Spirit Rover attempts first traverse on Mars
May 13, 2005 18: 54 EST
If the Mars Rover Spirit had the capacity for thought, it would sympathize with climbers stuck on difficult routes in the Himalaya. Recently, Spirit came across the most difficult terrain yet on Mars. According to NASA, Spirit was, “Like a hiker walking on loose scree, the rover's wheels began to slip near the top of the ‘Columbia Hills.’"
“Normally, a rocky slope tilted 12 degrees to 15 degrees would pose little difficulty. The rovers usually perform well on rocky terrain. In this case, however, the rocks were 25 to 30 centimeters (10 to 12 inches) tall and interspersed with loose sand.”
Failed summit push, new route sought
When the direct approach failed, the Spirit operators told the rover to “zigzag up the hill, much the way trail builders traverse from side to side to get up a slope.”
Eventually, they will seek an alternate approach to the top. "Our basic plan is to contour around to the west and southwest and see what we see," said rover driver Chris Leger. "Older images show what looks like a ramp-shaped ledge leading up to the summit."
NASA's Mars Exploration Rovers' discovery of evidence of past water on Mars was the top scientific "Breakthrough of the Year," according to the journal “Science.” The Rovers completed their original mission in April of 2004. Spirit was launched from Cape Canaveral on June 10th, 2003. Opportunity followed on July 7th.
Image, with “Clark Hill” in the background, courtesy of NASA/JPL.
|
|
Feature Stories |
|
Latest News |
more news |
 |
ExWeb updated expeditions list - Space!
Full Story
|
 |
Titan: Rain fall, methane rivers, volcanoes spewing ice
Full Story
|
 |
Life in Space - leaving Eden in search for Paradise
Full Story
|
 |
ET coming closer: Suns like ours spotted with planetary debris dis
Full Story
|
 |
The Wow signal - listen up!
Full Story
|
 |
Mars Society: Looking for a few good Martians - that's YOU buddy!
Full Story
|
 |
The Space Frontier Foundation
Full Story
|
|
|
| Discovery Returns to the Vehicle Assembly Building May 31, 2005 | | ExplorersWeb Week in Review May 30, 2005 | | Space tourists are not rocket scientists and might be super sized May 27, 2005 | | Olsen back to Space? May 26, 2005 | | "Robonauts" to help humans in space May 25, 2005 | | Interstellar exploration: Voyager enters the solar system's final frontier May 24, 2005 | | Russia plans manned mission to Mars, but money first May 23, 2005 | | ExplorersWeb Week in Review May 22, 2005 | | Rutan under-whelmed by NASA May 20, 2005 | | Space flight price wars May 19, 2005 |
| | NASA launches new explorer schools May 18, 2005 |
|
|
