looks like we're ok
@marsroverdriver Oppy drove more like 1m than 50m this weekend: an "embedding detector" tripped. It's conservative; we're demonstrably not embedded. Onward!
Full Version: Southward from San Antonio to the Next Waypoint
Still waiting for the latest pictures to confirm it but AFAIK yestersol drive covered just 1m once again. 
Hmm. Well, if this is true, then at least the fault condition seems both predictable & consistent in its behavior. An incorrect flag trip setting (slope, wheel rotation vs. intertial distance traveled, something like that) or something with the new AEGIS capability?
Whatever it is, hopefully it won't to be too difficult to find with two occurrences to study now. Oppy's actually in a pretty good place (literally) at this time for debugging.
Whatever it is, hopefully it won't to be too difficult to find with two occurrences to study now. Oppy's actually in a pretty good place (literally) at this time for debugging.
QUOTE (nprev @ Apr 6 2010, 10:58 PM) 
.... or something with the new AEGIS capability?
That must be what it is. AEGIS keeps spotting these fascinating round rocks and wants to stop to examine them.
Woops! That would be more funny than annoying if it was true! Imagine what the mass media would say, if they cared.
QUOTE (Tesheiner @ Apr 7 2010, 06:50 AM)
Still waiting for the latest pictures to confirm it but AFAIK yestersol drive covered just 1m once again.
The latest official Oppy map confirms a very short drive on 2204.
It's tough without images, eh?
Yup. I'm missing my daily fix. 
While waiting for today's drive (attempt), here's a GE snapshot with the last two steps compared with a normal 50m drive.
Click to view attachment
While waiting for today's drive (attempt), here's a GE snapshot with the last two steps compared with a normal 50m drive.
Click to view attachment
Maybe this second 1m drive was due to manouvering in order to cross the dune at a better spot
Sure hope you are wrong. If we have to spend a few days manoeuvring around to cross any average dune, our progress toward Endeavour will be... hindered.
well... then maybe they want to take a close look at what exact conditions tripped the embedding detector so they can avoid more occurrences like these.
Guess I'm hoping all is right and just trying to think at positive scenarios.
Slow days like today at the forum mars section with no progress and no pictures really bring the marsaholic withdrawall synptoms to light and give a glimpse of what it'll be like once these wonders stop roving.
Guess I'm hoping all is right and just trying to think at positive scenarios.
Slow days like today at the forum mars section with no progress and no pictures really bring the marsaholic withdrawall synptoms to light and give a glimpse of what it'll be like once these wonders stop roving.
Looking for something to do on Mars? Rove over the latest HiRISE releases, or, better yet, wander through the CTX archive (http://bit.ly/csbOd9) -- nobody is paying much attention to those and there are boatloads of stunning photos.
QUOTE (elakdawalla @ Apr 8 2010, 08:43 PM)
Looking for something to do on Mars? Rove over the latest HiRISE releases, or, better yet, wander through the CTX archive
How true ... roving the HiRISE releases alone will keep me busy for the next 10 years at least
QUOTE (Gonzz @ Apr 9 2010, 01:10 AM)
Guess I'm hoping all is right and just trying to think at positive scenarios.
see http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/sta...tml#opportunity
QUOTE
OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Sharp Turns Make Driving Difficult - sols 2200-2204, April 2-6, 2010:
Opportunity had a couple of difficult moves this week.
After taking some time to recharge her batteries, the rover attempted a drive on Sol 2202 (April 4, 2010). That drive stopped after the initial arc turn due to elevated current draw in the motors on the right side of the rover. The rover is between two ripples with the space in between forming a bowl. The rover had to push harder on the right to make the sharp turn. Conservatively-set current limits stopped the drive, as a way for controllers on the ground to assess the driving conditions before proceeding.
With everything looking okay, another drive on Sol 2204 (April 6, 2010), was commanded. It too began with a short, sharp arc. This time the drive stopped after a short distance because of wheel slip exceeding the limit of 40 percent. Again ground controllers assessed the conditions and found no problems. With these sharp turns, the rover's wheels must impart more thrust. When the wheel thrust exceeds the shear strength of the terrain, slip occurs.
Opportunity will drive again on Sol 2206 (April 8, 2010). This time the rover is already aligned with the drive direction, so no sharp turns are needed. Extra slip checks will be performed to make sure there are no terrain issues. As of Sol 2204 (April 6, 2010), the solar array energy production was 235 watt-hours with an atmospheric opacity (tau) of 0.371 (from Sol 2199) and a dust factor of 0.500.
Total odometry is 20,247.56 meters (20.25 kilometers, or 12.58 miles).
Opportunity had a couple of difficult moves this week.
After taking some time to recharge her batteries, the rover attempted a drive on Sol 2202 (April 4, 2010). That drive stopped after the initial arc turn due to elevated current draw in the motors on the right side of the rover. The rover is between two ripples with the space in between forming a bowl. The rover had to push harder on the right to make the sharp turn. Conservatively-set current limits stopped the drive, as a way for controllers on the ground to assess the driving conditions before proceeding.
With everything looking okay, another drive on Sol 2204 (April 6, 2010), was commanded. It too began with a short, sharp arc. This time the drive stopped after a short distance because of wheel slip exceeding the limit of 40 percent. Again ground controllers assessed the conditions and found no problems. With these sharp turns, the rover's wheels must impart more thrust. When the wheel thrust exceeds the shear strength of the terrain, slip occurs.
Opportunity will drive again on Sol 2206 (April 8, 2010). This time the rover is already aligned with the drive direction, so no sharp turns are needed. Extra slip checks will be performed to make sure there are no terrain issues. As of Sol 2204 (April 6, 2010), the solar array energy production was 235 watt-hours with an atmospheric opacity (tau) of 0.371 (from Sol 2199) and a dust factor of 0.500.
Total odometry is 20,247.56 meters (20.25 kilometers, or 12.58 miles).
Thanks, Geert. All is well.
Yep. The drive was successful and 50m were covered during 2206.
But the images are still unavailable.
But the images are still unavailable.
IIRC, Spirit RF died right after a sharp turn. May be the problem has nothing to do with the sharp turn but, I still don't understand why we're still using this manoeuver instead of backing off a bit and use a smoother turn.
Sorry if my remark is a bit "sharp" (ok, I'm a back seat driver etc) but I've been afraid since march 12th 2006 using this manoeuver again. Is the current rise showing I've been right?
Sorry if my remark is a bit "sharp" (ok, I'm a back seat driver etc) but I've been afraid since march 12th 2006 using this manoeuver again. Is the current rise showing I've been right?
Its been offline for as long as 10 days before.
QUOTE (climber @ Apr 9 2010, 08:31 AM)
backing off a bit and use a smoother turn.
Because a 'smoother' turn would involved ploughing straight thru the dunes. Remember, Opportunity has a stuck FR steering actuator - so turning in place is not idea.
Yep, good point Doug!
Thread bump, althought there's not so much to discuss given the lack of images. The official website is not updating too so my guess it that the issue should be in the common feed from JPL (assuming that common point exists).
Meanwhile, just say that the drive on sol 2208 was executed and another 55m were added to the odometer. Here are some navcam thumbnails from the tracking website.
Click to view attachment Click to view attachment Click to view attachment
Meanwhile, just say that the drive on sol 2208 was executed and another 55m were added to the odometer. Here are some navcam thumbnails from the tracking website.
Click to view attachment Click to view attachment Click to view attachment
I was bored so I tried to eyeball the Navcam thumbnails in photoshop. It's pretty bad; I'm sure one of the resident experts can do a better job. (Hint, Hint. )
)
I did the same thing (similar result) to obtain a polar view and see if it was not too bad to use on "fine tuning" the rover position on the map. The mobility info from the tracking site is not perfect and usually there are a few meters difference wrt the position I get by means of mosaics registration on the map.
Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment
I noticed that the pancam drive direction images are aimed to the east.
Yes, they just bypassed a clump of larger drifts.
Phil
Phil
Soon worries about drifts and dunes will be ancient memories.
I'm pretty sure they're now closer to Endeavour than they've ever been before. The sol 1927 record is broken!
QUOTE (Tesheiner @ Apr 5 2010, 02:49 PM)
I can see that speed limit.
Driving on meridiani planum is difficult, so maybe some signs may help our brave rover drives.
QUOTE (ElkGroveDan @ Apr 11 2010, 10:19 AM)
Soon worries about drifts and dunes will be ancient memories.
Eeeeeee... that's on a par with saying that a goaltender is one minute away from a shutout.
QUOTE (MoreInput @ Apr 11 2010, 12:04 PM)
...maybe some signs may help...
That's a great idea. Pardon me, but I just had to add one more important warning.
Click to view attachment
QUOTE (CosmicRocker @ Apr 12 2010, 01:58 AM)
I just had to add one more important warning.
Soft Shoulders
(The signs are all great! Let's roll!)
But don' forget the most important thing-- The View...
From here the view of the jpeg artifacts is among the best in the Solar System.
I think we are all seeing the effects of a missing daily fix of pictures.
All the signs littering the landscape reminds me of Spring 2020
The drought is over! Pics down up to 2208:
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportuni...0M1.JPG?sol2208
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportuni...0M1.JPG?sol2208
Ahh. Finally!
This is a fhazcam from this last batch taken on sol 2206 where we can see the "sharp turns" from the last status report.
Click to view attachment
This is a fhazcam from this last batch taken on sol 2206 where we can see the "sharp turns" from the last status report.
Click to view attachment
Some interesting stuff from http://twitter.com/marsroverdriver
"Driving went uncommonly smoothly today. That usually means I made a huge mistake somewhere."
"Tomorrow we do a nifty experiment that effectively uses Opportunity's mobility system as a soil-property sensor."
"Nothing particularly nearby... so I think stops will be less frequent for a while."
"Since we're hopping ripples (part of experiment), we check slip 2x as often in this drive. If we get stuck, it won't be bad. "
"Driving went uncommonly smoothly today. That usually means I made a huge mistake somewhere."
"Tomorrow we do a nifty experiment that effectively uses Opportunity's mobility system as a soil-property sensor."
"Nothing particularly nearby... so I think stops will be less frequent for a while."
"Since we're hopping ripples (part of experiment), we check slip 2x as often in this drive. If we get stuck, it won't be bad. "
Oh my God. They're letting Maxwell use her as a dune buggy!!! 
The one I like is, "Monday, if all goes well, we cut east". Looking at GM, this does appear to be a good spot to go cross-ripple and get back to The Thin Blue Line ™. East is good. East, and not stopping for awhile.
Bye bye San Antonio... you were a bit of a let-down if I'm honest, so glad to be on our way again...
Click to view attachment
What we want now is a really big hefty chunka star metal to appear up ahead of us...
Click to view attachment
What we want now is a really big hefty chunka star metal to appear up ahead of us...
...with a door in it. 
QUOTE
Looking at GM, this does appear to be a good spot to go cross-ripple and...
Down here, we call this a whoop-tee-doo 
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportuni...DXP2410R1M1.JPG
QUOTE
East is good. East, and not stopping for awhile
But, remember, the Nav software can look for "interesting things" and stop for a look... Ended up getting over 30 L257 Pancam sets yesterday, shows some interesting things about San Antone...
--Bill
Fascinating features on the ground in this view... lovely wind-sculpting effects...
Click to view attachment
And Bill, here's your "whoop-tee-doo"...
Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment
And Bill, here's your "whoop-tee-doo"...
Click to view attachment
The images from yestersol 30m drive are finally down. Navcam pics here: http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportuni...cam/2010-04-14/
And looking to this hazcam picture, my impression is that the ripples are becoming really small: http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportuni...HLP1202L0M1.JPG
BTW, the move was SSE and not due E.
And looking to this hazcam picture, my impression is that the ripples are becoming really small: http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportuni...HLP1202L0M1.JPG
Wow, that was seemingly a pretty flat passage already!
Have we switched to twice-a-day downlinks for memory clearing the past few days?
Don't read too much into how and when images make it online - it is far far more likely that we're seing the downlink split across two of the batch processes that put the images online, rather than two downlinks.
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