Wow, the latest
PS update has a tremendous amount of detail about the plans for the next extension. First, we'll attempt to head through a break in Knudsen Ridge:
QUOTE
Once Opportunity finishes shooting the panorama of the valley’s northern wall, the mission will exit stage south, through a break in the rim at the southeastern edge of Knudsen Ridge to start the extended mission.
“The scenario that we laid out in our extended mission proposal was that we would exit and pass through the gap and then head downhill from there to the left,” [east or toward the crater floor], Squyres informed. If the Lewis & Clark Gap looks too difficult or too challenging, they already have an alternative route charted that will take the rover south along the ridge. “And then, we’ll hook a right further down Marathon Valley,” he said.
"Southeastern edge" sounds odd for a SW-NE ridge, but I think it's clear that they mean the "spring exit route" shown on
this map.After that comes the gully which we're now told is on the next cape south, Byron:
QUOTE
When the robot field geologist’s quest to find more Matijevic Formation rocks is deemed over, the mission will move on to Cape Byron and a geological feature no Mars surface mission has ever before investigated. “The big story is that even after twelve and a half years on Mars, we still have the most exciting objective ahead of us: the exploration of a Noachian, water-carved gully dating from earliest epoch on Mars,” said Callas.
After the gully, the idea is to head into Endeavour:
QUOTE
Once the top-to-bottom gully study is finished, the current plan calls for Opportunity to drive down onto the bench on the inner side of the rim, said Callas. From there, the rover may skirt inside Endeavour to check out some “mega ripples.” And there are some fresh crater impacts both inside and outside along the path that may harbor untold revelations about Mars’ past. After that, “we plan to work our way south,” he added.
Finally, a glimmer of hope for those of us hoping to reach Iazu one day:
QUOTE
The really good news is that each of the currently charted routes is reversible. “Had we decided to go down Marathon Valley all the way into the crater, it would be likely one way, and that's why we didn't go that way,” said Callas. “Even though we expect to follow the gully down to the floor of Endeavour at the end of our extended plan for the next two years, there is an exit point where we can come back out again if we want to exit and head for Iazu or other ambitious targets.”
Exciting stuff!
