Roving Again 3 September 2007

Today we have published a new panorama from the Opportunity Rover from Sol 1278, stationed at the rim of Victoria Crater and soon to embark on her greatest journey. Prepared exclusively for the 3 September 2007 issue of Aviation Week & Space Technology magazine with the headline "Roving Again" (see story below) as a truly last second contribution.

The unique panoramic mosiac was stitched together from images from the front hazard camera and the navigation camera, which accounts for the noticable horizon curvature and other wordly appearence. This type combo image appears to be a first publication of this type and permitted inclusion of the crater, rover IDD, wheels, tracks, etc.

Roving Again: Opportunity Returns To Victoria After Near-death In Dust Siege
Aviation Week & Space Technology (caption) :
09/03/2007, page 42

Click to view attachment

"The NASA/JPL Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity are driving again on Mars after surviving electrical power shortages, caused by global dust storms that have swept the planet since July. Opportunity drove dozens of feet back to the rim of Victoria crater last week. The rover took this false color mosaic that preserves details, but sharply distorts elevation to make it falsely appear that the rover is on a hill. The mosaic, prepared exclusively for Aviation Week & Space Technology, was taken by a front black-and-white hazard camera and colorized using earlier Pancam data. Managers hope “Oppy” will finally begin a descent into the crater by late September. This week, Mars is 100 million mi. from Earth. Note smooth rock surfaces under arm. Rover tracks, antenna and solar array are visible (left) and a front wheel (foreground). Cornell University Athena instruments on arm include Alpha Particle Spectrometer (facing camera), German Mossbauer spectrometer (right), microscopic imager (left) and rock abrasion tool (pointing forward)."

Credit: MOSAIC BY MARCO DI LORENZO, KEN KREMER AND UNMANNEDSPACEFLIGHT.COM WITH NASA/JPL DATA

NASA/JPL/Cornell. Reprinted courtesy of Aviation Week & Space Technology magazine and Aviationnow.com

Aviation Week link to a small online version:
http://www.aviationnow.com/media/images/aw..._2007_962_L.jpg

Another win for the Mars Rover team and the UMSF forum !

for your enjoyment,

Marco (dilo) and Ken (mars loon)

PS: more at my rover talks in central Florida the week of Sep 9
http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.p...ost&p=97591

Thanks Ken, I would like to add a couple of considerations.

Well, this composition can appear a little disappointing for many... and it is, indeed!
Is an attempt to merge two completely different views in a somewath creative manner.
The most straightforward method would be to transform the fish-eye view of the front haz-cam in a equirectangular picture, then merge it with a canonic, flat-horizon stitch from NavCam. However, this would introduce some evident stretch and loose of details in the peripheric regions of the former picture.
There is another reason why I like this strange view (and not only me, based on the reaction from AWST and APOD): it vaguely recall me some great Escher masterpieces, like this or this...
Clearly, I love this artist and, for sure, I'm not the only one here...

After realization of B/W mix with partially artificial sky, I made a rough colorization and I tried to involve also Bernhard (Nirgal), another mars team member, for a better result. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough time, so we sent my color versions only... next time will be better!

Finally, Ken, you should have something to tell about S.Squire comment, isn't?

Dear Friends, congratulations.
This is clearly one of the best image you've created. I can't wait seeing it on AWST issue (a few more days to wait). I intentionaly use the word "create" since it's artistic, poetic, strange, giving another perpective, .... I just want to put those words in front of Dilo's technical explanations : I can understand how hard it is to reach such a result, I can't tell you how MUCH I love it.

thanks Climber!

This wonderful forum is brimming with so much great talent and enthusiasm. serves as further inspiration to try something different

its a nice addition to the earlier unveiling :

Victoria’s Secrets Revealed in Color in Aviation Week: 2 Oct 2006
http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.p...l=Aviation+Week


ken

I can't speak for anyone else but I think it's superb - excellent work (again) guys.

Yes another great picture, can't wait to see what you'll come up with from inside Victoria.
and you didn't need the help of mr "ETAL"
Well done

Roy

Well, in a thrilling email from Steve Squyres (please note the spelling Marco ), he commented it was "Very Nice !"

I guess having survived from "the Bear" he just lost his words

As Stephen Colbert would surely say in his threatdown, "and the number one threat to unmanned space exploration -- Bears!"

Marco & Ken, congrats on this achievement!!! I am yet again humbled by the fact that this forum exists & I can actually talk to guys like you...

We need a version with The Bear looking at the POV with a speculative, perhaps hungry look, though...

You did it again, congratulations Marco & Ken!
Incredible work, that's really another perspective. A first.

When I saw the attachement on the first post my first impression was "why not a flat horizon?" but then I realized why. It would distort too much the lower parts of the mosaic (IDD, wheels). You are absolutely right on making the curved horizon, it makes for a very very nice image.

Hats off guys.

Edited:

OT: I just went to the APOD homepage to look for your mosaic there --that was my impression after reading Dilo's first post. But to my surprise ( ) I found this one: http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap070904.html which was originally posted here.

Congratulations to all, Marco, Ken and Eduardo !
It seems that since the other image was "made exclusively for AWST", APOD went with yours, Eduardo.
I am surprised that APOD implies this is a possible entry point, although it is clear from the TPS link provided (and the discussion here at UMSF) that Oppy will enter on the far side of the bay.

APOD : "Victoria Crater is the largest crater that either Martian rover has come across during their explorations."

Err....Gusev?

Doug

Well spotted Doug...

Congratulations to you all intrepid image artisans!

a quick "flat" horizon

Click to view attachment

Thank you Eduardo ! and all !

Indeed a high ranking team member agreed it was a first ... and I am checking with others too

We have submitted to APOD also and hopefully it will appear later. WE congratulute you !! on your excellent Sol 1278 image published here, at TPS and on APOD today . They complement one another to give a new perspective . I suggest a blink comparison


Nice flattening Indian3000 ! How about you try something with a modest curve ??? vs. flat

-----

Quote: climber
I guess having survived from "the Bear" he just lost his words

I had the same thought based on his account with the polar bears posted elsewhere
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mars/new...e07_entry5.html

perhaps he meant, Its very nice to be alive !


ken

a modest curve .... ? some think like that ...

Click to view attachment

and my final flat ... ?

Click to view attachment

thats perfect

my final final

Click to view attachment

with some add colors ...

Click to view attachment

Doug mentioned Gusev... it's not exactly the same thing, though, is it? "Trundle, trundle, trundle - Blimey! It's Gusev!"

Phil

I haven't, so my jaw almost broke the floor when I saw that "quick & dirty" mosaic on the screen.
Maybe it's there after being used on the TPS blog and the monthly MER update. Emily? Sally?

Back on topic, I'm really looking forward finding your AW&ST version on APOD. Since I don't check that site daily, *please* don't forget to post here when/if it gets there.

Well, that's just about how I felt on first seeing a clear view of the Gusev rim. I love landscapes with far perspectives as well as interesting near and middle distance features, so that was one of my favourite moments from the trip so far.

I didn't say Blimey, but I did say something when seing images like this for the first time:

http://marsrovers.nasa.gov/gallery/press/s...full-A093R1.jpg

http://marsrovers.nasa.gov/gallery/press/s...-rim-A074R1.jpg



Doug

thanks to all people who expressed so warm comments on the AWST picture!

Doug, you're right about Gusev.

Indian, your last elaborations are very nice! I made an halfway version (between my and your colorization) with improved sky and removed caption:
Click to view attachment
One question: why did you introduced shaded borders?

PS: Oppy didn't move significantly in the last 5 days...

I didn't submit it to APOD and I'm sure Salley didn't either, but I know that the APOD guys read the blog and occasionally mine it for images. Congratulations, Eduardo! And you too, Marco and Ken.

--Emily

In Photoshop CS2, Draw a line with "line tools" weight "25 px" and apply "Filter->Blur->gaussian blush" on the line layout with radius 7.5 ( depend of your image resolution ) , Photoshop ask to you if you want rasterize the layout" ... said yes" and it's finished

Welcome to the FAR RIMER team TheChemist!
EGD, we've got a new member !

Not how..... why?

Doug

sorry, ... why ... to make a old picture effect ... it's just a esthetics point of view.

So Phil, like I guess we could say that both rovers landed in a crater, eh? But like only of them was able to get out, eh?

Brian

Twice so far, eh?

Take off, you hoseheads!

Right, you hoser!

Phil

(sniff - I've never been so proud of my country...)

Stunning Image: Roving Again
(Originally published in the 3 Sept 2007 issue of Aviation Week & Space Technology. Reprinted with permission):

Posted on NASAWATCH today, 6 Sep 2007

http://www.nasawatch.com/archives/2007/09/...image.html#more
http://images.spaceref.com/news/2007/Op_So...oriaCrater_.jpg

Amazing work, just as about one year ago... Could I have the permission to use it in BIS'monthly magazine Spaceflight for the January 2008 issue I'm currently working on. As last time I'll provide magazines to the 'creators' of this stunning panorama. Please contact me off-forum...

Thanks Philip,

sounds great and please see my message. ken

Get my copy of AW today, we can barrely see your picture
I'm glad you post it here

Just a thankword to Ken & Marco for making the photo available for my BIS Spaceflight article… and to Eduardo who agreed upon use of his route maps.
For the moment I’m trying to convince the editor to have another MER cover for Jan or Feb 2008!
I’ll keep You updated

Thank to you, Phil!