Spirit loses use of one wheel
Posted: Tue, Mar 21, 2006, 8:30 AM ET (1330 GMT)
One of the six wheels on the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit has stopped working entirely, forcing rover engineers to drag the wheel along as they try to move the vehicle into a safe position for the coming winter. The right-front wheel on Spirit had been experiencing problems since mid-2004, when its motor starting drawing large amounts of current. Driving the rover backwards redistributed lubricant and allowed the wheel to work normally again, but last week the motor for that wheel stopped working entirely. Rover drivers play to drag the wheel along as they move the rover to a north-facing slope, where the spacecraft can get enough sunlight to operate throughout the coming Martian winter. As of late last week Spirit was about 120 meters away from its desired location and moving at about 12 meters per day. Last week NASA named John Callas as the new manager of the rover program, which includes operations of both the Spirit and Opportunity rovers.
One of the six wheels on the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit has stopped working entirely, forcing rover engineers to drag the wheel along as they try to move the vehicle into a safe position for the coming winter. The right-front wheel on Spirit had been experiencing problems since mid-2004, when its motor starting drawing large amounts of current. Driving the rover backwards redistributed lubricant and allowed the wheel to work normally again, but last week the motor for that wheel stopped working entirely. Rover drivers play to drag the wheel along as they move the rover to a north-facing slope, where the spacecraft can get enough sunlight to operate throughout the coming Martian winter. As of late last week Spirit was about 120 meters away from its desired location and moving at about 12 meters per day. Last week NASA named John Callas as the new manager of the rover program, which includes operations of both the Spirit and Opportunity rovers.| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
Space Force adds Rocket Lab and Stoke Space to NSSL contract
Posted: Sun, Mar 30 9:19 AM ET (1319 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Friday, April 4
‘Mind-boggling’: Space Force chief fires off dire warning about Chinese capability to knock out US satellites
Fox News — 5:52 am ET (0952 GMT) How China is expanding its anti-satellite arsenal
Defense One — 5:52 am ET (0952 GMT) Rocket Lab And Stoke Space Join U.S. NSSL Lane 1 Vendor Pool
Aviation Week — 5:52 am ET (0952 GMT) Olivia Munn criticizes all-female Blue Origin space crew: ‘What’s the point?’
The Independent — 5:50 am ET (0950 GMT) Olivia Munn slams ‘gluttonous’ female Blue Origin crew going to space: ‘People can’t afford eggs’
New York Post — 5:49 am ET (0949 GMT) |
