Spirit to roll off lander mid-week
Posted: Mon, Jan 12, 2004, 1:18 PM ET (1818 GMT)
The Mars Exploration Rover Spirit is set to roll onto the Martian terrain by early Thursday, project officials said on Sunday. The date of the rolloff has been moving around in recent days as engineers dealt with a problem retracting an airbag on the lander that will force the rover to move off the lander using an alternative ramp. Under the current schedule, the last cable connecting the rover to the lander will be severed on Monday night, and the rover will also rotate 45 degrees clockwise. On Tuesday night the rover will rotate an additional 50 degrees and, if photos find no problems with the movement, complete its rotation by shifting an additional 20-25 degrees. If all goes well the rover would move off the lander and onto the Martian surface on Wednesday night. The rover will move off the lander in the direction of a depression dubbed "Sleepy Hollow" by project scientists.
The Mars Exploration Rover Spirit is set to roll onto the Martian terrain by early Thursday, project officials said on Sunday. The date of the rolloff has been moving around in recent days as engineers dealt with a problem retracting an airbag on the lander that will force the rover to move off the lander using an alternative ramp. Under the current schedule, the last cable connecting the rover to the lander will be severed on Monday night, and the rover will also rotate 45 degrees clockwise. On Tuesday night the rover will rotate an additional 50 degrees and, if photos find no problems with the movement, complete its rotation by shifting an additional 20-25 degrees. If all goes well the rover would move off the lander and onto the Martian surface on Wednesday night. The rover will move off the lander in the direction of a depression dubbed "Sleepy Hollow" by project scientists.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Monday, March 30
SpaceX Targets Early Monday for Transporter-16 Rideshare Launch from Vandenberg
Santa Barbara (CA) Edhat — 4:29 am ET (0829 GMT) 'The crew is ready': Calgary-born astronaut to be voice link to Artemis II moon mission
Canadian Press — 4:27 am ET (0827 GMT) Smiths supports historic Artemis II space mission
Smiths — 4:26 am ET (0826 GMT) Meet Agasthya-1: Ex-Isro scientists are building a rocket to launch in 24 hours
India Today — 4:23 am ET (0823 GMT) ISRO to buy Semi-cryogenic engines to enhance LVM3 rocket; Funds allocated
WION — 4:23 am ET (0823 GMT) |
