the ripples are taller Oppy will have to drive around them more than drive over them. The "dark dune" area is likely a paleo crater and once we get past it the travel speed ought to pick up again. Oppy made great progress for a while, but's let's not get complacent.

The ripples are taller and the bedrock is more uneven, this could be an interesting area.

--Bill

[Ant103]

Tesheiner : I've update the right picture of your route map. 'cause this side of the image wasn't update, contrary to the left side

Attached thumbnail(s)

 

[Tesheiner]

Merci Ant103!

The idea was to sync the right side whenever "shifting up" the left side -- which btw should happen in a week or two at this pace --, but I think I should do that more often.

[Toma B]

Today (sol800) is driving sol just like yesterday...
It has been long time since 2 or more driving sols in a row...

CODE

800 p0695.03 0   0   0   0   0   0    navcam_5x1_az_162_3_bpp
800 p1205.06 0   0   0   0   0   0    front_haz_penultimate_0.5_bpp_pri17
800 p1211.03 0   0   0   0   0   0    ultimate_front_haz_1_bpp_pri_15
800 p1275.01 0   0   0   0   0   0    front_hazcam_0.5bpp_pri_41
800 p1275.01 0   0   0   0   0   0    front_hazcam_0.5bpp_pri_41
800 p1305.05 0   0   0   0   0   0    rear_haz_penultimate_0.5bpp_pri17
800 p1311.07 0   0   0   0   0   0    rear_haz_ultimate_1_bpp_crit15
800 p1375.01 0   0   0   0   0   0    rear_hazcam_0.5bpp_pri_41
800 p1375.01 0   0   0   0   0   0    rear_hazcam_0.5bpp_pri_41
800 p1991.02 0   0   0   0   0   0    navcam_5x1_az_342_pri29_2_bpp
800 p2395.07 0   0   0   0   0   0    pancam_drive_direction_5cx1r_L2R2

[jamescanvin]

If my understanding of the data tracking site is correct, then the drive to 69KE on sol 800 was 30.8m on a bearing of 112 degrees.

Putting us here



I Think... I hope when the images come through Tesheiner can confirm this.

James

[jamescanvin]

Another sol, another drive...

Sol 801 tracking data to site/drive 69NV

Distance 26.8m - Bearing 167 Degrees



James

[Tesheiner]

I Think... I hope when the images come through Tesheiner can confirm this.

Right on the money, James.

Here is what I've got based on a polar projection of sol 800 navcam pics and trying to fit as much as possible the visible outcrops.

Route map, updated to sol 800.
(338k)

Another sol, another drive...

I would expect at least five driving days in a row. Let's see...

[antoniseb]

I would expect at least five driving days in a row. Let's see...

That would be two straight between the dunes to the next open area, one day going SE across the saltflats, and two more days going straight South between the dunes?

[Tesheiner]

Sol 802 is planned for driving too, per the tracking web.
Given James estimation for 801 position (where are those pics? ) it looks quite probable the rover will reach the next outcrop field on its path tosol.

[Tesheiner]

Sol 801 tracking data to site/drive 69NV
Distance 26.8m - Bearing 167 Degrees

I've got 27.5m (+-0.5m) via parallax measurements to the little rock patch which can be seen on sol 801 navcams (http://nasa.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportu...NVP0695L0M1.JPG) and sol 800 pancam (http://nasa.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportu...KEP2395L2M1.JPG).

Very consistent with your data; I like that!

[jamescanvin]

Right on the money, James.

Well, not quite. It's close, but I don't understand the discrepency between the distances I get from the tracking data and that on your map.

I'll do some more tests...



I've overlayed the route derived from the tracking data over your map (matched at the sol 794 point (the origin of site 69)).

What's interesting about this map is it shows the different driving techniques. The 'solid line' of red points shows autonav regions (around 1m between each point) and the more widely spaced points (with yellow lines between) where they are more confident of the terrain (near the start of the sol) and are doing 6-10m (blind) drives before checking for slippage etc.

James

Attached thumbnail(s)