[X] My Assistant

[elakdawalla]

Matt Heverly tweeted earlier today that they're "on the road again," planning the seventh drive. So sol 39 will be a driving day, and it's time to start a new thread! In yesterday's press briefing, Joy Crisp said the plan was to "drive, drive, drive," though they will probably stop again before getting to Glenelg if they spot a good rock to use for the testing of drilling and sample acquisition and delivery.

As usual, keep conversation of the events and images of sols 30 through 37 in the appropriate thread.

[helvick]

RTG power is not limitless, it's still only around 100-125watts max. MSL uses it in just the same way the MER's used their solar panels, to charge it's batteries which can then provide the power to cover the many things that MSL can and must do when she's active that add up to a lot more than 100watts of load. So she has to get her beauty sleep to recharge her batteries.

[MahFL]

The main advantage is MSL won't have to stand down during the winter. As for returned data they did more than 500 megabits with MRO in one pass. Once out of Mars time though the team won't always be able to prepare the next days upload in time, so there will be quiet days, where I guess some safe run out science could be done. Also Mr Cook said they expect to have 10 years or more to explore. Of course they will have a "time line" to try accomplish the main mission objectives, which I suspect maybe extended beyond two years should MSL continue to be a reliable spacecraft.
What happened to Pete ?, as I see on the MSL website Cook is now the MSL Project Manager.

Edit : Wiki says this...
"He is currently director for the Engineering and Science Directorate at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory."

I guess Pete Theisinger got promoted .

[DFinfrock]

The main advantage is MSL won't have to stand down during the winter.

Another advantage... no real worry about tau. Although dust storms will still be a concern for some of the instruments; keeping lens covers in place for instance.