The Triple Lutz of Remote Geology
View a larger image (220 kB) or learn about other sol 13 images.
After a stressful wait, scientists and engineers received telemetry data
on the results of the difficult instrument placement they had
commanded the rover to accomplish.
First reports indicated that there had been an unexpected closure of the
Mössbauer contact switch. A contact switch exists on each instrument
on the rover arm. It is used to sense contact with the environment.
Had contact with the target been made by the Microscopic Imager,
that instrument's contact switch would have been activated. While
executing the arm motion, closure of the contact switch on the selected
instrument is expected when the instrument is in place for the measurement.
Because an instrument other than the instrument selected for the
current measurement made contact with the target, the rover followed
its programmed safeguarding instructions to stop arm motion, declare the
activity unsuccessful, and gather data useful to rover engineers for
diagnosing what happened and for recovering use of the arm. This
safeguarding decision helps to maintain rover health and subsequent
operability.
This exercise was a testament to the challenge posed by the complex
geometry of the Kaibab overhang for precision robotic instrument
placement. "This maneuver was like the triple-Lutz of remote
geology," said PI Steve Squyres. "But that's what the
FIDO tests are for - we want to push ourselves and the rover as
hard as we can."
There were some big successes in Sol 13 however. "What's
really positive is we did get some good scientific Pancam instrument
data on Kaibab as a result of the drive and getting in close. This is a
really rich data set for the scientists to analyze", says Squyres.
This mosaic of Kaibab was one of the data sets acquired from this
challenging maneuver.
At the end of the sol, engineers determined that the rover is in good
health and advised scientists that the arm must be safely stowed before
subsequent rover operations are allowed.
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Eddie Tunstel |
Mark Powell |
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Ashitey Trebi-Ollennu |
Eric Baumgartner |
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Jeff Norris |
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