IPB

Welcome Guest ( Log In | Register )

47 Pages V   1 2 3 > »   
Reply to this topicStart new topic
Santa Maria!
Julius
post Dec 15 2010, 11:17 PM
Post #1


Member
***

Group: Members
Posts: 362
Joined: 13-April 06
From: Malta
Member No.: 741



think it deserves a topic on its own
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
Stu
post Dec 15 2010, 11:58 PM
Post #2


The Poet Dude
****

Group: Moderator
Posts: 5551
Joined: 15-March 04
From: Kendal, Cumbria, UK
Member No.: 60



On the slope of Santa Maria...

Attached Image


--------------------
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
Guest_Sunspot_*
post Dec 16 2010, 12:46 AM
Post #3





Guests






Hopefully we will get some close ups of Crocodile Tale rock.... so much to see though.
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
belleraphon1
post Dec 16 2010, 01:21 AM
Post #4


Member
***

Group: Members
Posts: 813
Joined: 29-December 05
From: NE Oh, USA
Member No.: 627



WHOA!!!!

I was 23 when the Viking1 lander pad image scrolled down a screen.

These journies .... Sojourner, Spirit, Opportunity.

Awesome, poignant... tears in my eyes and chills down my spine!

Craig
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
fredk
post Dec 16 2010, 01:46 AM
Post #5


Senior Member
****

Group: Members
Posts: 4245
Joined: 17-January 05
Member No.: 152



QUOTE (Stu @ Dec 16 2010, 12:58 AM) *
On the slope of Santa Maria...

Judging from the drive direction pans, we're headed pretty much in the direction in Stu's image next drive. Perhaps to the "saddle" along the rim behind the big rock in that image? These rocks are big enough that I'm sure they'd want to go around them, not over.
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
nprev
post Dec 16 2010, 04:58 AM
Post #6


Merciless Robot
****

Group: Admin
Posts: 8783
Joined: 8-December 05
From: Los Angeles
Member No.: 602



Man, did I pick a heckuva day to move!!! mad.gif

But at least we've achieved connectivity here at the new, improved Casa de Nprev ( A Robot Armstm LLC property), and apparently just in time....stunning!!!

Now I gotta bust open boxes to find my 3D specs


--------------------
A few will take this knowledge and use this power of a dream realized as a force for change, an impetus for further discovery to make less ancient dreams real.
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
Guest_Bobby_*
post Dec 16 2010, 06:38 AM
Post #7





Guests






Anyone here see any Rocks the Rover Scientist will start investigating? I see a few including Crocodile Rock.

Maybe we should give this place a Christmas Theme? Which Rock will be named Rudolf??? Just joking rolleyes.gif
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
dilo
post Dec 16 2010, 07:34 AM
Post #8


Senior Member
****

Group: Members
Posts: 2492
Joined: 15-January 05
From: center Italy
Member No.: 150



First rough stitch of Navcam pictures (alignment on the crater rim, not on the foreground)
Attached thumbnail(s)
Attached Image
 


--------------------
I always think before posting! - Marco -
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
walfy
post Dec 16 2010, 07:40 AM
Post #9


Member
***

Group: Members
Posts: 404
Joined: 5-January 10
Member No.: 5161



This crater is way more fascinating than I expected. Thanks to everyone for posting the pictures. I don't mind sticking around here for awhile, if that's what they'll do.
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
climber
post Dec 16 2010, 08:24 AM
Post #10


Senior Member
****

Group: Members
Posts: 2917
Joined: 14-February 06
From: Very close to the Pyrénées Mountains (France)
Member No.: 682



QUOTE (fredk @ Dec 16 2010, 02:46 AM) *
Judging from the drive direction pans, we're headed pretty much in the direction in Stu's image next drive. Perhaps to the "saddle" along the rim behind the big rock in that image? These rocks are big enough that I'm sure they'd want to go around them, not over.

So, the plan is to get closer and have a look at the inside, and rocks studies will comme afterward, right?


--------------------
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
Astro0
post Dec 16 2010, 09:51 AM
Post #11


Senior Member
****

Group: Admin
Posts: 3108
Joined: 21-December 05
From: Canberra, Australia
Member No.: 615



From the most recent monthly Rover report on TPS:

1) Although there is no detailed exploration plan for Santa Maria, Squyres said that he does not anticipate the rover will venture into the crater.
That's qualified of course with: “We may pull up to the rim of this thing and find something different.”

2) “We're very excited about Santa Maria, because it is the last really spectacular thing we expect we’ll come across before the rover gets to Endeavour,” said Squyres. “Because it's in the same size class as Endurance, but appears to be a little fresher, we think there might be some interesting things to see in the ejecta," he noted. "We'll go into it with eyes open, and we'll make our decision about how long we will spend there when we see it,” he said.

3) “One of the most valuable things we did at Endurance is we took big panoramas from a couple of points around the rim that enabled us to developed a very, very good 3-dimensional digital elevation model for that crater and terrific science has come from that,” Squyres pointed out. “We will probably want to do something very much like that at Santa Maria.”

So the plan is:
1) There is no firm plan until they get a closer look
2) They think that the ejecta will be interesting (and it looks like it is) so they'll be studying the rocks (big surprise there!)
3) Expect some really nice panoramas from a couple of angles smile.gif (get your favorite stitching software ready)

Then of course, as we've all come to expect of the MER mission...something will catch the mission team's eye and everything will change.
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
jamescanvin
post Dec 16 2010, 10:05 AM
Post #12


Senior Member
****

Group: Moderator
Posts: 2262
Joined: 9-February 04
From: Melbourne - Oz
Member No.: 16



QUOTE (climber @ Dec 16 2010, 08:24 AM) *
So, the plan is to get closer and have a look at the inside, and rocks studies will comme afterward, right?


Right. Scott said on Twitter yesterday that after the next drive Oppy should be ~3m from the edge! cool.gif


--------------------
Twitter
Please support unmannedspaceflight.com by donating here
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
Floyd
post Dec 16 2010, 12:43 PM
Post #13


Member
***

Group: Members
Posts: 909
Joined: 4-September 06
From: Boston
Member No.: 1102



Five years ago, Scott was driving Spirit up to Comanche and who would have guessed that they would discover carbonates there. So keep you eyes open everyone... I'm feeling lucky...


--------------------
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
climber
post Dec 16 2010, 12:59 PM
Post #14


Senior Member
****

Group: Members
Posts: 2917
Joined: 14-February 06
From: Very close to the Pyrénées Mountains (France)
Member No.: 682



Thanks James and AstroNAUT, as for the route map, it's nice to see what's coming up.


--------------------
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
fredk
post Dec 16 2010, 03:58 PM
Post #15


Senior Member
****

Group: Members
Posts: 4245
Joined: 17-January 05
Member No.: 152



I was surprized to find some specific plans in the latest update:
QUOTE
Opportunity will conduct an in-situ (contact) science campaign at the crater, which will likely extend through Solar Conjunction (through early February 2011).

In addition to a sophisticated wide-baseline stereo-imaging survey from several positions halfway around the crater, the rover will explore minerals located around the southeast portion of the crater, using the instruments on the end of the rover's robotic arm.

Obviously the mention of the SE rim could only be based on orbital imagery. Perhaps they noticed the circled area in my image, and thought it might provide easier access to layers than the rest of the rim, which seems to drop into the crater pretty abruptly most other places:
[attachment=23311:MERB_Sol...0_1_crop.jpg]
Obviously we're about to find out how it looks from the ground...
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post

47 Pages V   1 2 3 > » 
Reply to this topicStart new topic

 



RSS Lo-Fi Version Time is now: 19th March 2024 - 09:45 AM
RULES AND GUIDELINES
Please read the Forum Rules and Guidelines before posting.

IMAGE COPYRIGHT
Images posted on UnmannedSpaceflight.com may be copyrighted. Do not reproduce without permission. Read here for further information on space images and copyright.

OPINIONS AND MODERATION
Opinions expressed on UnmannedSpaceflight.com are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of UnmannedSpaceflight.com or The Planetary Society. The all-volunteer UnmannedSpaceflight.com moderation team is wholly independent of The Planetary Society. The Planetary Society has no influence over decisions made by the UnmannedSpaceflight.com moderators.
SUPPORT THE FORUM
Unmannedspaceflight.com is funded by the Planetary Society. Please consider supporting our work and many other projects by donating to the Society or becoming a member.