The Top of Vera Rubin Ridge Part 2, Site 67-73, sol 1944-2297, 24 Jan 2018-22 Jan 2019 |
The Top of Vera Rubin Ridge Part 2, Site 67-73, sol 1944-2297, 24 Jan 2018-22 Jan 2019 |
Jul 2 2018, 08:29 AM
Post
#346
|
|
Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 2425 Joined: 30-January 13 From: Penang, Malaysia. Member No.: 6853 |
|
|
|
Jul 2 2018, 03:37 PM
Post
#347
|
|
Member Group: Members Posts: 289 Joined: 29-December 05 From: Ottawa, ON Member No.: 624 |
Have they abandoned plans to climb Mount Sharp? Based on the original timeline from when the mission landed, they're already about 4 years behind.
|
|
|
Jul 2 2018, 04:52 PM
Post
#348
|
|
Forum Contributor Group: Members Posts: 1372 Joined: 8-February 04 From: North East Florida, USA. Member No.: 11 |
|
|
|
Jul 2 2018, 05:00 PM
Post
#349
|
||
Solar System Cartographer Group: Members Posts: 10127 Joined: 5-April 05 From: Canada Member No.: 227 |
Jan's panorama for sol 2095. I thought we would stop for drilling on this level, but it looks like sol 2098 took us up to the next level (though both are included in the same 'member' of the rocks making up the ridge)
Phil -------------------- ... because the Solar System ain't gonna map itself.
Also to be found posting similar content on https://mastodon.social/@PhilStooke NOTE: everything created by me which I post on UMSF is considered to be in the public domain (NOT CC, public domain) |
|
|
||
Jul 2 2018, 10:32 PM
Post
#350
|
|
Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1043 Joined: 17-February 09 Member No.: 4605 |
I suspect that the plan is to try and drill one of the identified hematite rich areas of the ridge (if they can figure a way to compensate for the hardness) and then transit and characterize the trough on the way to have a good look at the channel. The aeolian sandstone in the upper kilometres of Mount Sharp wouldn't be of any interest.
|
|
|
Jul 3 2018, 10:33 AM
Post
#351
|
|
Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1074 Joined: 21-September 07 From: Québec, Canada Member No.: 3908 |
|
|
|
Jul 3 2018, 11:18 AM
Post
#352
|
|
Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 2807 Joined: 22-April 05 From: Ridderkerk, Netherlands Member No.: 353 |
|
|
|
Jul 3 2018, 12:20 PM
Post
#353
|
|
Junior Member Group: Members Posts: 42 Joined: 19-October 12 Member No.: 6719 |
Have they abandoned plans to climb Mount Sharp? Based on the original timeline from when the mission landed, they're already about 4 years behind. Climbing Mt. Sharp was never the goal of the mission, but a primary goal was the "Clay Trough" (https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2017/pdf/2531.pdf). MSL is about to reach the this unit so stay tuned; it should be very interesting. |
|
|
Jul 3 2018, 12:22 PM
Post
#354
|
|
Member Group: Members Posts: 289 Joined: 29-December 05 From: Ottawa, ON Member No.: 624 |
|
|
|
Jul 3 2018, 02:54 PM
Post
#355
|
|
Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14431 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1 |
That's not 'climb the mountain'. That's 'get to the sulfates'
And that remains the long term goal. |
|
|
Jul 3 2018, 03:46 PM
Post
#356
|
|
Solar System Cartographer Group: Members Posts: 10127 Joined: 5-April 05 From: Canada Member No.: 227 |
"Here was the original traverse going up the mountain, so it was part of the original plan. "
That traverse is still what they want to do, though the exact path might vary. We are already well into that climb. It covers the lower slopes where the interesting geology is, and stops at the base of the upper mound. There is no expectation that Curiosity will climb higher up the mountain - it looks too rugged and is not expected to be of much geological interest. Any further exploration would remain in the lower part of the mountain. Phil -------------------- ... because the Solar System ain't gonna map itself.
Also to be found posting similar content on https://mastodon.social/@PhilStooke NOTE: everything created by me which I post on UMSF is considered to be in the public domain (NOT CC, public domain) |
|
|
Jul 3 2018, 03:53 PM
Post
#357
|
|
Member Group: Members Posts: 807 Joined: 3-June 04 From: Brittany, France Member No.: 79 |
-------------------- |
|
|
Jul 3 2018, 08:42 PM
Post
#358
|
||
Solar System Cartographer Group: Members Posts: 10127 Joined: 5-April 05 From: Canada Member No.: 227 |
Nice panoramas!
I think the dust devil track I noted earlier has been joined by others (unless it's a heffalump). This shows a sector of the northern view on five recent sols. On 2089 there were no obvious tracks. On 2092 one can be seen (white arrows). No change on sol 2094. Then on 2095 two new ones show up, and no change on 2098. These are the first tracks observed on the ground at Gale, I believe. It will be interesting to see if any tracks show up in HiRISE images when it can see the area again. There are no obvious tracks in any previous HiRISE images of Gale. Phil -------------------- ... because the Solar System ain't gonna map itself.
Also to be found posting similar content on https://mastodon.social/@PhilStooke NOTE: everything created by me which I post on UMSF is considered to be in the public domain (NOT CC, public domain) |
|
|
||
Jul 3 2018, 11:46 PM
Post
#359
|
|
Member Group: Members Posts: 289 Joined: 29-December 05 From: Ottawa, ON Member No.: 624 |
"Here was the original traverse going up the mountain, so it was part of the original plan. " That traverse is still what they want to do, though the exact path might vary. We are already well into that climb. It covers the lower slopes where the interesting geology is, and stops at the base of the upper mound. There is no expectation that Curiosity will climb higher up the mountain - it looks too rugged and is not expected to be of much geological interest. Any further exploration would remain in the lower part of the mountain. Phil Thanks. Climb the mountain was perhaps the wrong term. But, how is the current progress compared to the original schedule? I thought we'd be in the canyon area within the prime mission. |
|
|
Jul 3 2018, 11:59 PM
Post
#360
|
|
Solar System Cartographer Group: Members Posts: 10127 Joined: 5-April 05 From: Canada Member No.: 227 |
You're right, progress has been slow. The terrain is rough and there are just too many interesting targets. I would not characterize it 'they are going too slowly', but as 'they didn't anticipate how much there was to look at along the way'. This is an amazing place.
Phil -------------------- ... because the Solar System ain't gonna map itself.
Also to be found posting similar content on https://mastodon.social/@PhilStooke NOTE: everything created by me which I post on UMSF is considered to be in the public domain (NOT CC, public domain) |
|
|
Lo-Fi Version | Time is now: 28th March 2024 - 06:45 AM |
RULES AND GUIDELINES Please read the Forum Rules and Guidelines before posting. IMAGE 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. |