Unmanned Spaceflight.com > Strange Mi Images

general

Jan 2 2006, 01:04 PM

http://www.spacedaily.com/2005/051230112116.fkpgjseh.html
:
"In late November a mechanical arm on Opportunity stopped working, as one of its key driving motors stalled. It took NASA engineers two weeks to get the arm operational, but they are still concerned that it might fail again.

"If it has failed, it will be a significant hit. It is the contact arm of the mission," Callas said.

He also said that part of the robot's directioning system was broken, but that it would not prevent NASA from directing the machine."

What is this "directioning system"?

djellison

Jan 2 2006, 01:07 PM

I cant think what it might be - IMU perhaps?

Doug

dot.dk

Jan 2 2006, 01:21 PM

QUOTE (general @ Jan 2 2006, 01:04 PM)

http://www.spacedaily.com/2005/051230112116.fkpgjseh.html

What is this "directioning system"?

Wouldn't that be a different way to say steering motor?

djellison

Jan 2 2006, 02:50 PM

Ahh - yes - the FR steering actuator..

Doug

jamescanvin

Jan 16 2006, 02:22 AM

Something to look out for tosol:

New IDD stow position.

CODE

704 p1939.04 4 0 0 4 0 8 navcam_idd_stow_workspace

Tesheiner

Jan 16 2006, 09:36 AM

and THIS:

CODE

704 p1201.03 2 0 0 2 0 4 front_haz_penultimate_1_bpp_crit16
704 p1214.05 2 0 0 2 0 4 front_haz_ultimate_4bpp_pri15

These pics are usually associated to movements. The last time a "penultimate" shot was taken was on sol 651 i.e. when moving to the current site (64KC).
So I would say (hope) that today is driving day; maybe just a minimal move, for testing purposes, but moving anyway!

akuo

Jan 16 2006, 11:09 AM

A bit strange that there is no rear haz images sequenced, but I guess they have documented the surroundings around here accurately enough...

djellison

Jan 16 2006, 11:44 AM

I think it will probably just be a little 'back away' from where they are to image it with Pancam and TES the ratholes etc. No need for a RHAZ if that's all they do.

Tesheiner

Jan 16 2006, 04:48 PM

No movement.

Sol 704 (site/drive = 64KC): http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportuni...KCP1214R0M1.JPG

dot.dk

Jan 16 2006, 04:52 PM

But I think we are still missing some pictures from SOL 704 according to the tracking page

At least this is the navcam_IDD_stow_workspace

http://nasa.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportu...KCP1939L0M1.JPG

Tesheiner

Jan 16 2006, 04:54 PM

Definitely.
But, regarding *movement* those hazcams would be the last ones.

mhoward

Jan 16 2006, 05:01 PM

Looks like it's still deployed on the rock to me. Maybe there are more images to come. (Wishful thinking, probably.)

Tesheiner

Jan 16 2006, 05:18 PM

Yep.
Dot.dk already mentioned some missing navcams. They are already downlinked (per the tracking web) but their timestamps seems to be *prior* the hazcams.

http://nasa.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportu...KCP1939R0M1.JPG

akuo

Jan 17 2006, 11:30 PM

Same sort of sequence for oppy on sol 706 as on sol 704:

CODE

706 p1201.03 0 0 0 0 0 0 front_haz_penultimate_1_bpp_crit16
706 p1214.05 0 0 0 0 0 0 front_haz_ultimate_4bpp_pri15
706 p1938.04 0 0 0 0 0 0 Navcam_IDD_doc
706 p1939.04 0 0 0 0 0 0 navcam_idd_stow_workspace

Maybe there was a minor error on sol 704 and the tasks didn't complete?

Tesheiner

Jan 18 2006, 08:58 AM

Maybe.
Another info for sol 704 on the tracking web is:

CODE

12. How does what we requested compare with what the rover executed? (be sure PUL's
know, and if important, the PEL. update the SSF list
/home/mersci/pan/B/ops/Sol_all_seq_list.txt as appropriate)

Data products:
Number Number
Number Number Still not (yet)
Sol Seq.Ver Requested Created on Rover Created Description
--- --------- --------- ------- --------- ----------- -----------
704 p1201.03 4 0 0 4 front_haz_penultimate_1_bpp_crit16
704 p1214.05 4 4 4 0 front_haz_ultimate_4bpp_pri15
704 p1585.00 8 0 0 8 navcam_cloud_4x1_dwnsmp_RVRAz_calstart
704 p1938.04 4 0 0 4 Navcam_IDD_doc
704 p1939.04 8 8 8 0 navcam_idd_stow_workspace
704 p2600.07 6 6 6 0 pancam_tau
704 p2600.07 6 6 6 0 pancam_tau

Something *seems* to has been not executed on that sol, but while we don't have a new status report we can only make wild guesses.

general

Jan 18 2006, 05:45 PM

Does this look like a stowed arm?
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportuni...KCP1214R0M1.JPG

dot.dk

Jan 18 2006, 06:41 PM

QUOTE (general @ Jan 18 2006, 05:45 PM)

Does this look like a stowed arm?
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportuni...KCP1214R0M1.JPG

Sure does

Stow and Go baby!

Looks just as I predicted

Tesheiner

Jan 18 2006, 06:53 PM

So... driving on sol 708?

(It's a guess)

Rakhir

Jan 18 2006, 10:08 PM

QUOTE (dot.dk @ Jan 18 2006, 08:41 PM)

Sure does

Stow and Go baby!

It's casting a shadow on a couple of cells.
Anyway, the effect should not be significant for the moment given the total surface of the panels.
Perhaps it could become in the future during the next power shortage phase ?

RNeuhaus

Jan 18 2006, 10:25 PM

QUOTE (Rakhir @ Jan 18 2006, 05:08 PM)

It's casting a shadow on a couple of cells.
Anyway, the effect should not be significant for the moment given the total surface of the panels.
Perhaps it could become in the future during the next power shortage phase ?

Not so much worrying since the MER has between 499 and 500 solar cells. Shadowing two cells mean a lost of 0.4% of power. Sometime, the shadow of MST and HGA are bigger than the stow IDD.

Rodolfo

jamescanvin

Jan 18 2006, 11:53 PM

QUOTE (Rakhir @ Jan 19 2006, 09:08 AM)

It's casting a shadow on a couple of cells.
Anyway, the effect should not be significant for the moment given the total surface of the panels.
Perhaps it could become in the future during the next power shortage phase ?

If power gets THAT critical we won't be driving so the arm could be unstowed.

Perhaps it could be angled to reflect a bit *more* sunlight onto the panels?

jamescanvin

Jan 19 2006, 02:39 AM

SOL 707 - (TOSOL!) - DRIVING ALERT!

CODE

707 p1205.02 0 0 0 0 0 0 front_haz_penultimate_0.5_bpp
707 p1212.08 0 0 0 0 0 0 front_haz_ultimate_2_bpp_pri19
707 p1214.05 0 0 0 0 0 0 front_haz_ultimate_4bpp_pri15
707 p1226.01 0 0 0 0 0 0 front_haz_penultimate_4_bpp_pri41
707 p1302.02 0 0 0 0 0 0 rear_haz_penultimate_4bpp_pri41
707 p1316.01 0 0 0 0 0 0 rear_haz_ultimate_4_bpp_pri41

James

jamescanvin

Jan 19 2006, 02:47 AM

Just a lilttle "bump" though.

CODE

707 p2440.06 0 0 0 0 0 0 pancam_workvolume_post_bump_L7R1

But still.

mhoward

Jan 19 2006, 03:03 AM

QUOTE (jamescanvin @ Jan 19 2006, 02:47 AM)

Just a lilttle "bump" though.

CODE

707 p2440.06 0 0 0 0 0 0 pancam_workvolume_post_bump_L7R1

But still.

It's the principle of the thing. After 56 sols without movement, I think getting off 64KC will deserve a major internet party.

Tesheiner

Jan 19 2006, 08:47 AM

Man, I'm eager to see other site id then 64KC.

dot.dk

Jan 19 2006, 09:15 AM

Let's sum this stay at Olympia up and compare it to Purgatory Dune

Purgatory Dune SOL 446 - 484
Stay at Purgatory: 38 sols

Olympia 651 - 707
Stay at Olympia: 56 sols

A longer stay, but afterall we got more science from this place than from Purgatory

AndyG

Jan 19 2006, 10:16 AM

QUOTE (dot.dk @ Jan 19 2006, 09:15 AM)

we got more science from this place than from Purgatory

True enough, but I bet the designing engineers (and therefore future rovers) will benefit more from the knowledge of Martian regolith mechanics gained at Purgatory. ;-)

Andy G

mhoward

Jan 19 2006, 05:48 PM

64KS. HOORAY!!!!!

Update: switch back and forth between 64KC and 64KS . I wonder if we will be getting some nice driving movies from this angle, while they watch the arm?

Tesheiner

Jan 19 2006, 06:24 PM

"A small step for a rover, ..."

Good bye, site 64KC!

Toma B

Jan 19 2006, 08:04 PM

Finaly!!!
Hurra!!!
2 months...........

RNeuhaus

Jan 19 2006, 09:02 PM

What is 64KC?

Rodolfo

mhoward

Jan 19 2006, 09:15 PM

QUOTE (RNeuhaus @ Jan 19 2006, 09:02 PM)

What is 64KC?

Rodolfo

The site/drive code, as seen in every Opportunity raw image filename for the last two months. For example, 1F190865275EFF64KCP1214L0M1.JPG (
image).

Filename guide here

general

Jan 19 2006, 09:15 PM

Vacation is over. It's back to work for Oppy.

alan

Jan 20 2006, 12:52 AM

I wonder if any of her joints creeked after sitting in one spot for so long.

Tesheiner

Jan 20 2006, 11:38 AM

It was already said that those structures seen on previous hazcam pics (well, in all sort of cameras and filters...) were delicate.

Click to view attachment (138k)

But what about these ones? It looks like the smallest touch could broke them.

Click to view attachment (138k)

PS: It's time to open a new thread, don't you think so?

Bill Harris

Jan 20 2006, 02:37 PM

One last question... we need to figure out precisely where the IDD tool cluster is contacting the solar panel and which tool is making the contact. I presume that it is not resting on a solar cell. This is for the 1/4 toy I'm making.

---Bill

general

Jan 20 2006, 03:00 PM

QUOTE (Bill Harris @ Jan 20 2006, 03:37 PM)

One last question... we need to figure out precisely where the IDD tool cluster is contacting the solar panel and which tool is making the contact. I presume that it is not resting on a solar cell. This is for the 1/4 toy I'm making.

---Bill

re. reply 217 in this thread

Bill Harris

Jan 20 2006, 07:06 PM

RE: reply 217 shows generally where the IDD is parked, but I need to determine precisely where the IDD tool cluster is contacting the solar panel.

--Bill