Free Spirit : Rescuing a Rover Part 2

Ustream chat from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory on efforts to rescue the Spirit rover, which is stuck in loose soil on Mars. We chat with with the Mars Project Manager, John Callas and Rover Driver Ashley Stroupe.
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Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• ustream
• Free
• Mars
• Opportunity
• Rovers
• Sandtrap
• Spirit
• astronomy
• exploration
• planet
• red
• solar
• system

[Dino4204]

Does anyone know what Opportunity's status is as of October 2009?

Is it still heading towards that cratter thats twenty times the size of Victoria?

[JPLnews]

Opportunity is making progress along the path to Endeavour crater. Endeavor is 20 km (13.7 mi) in diameter and is the largest crater that will have been observed. Since leaving Victoria crater in August 2008, she has driven about one-fourth the distance that rover drivers have charted to reach Endeavour. Frequent update maps of the trek are at the JPL Mars Exploration Rover page. In addition, Opportunity found a meteorite this month that's been dubbed Shelter Island and is 47 cm (18.5 in) long.

[raosn]

Ms. Stroupe When you say the rover calls you back, what does it mean and how does you know it performed all the tasks the way you asked it to do.

[JPLnews]

Dear raosn:

We asked Ashley Stroupe and here's her response:

"Every day, the rover keeps a detailed log of everything she does, all decisions she makes, and all her sensor data which can monitor for problems and errors. At the end of the day, the rover sends this detailed log back to Earth. The rover and Earth talk to each other using radio signals. Earth has very large antennas to transmit and receive these signals."

[giantnegro]

What's with the sound/video sync?

[tobitege]

Interesting information. But a lava lamp for decoration? Really?? :)

[MattOGormanSmith]

Bleh, dealt with in this video. Oh well.

[MattOGormanSmith]

Use the arm to drag pebbles under the wheels.

Sorry to post this suggestion on multiple vids but this one should appear in JPL's inbox :o)

[NebPWN]

out of sync

[4meandher]

a rover that can walk and drive would come in vary handy right there

[scottbpt]

JPL, as a team you all are for sure the best of the best....highly educated, highly practiced and highly tested....i realize that Spirit & opportunity have far outdone there intended life. Great Job! I do have a question though....and im very well below any of your intelligence levels, but do you think next time you could design some kind of booster underneath them so you can shoot up from sand ..oh well, can i buy a free spirit shirt please :)

[raosn]

Thank you Ms. Stroupe.