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Robotic Spacecraft (Astronomy, Planetary, Earth, Solar/Heliophysics) => Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) and Mars 2020 Rover Section => Topic started by: Chris Bergin on 08/07/2012 02:04 am

Title: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/07/2012 02:04 am
LIVE UPDATE THREAD for MSL Curiosity's Post Landing (SOL 1+)events.

This is a LIVE UPDATE Thread, so please use the other threads for non updates. Non update posts will be deleted.

=--=

LEAD FEATURE ARTICLE:
Curiosity makes HISTORIC landing at Gale Crater on Mars - by Chris Gebhardt:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2012/08/msl-curiosity-historic-martian-landing-at-gale-crater/

=--=

Flow Article - by Chris Gebhardt:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2011/11/curiosityatlas-v-teams-set-weekend-launch-mars/

Launch Article - by William Graham:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2011/11/live-atlas-v-launch-nasas-msl-rover-mars/

Mars Rovers Feature Article - by Chris Gebhardt:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2012/01/opportunitys-eight-years-mars-story-science-endurance/

=--=

FORUM Resources:

MSL Dedicated Section:
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?board=57.0

LIVE EDL EVENT THREAD:
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=29612.0

PARTY THREAD - All Posts Allowed:
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=29562.0

Pre-EDL UPDATE Thread:
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=27414.0

MSL Q&A Thread:
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=8183.0

=--=

L2 Section for MSL (Internal Slides, NASA people notes, HR Photos, Video):
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?action=tags&tags=MSL

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Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Lars_J on 08/07/2012 07:34 am
First color image from the MAHLI imager: (apparently with dust cover still attached)

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/images/?ImageID=4282
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Mogster on 08/07/2012 09:58 am
http://marsmobile.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?s=1

Raw stowed navcam images looking dusty. I'm starting to get concerned about the dust issue, the vehicle must be covered in it.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Nathan on 08/07/2012 10:11 am
Here are some processed images -looks lovely.

http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/targetFamily/Mars?subselect=Mission%3AMars+Science+Laboratory+%28MSL%29%3A
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/07/2012 10:53 am
A ver quick&dirt, but fascinating, first 360° panorama from UMSF forum:
http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=27292
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Skamp_X on 08/07/2012 02:33 pm
Sorry but couln't resist, added colour to match pictures from MER a bit,
http://s10.postimage.org/5mhzae5s9/test2_pic.jpg

And a big congrats to NASA/JPL , been looking forward to this for a long time.  :)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Hungry4info3 on 08/07/2012 03:31 pm
No. That will take a few weeks.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ugordan on 08/07/2012 03:36 pm
I think Mike Malin talked about one hi-res MARDI image queued up for downlink (the one shortly after heat shield sep) so it could come today, but perhaps too late for this conference.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Herb Schaltegger on 08/07/2012 03:52 pm
http://marsmobile.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?s=1

Raw stowed navcam images looking dusty. I'm starting to get concerned about the dust issue, the vehicle must be covered in it.

NASA has lots of experience with dust and Martian landers. It's not anything that hasn't been considered in the design process.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ugordan on 08/07/2012 04:14 pm
NASA has lots of experience with dust and Martian landers. It's not anything that hasn't been considered in the design process.

As marsman2020 explained in depth in another thread, it was considered, but the real extent of the issue wasn't realized (it was underestimated) until Phoenix landed, well into MSL development.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Thunderbird5 on 08/07/2012 04:25 pm
Remember also that it uses an RTU for power rather than solar so is not susceptible to power loss from dust on the panels, unlike MER.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: kevin-rf on 08/07/2012 04:31 pm
Remember also that it uses an RTU for power rather than solar so is not susceptible to power loss from dust on the panels, unlike MER.

Uuuummm that RTU rely's heavily on it's radiator to work correctly. Dust is a very good insulator. I assume they took that into account.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Robotbeat on 08/07/2012 04:31 pm
Remember also that it uses an RTU for power rather than solar so is not susceptible to power loss from dust on the panels, unlike MER.
Actually, getting dust on the RTG radiator does significantly lower its efficiency.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: lcs on 08/07/2012 04:46 pm
Remember also that it uses an RTU for power rather than solar so is not susceptible to power loss from dust on the panels, unlike MER.
Actually, getting dust on the RTG radiator does significantly lower its efficiency.

Also if there is substantial dust on the lander then eventually the wind eddies could blow it into undesirable places compared to what you would accumulate over several years with the MERs.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Jim on 08/07/2012 04:51 pm
Remember also that it uses an RTU for power rather than solar so is not susceptible to power loss from dust on the panels, unlike MER.
Actually, getting dust on the RTG radiator does significantly lower its efficiency.

That is why the RTG is mounted at an angle.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ugordan on 08/07/2012 04:59 pm
Press conference starting shortly.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/07/2012 05:06 pm
Rover is currently asleep.

HGA deploy was successful, but is not pointed properly at Earth yet. Will change the bias to get it pointing properly tomorrow.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/07/2012 05:06 pm
Mask deploy tomorrow.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/07/2012 05:11 pm
MAHLI Camera engineer getting emotional about his camera being used. Nice touch.

"I've waited so long for this".
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: mikes on 08/07/2012 05:12 pm
MAHLI

http://www.msss.com/all_projects/msl-mahli.php
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/07/2012 05:13 pm
Hardware on the ground!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/07/2012 05:16 pm
Heh, thanks Mikes - I knew that...... ;)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/07/2012 05:16 pm
Last one is SkyCrane.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ugordan on 08/07/2012 05:18 pm
Damn! Look at how dark the rover is. It must be absolutely covered in dust.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dappa on 08/07/2012 05:19 pm
Skycrane crashed 650m from Curiosity,
back shell is 615m away,
heatshield 1200m.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/07/2012 05:19 pm
I like this guy, so proud of his hardware. Reminds me of the orbiter guys.

Geology questions at the moment.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/07/2012 05:23 pm
Dust covers on MAHLI are transparent covers, but has dust on it. Will be opened and closed when required (as they can be).
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Jeff Lerner on 08/07/2012 05:28 pm
I guess any Ballast impacts would be too small to see in those pictures ??
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: marsman2020 on 08/07/2012 05:29 pm
I don't know if I would read a lot into the stowed NavCam images.  Not being on the current team, I won't speculate as to what's going on - I don't have any more information then anyone else here in that respect.

NASA has lots of experience with dust and Martian landers. It's not anything that hasn't been considered in the design process.

As marsman2020 explained in depth in another thread, it was considered, but the real extent of the issue wasn't realized (it was underestimated) until Phoenix landed, well into MSL development.

The rover was always intended to operate in a potentially dusty environment - look at the MER rovers, they are caked. 

I guess I should elaborate just a little more - prefaced that I was "only" the person building the covers, not the one making the decision to have them.

There was one picture from Phoenix that showed a pebble on top of one of the landing leg pads, and a coating of sticky looking dust on the legs themselves.  There was also better knowledge of the flow field and resulting ground pressure from the descent stage engines at that point.  The new concern was mostly with the hardware that could be directly hit by reflected flow from the engines - and the HazCams are in the worst spot of anything, right at the belly.  An assessment was made of all the hardware on the vehicle, and as far as I am aware everything else was determined to be tolerant to the environments likely to be created during touchdown, even with the new concerns - already being designed to operate in a dusty environment.  Because of their position, the HazCams were not. So covers it was.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dappa on 08/07/2012 05:31 pm
I guess any Ballast impacts would be too small to see in those pictures ??
They're probably too far away to be in the picture, it was stated that they are too far away to drive to.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/07/2012 05:31 pm
"This is the start of our mission" - for the ground team. Control Rooms are less crowed as it's late at night when they are mainly working on the rover.

North wall of Gale in that color image.

Mast cam first image will be of a calibration target and some circles (Tiers) at lower levels.

MSL sends status to a shift that starts at 11pm at night.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ugordan on 08/07/2012 05:34 pm
The rover was always intended to operate in a potentially dusty environment - look at the MER rovers, they are caked. 

I understand that, I was talking only about the dust hazard during landing. Looking at the new MAHLI and navcam images as well as the darkness of the rover in HiRISE images, it looks like it got absolutely caked in seconds.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/07/2012 05:38 pm
MAHLI guy getting emotional again :) Knows two of his cameras are working.

Will be adjusting the data rate for ODY and MRO - the latter will be upped to 2mb per second.

Hard to tell how much dust they have on the camera covers. Designed to be tolerant to dust. Self inspect images will tell them a lot.

Hazcam might of spotted SkyCrane crashing?! "We can't rule it out".
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/07/2012 05:48 pm
Mast cam might be able to spot some of the hardware if the topography is right.

Mast cam images will be tomorrow. Probably not of any terrain.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Brian Copp on 08/07/2012 05:48 pm
One of the reporters mentioned something about a test that didn't go well? What's that all about?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dappa on 08/07/2012 05:52 pm
One of the reporters mentioned something about a test that didn't go well? What's that all about?
It was about the REMS, I believe it didn't act exactly the way that was expected the second time it was operated. Was mentioned by Mike shorty after the presser started, but I don't remember details.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Robert Thompson on 08/07/2012 06:03 pm
Are there prevailing wind directions that were accounted for in choosing where to crash the descent stage.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Herb Schaltegger on 08/07/2012 06:08 pm
Are there prevailing wind directions that were accounted for in choosing where to crash the descent stage.

This was discussed in the press conferences yesterday. The main direction the science team gave to the engineering team was "away from the science." Since they are going drive the rover generally south towards the center of the crater, the descent stage was directed basically northwards.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: John44 on 08/07/2012 06:18 pm
Mars Science Laboratory/Curiosity Rover Post-Landing News Briefing - Sol 2 Update
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7765
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: knotnic on 08/07/2012 08:06 pm
Damn! Look at how dark the rover is. It must be absolutely covered in dust.

The HiRise image was very oblique (41 deg angle I think) and pointed at the shadowed side of the rover.  So hopefully it's not as dark as it looks. 
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Oberon_Command on 08/07/2012 08:12 pm
It's a slight shame that Curiosity in its landing has rather littered up the Martian landscape in the area with various bits of hardware, especially the Sky Crane with its fuel.

That shame diminishes when you remember how large Mars is in comparison to the "litter" area.

Diminishes, yes. Extinguishes, no.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ugordan on 08/07/2012 08:14 pm
This concern about Mars' environment warms my heart and almost makes me forget how people here on Earth litter without even giving it a second thought. But since this is Mars, we really *should* keep it clean!

Seriously, I don't understand where this is coming from. Things like "you're sending *plutonium* to Mars? What if the thing crashes!?!?!"
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Jim on 08/07/2012 08:16 pm
Name an early exploration landing that didn't litter.  That even includes new continents and lands on earth.

Anyways, all the MSL "litter" is minor compared to MSL itself, which will be eventually abandoned and it contains plutonium.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Pheogh on 08/07/2012 08:17 pm
Mast cam might be able to spot some of the hardware if the topography is right.

Mast cam images will be tomorrow. Probably not of any terrain.

Sure would have saved a whole lot of people headaches if some smart programmer had designed a live web based activity calendar for Curiosity. Surface ops must have a calendar of some kind they are working from...? Beuller?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/07/2012 08:42 pm
Lots of non updates on a live update thread. Thread trimmed. Use the other threads.

Updates go on Update threads. It's not rocket science ;)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: MahFL on 08/07/2012 11:15 pm
hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/images/2012/details/cut/hardware-longview.tif

The tif is now available, it had to be re-uploaded.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: marsman2020 on 08/08/2012 12:28 am
A bunch more image data from Sol 0 has been posted on the raw images website - http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?s=0 - including the full resolution versions of some of the "covers closed" HazCam images that we all saw as downsampled versions right when the rover landed. 

I now have a much better idea of how much dust was on my covers before they opened.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/08/2012 12:53 am
A bunch more image data from Sol 0 has been posted on the raw images website - http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?s=0 - including the full resolution versions of some of the "covers closed" HazCam images that we all saw as downsampled versions right when the rover landed. 

I now have a much better idea of how much dust was on my covers before they opened.

So many (if not everyone) here are so happy you put those covers on!

Must give you that warm fuzzy feeling  :)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Rocket Science on 08/08/2012 01:02 am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5YtXtp5WAc&feature=relmfu
Best laugh I had all day…  20:10

Q: What could be responsible for the walnut sized little pieces of rocks?

A: Squirrels… Funny Ken  ;D
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: spectre9 on 08/08/2012 01:22 am
Incredibly cool that they were able to spot all the EDL hardware so quickly.

Pictures are up now.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/images/
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Robert Thompson on 08/08/2012 01:42 am
"away from the science."
Gale Crater was formed at least in part by wind. Hopefully aerosolized hydrazine was not transported to instruments.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: kevin-rf on 08/08/2012 01:49 am
Did I miss it, or hasn't anyone posted that MRO also managed to capture the heat shield dropping away from MSL?

http://www.uahirise.org/images/2012/details/cut/msl_parachute_heatshield.jpg

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: FOXP2 on 08/08/2012 03:58 am
"away from the science."
Gale Crater was formed at least in part by wind. Hopefully aerosolized hydrazine was not transported to instruments.

I'm confused, was the sky-crane, once it flies off, not designed to burn its tanks dry?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bogeyman on 08/08/2012 07:19 am

No, the flyaway burn was fixed duration, not to depletion.

Could it have happened that the tank content exploded upon impact?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ugordan on 08/08/2012 07:34 am
Could it have happened that the tank content exploded upon impact?

Over at UMSF (http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?s=&showtopic=7401&view=findpost&p=187555), at least one apparently secondary impact pointing back to the descent stage impact was identified in the HiRISE image. This suggests that at least some components of the descent stage didn't go peacefully. What's more, the distance the secondary piece travelled is more than the distance to the rover!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ugordan on 08/08/2012 07:37 am
A bunch more image data from Sol 0 has been posted on the raw images website - http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?s=0 - including the full resolution versions of some of the "covers closed" HazCam images that we all saw as downsampled versions right when the rover landed. 

Also one MARDI full resolution frame was downlinked - http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00000/mrdi/0000MD9999000072E1_DXXX.jpg
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ugordan on 08/08/2012 07:48 am
The mast is up, navcam image of the deck. The rover and the optics seem to be pretty clear of dust.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bogeyman on 08/08/2012 07:57 am
The mast is up, navcam image of the deck. The rover and the optics seem to be pretty clear of dust.

Thanks for posting! Wow! Even the wheel seems to be totally clean.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bogeyman on 08/08/2012 08:11 am
The mast is up, navcam image of the deck.

Was that pic relayed or did it come directly from the rover's high gain antenna?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ugordan on 08/08/2012 08:34 am
No idea.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Nathan on 08/08/2012 10:12 am
Pictures are starting to flow.

Mountains

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/proj/msl/redops/ods/surface/sol/00002/opgs/edr/ncam/NLA_397681339EDR_F0020000AUT_04096M_.JPG
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: MarsInMyLifetime on 08/08/2012 10:14 am
Note the thruster impingement points. Very cool.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Silmfeanor on 08/08/2012 10:42 am
 :o
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: douglas100 on 08/08/2012 10:45 am
Love the 2 navcam pics, especially the way the rim mountains become hazy in the distance.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: saturnapollo on 08/08/2012 11:00 am
Brilliant photos. Been waiting a long time to see Martian mountains.

Here's the two again, but brightened a bit.

Keith

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: kevinof on 08/08/2012 11:06 am
Very little dust visible on Curiosity.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ugordan on 08/08/2012 11:08 am
Very little dust visible on Curiosity.

Correction: very little coarse-grained stuff seen on Curiosity. It might still be covered with a thin film of fine, orangish dust, and to figure that out we'll have to wait for color images.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: kevin-rf on 08/08/2012 01:50 pm
Could it have happened that the tank content exploded upon impact?

Over at UMSF (http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?s=&showtopic=7401&view=findpost&p=187555), at least one apparently secondary impact pointing back to the descent stage impact was identified in the HiRISE image. This suggests that at least some components of the descent stage didn't go peacefully. What's more, the distance the secondary piece travelled is more than the distance to the rover!

The discussion has since evolved into it looks like the rear(?) hazcam caught the dust cloud the skycrane kicked up on impact.

http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?s=&showtopic=7401&view=findpost&p=187592
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ugordan on 08/08/2012 02:03 pm
Yes, that was speculated almost immediately since two separate sets of rear hazcam images were received - one with covers on immediately after landing, showing *something* in both left and right images, and one with covers off showing nothing there later.

The question was raised during yesterday's presser and it wasn't ruled out, in fact it looks very plausible.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: mduncan36 on 08/08/2012 02:43 pm
I know how cliched it is to say this but I can't get over the resemblance of these photos to some of my own taken in a dry area of Lake Meade outside Las Vegas. Surely MRO would have spotted a neon city on the other side of those hills, right? Thoughts like that really make you ponder what that site looked like in the ancient past and what might be there that we aren't seeing yet. Which is the alien landscape? Earth or Mars?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Archibald on 08/08/2012 02:54 pm
Brilliant photos. Been waiting a long time to see Martian mountains.

Here's the two again, but brightened a bit.

Keith



These martians mountains /
Are a home now for me /
But my home is the lowlands /
And always will be /
...
Brothers in Mars ?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/08/2012 03:24 pm
The mast is up, navcam image of the deck. The rover and the optics seem to be pretty clear of dust.

That's wonderful. And a tip, that only just showed up on the @MarsCuriosity twitter feed, so that feed is a very slow one.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Retired Downrange on 08/08/2012 03:37 pm
Grab your 3D glasses for this view of Curiosity's landscape on Mars
Posted By Emily Lakdawalla

2012/08/08 09:58 CDT

Curiosity fired up her Navigational Cameras on Sol 2 and began to take a look around her. The first four full-resolution frames are enough for a small 3D panorama that shows a lovely landscape. I think we're going to like it here!

http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2012/08080751-curiosity-first-navcam-pan-3d.html
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/08/2012 04:09 pm
Epic 3D-ness, and not to detract from live updates (there's a presser in less than an hour), but I wonder if there's commonality with the 3D camera on MSL with the Shuttle OBSS camera suite? OR if they are processed into 3D on the ground?

Ref:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2011/05/endeavour-completes-historic-final-undocking-tps-clearance-overview/ (includes 3D image of a TPS damage area).
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Jim on 08/08/2012 04:43 pm
Epic 3D-ness, and not to detract from live updates (there's a presser in less than an hour), but I wonder if there's commonality with the 3D camera on MSL with the Shuttle OBSS camera suite? OR if they are processed into 3D on the ground?


None, there are just multiple cameras and they can be combined on the ground. 
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ugordan on 08/08/2012 04:49 pm
And they are of MER heritage.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/08/2012 05:02 pm
Lowering numbers of journalists at the pressers.

All antennas and links working perfectly.

100mb of data on the last MRO pass.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dappa on 08/08/2012 05:03 pm
Presser started with Jennifer Trosper, Justin Maki, John Grotzinger, Mike Malin, Don Hassler.

High gain session works, all links work perfectly now. Mastcam pointed away from the sun.

REMS issues understood and cleared.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/08/2012 05:03 pm
REMS working. Mast deployed.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/08/2012 05:06 pm
Planning Sol 3 now.

Will do a mast cam 360 degree pano.

Four Sols (5-9) for the software transition. Will be sent up on the HGA.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dappa on 08/08/2012 05:07 pm
RTG genereating 115 Watts, more power than expected. Gale is a little warmer than prediction, no issues.

MSL rover Azimuth is updated by a degree, verified by mastcam.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jcm on 08/08/2012 05:07 pm

Used Mastcam image to update the HGA azimuth
Nice to see Trosper again, I remember she was impressive on MPF
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/08/2012 05:10 pm
Current config.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/08/2012 05:11 pm
Full res versions coming down in a day or two.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/08/2012 05:12 pm
A couple of frames of the 360 degree pano.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/08/2012 05:14 pm
Heh. Hat tip to conspiracy theorists! Saying people might think NASA is pulling a fast one and that they put a rover out in the mojave desert. :D
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/08/2012 05:16 pm
SkyCrane provided some free trenching with the thruster inpingments.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dappa on 08/08/2012 05:16 pm
Skycrane plume uncovered bedrock!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dappa on 08/08/2012 05:19 pm
Found some more vehicle pieces, 6 impact spots in a row! Balance masses anyone?  :D

12 km downrange from rover, 1km dispersal.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ugordan on 08/08/2012 05:19 pm
6 tungsten ballast impact point imaged!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/08/2012 05:20 pm
Ballast masses spotted in Gale.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jcm on 08/08/2012 05:21 pm
Six entry balance mass devices spotted by MRO
(two Cruise Balance mass devices not seen yet I guess)
EMBD jettisoned relatively low about 20 km or so; CMBD jettisoned out in space so I'm really curious how they fared
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/08/2012 05:21 pm
Cool animation of the aeroshell coming off.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Jeff Lerner on 08/08/2012 05:22 pm
Full res versions coming down in a day or two.

Wow...is the contrast right on the picture of Curiosity ??....doesn't look white any more ....???
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/08/2012 05:22 pm
Full res of the aeroshell
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/08/2012 05:24 pm
Pebbles.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/08/2012 05:25 pm
MSL location.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/08/2012 05:28 pm
Radiation chat.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/08/2012 05:29 pm
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dappa on 08/08/2012 05:30 pm
First measurements yesterday by RAD. Mast was still down and partially obstructing field of view during first measurements.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Jeff Lerner on 08/08/2012 05:30 pm
Radiation chat.

Chris, any characterization of what this level of radiation would mean for an astronaut on Mars ???...probablly too early to comment...
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dappa on 08/08/2012 05:36 pm
Bedrock is pretty high up to be the floor of the crater. Guess is that it is a "rock" that formed some time after the crater. Do not know how hard the rock is, so rock in quotation marks.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Carreidas 160 on 08/08/2012 05:37 pm
Heh. Hat tip to conspiracy theorists! Saying people might think NASA is pulling a fast one and that they put a rover out in the mojave desert. :D

I was going to suggest the same :)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/08/2012 05:37 pm
The SkyCrane "crater".

This mission has seemingly moved on to the "it's a rock" phase.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/08/2012 05:41 pm
Radiation chat.

Chris, any characterization of what this level of radiation would mean for an astronaut on Mars ???...probablly too early to comment...

Leo just asked that question!

Answer is it's complex and one of the more interesting questions. RAD will help design the shielding for HSF Mars missions.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/08/2012 05:45 pm
More notes that this landscape looks a lot like Earth, "it feels comfortable"
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jcm on 08/08/2012 05:46 pm
Kelly Beatty fronting for me asking the entry timeline question :-) Thanks Kelly
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Jeff Lerner on 08/08/2012 05:46 pm
Bedrock is pretty high up to be the floor of the crater. Guess is that it is a "rock" that formed some time after the crater. Do not know how hard the rock is, so rock in quotation marks.

One thing I've noticed from these early pictures is that the rover's wheels did not seem to sink into the surface at all...implies to me that the surface where MSL landed is quite hard....no dunes in sight a la MERs
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/08/2012 05:47 pm
The ballast impacts are far away (and across a dune field they don't want to cross). So unlikely to check out those new holes.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Kaputnik on 08/08/2012 05:47 pm
Sounds like the ballast impacts will not be investigated- would have to traverse the dune field, and travel across areas where the stratigraphy is obscured.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dappa on 08/08/2012 05:52 pm
Touchdown time: 05:17:57 UTC
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jcm on 08/08/2012 05:53 pm
And the answer is 0517:57 UTC SCET, so the value we thought we heard on the SOL 0 thread (0514:39) was something else.
This is much more consistent with the expected timeline.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/08/2012 05:56 pm
So there will be that animation of landing in hi res in a day or so I believe!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Rocket Guy on 08/08/2012 05:57 pm
It wasn't heard wrong, that's what they said the other day (14:39). They have finally corrected it after being asked to, but not explained why they had it wrong.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Nathan on 08/08/2012 06:03 pm
Radiation chat.

Chris, any characterization of what this level of radiation would mean for an astronaut on Mars ???...probablly too early to comment...

Leo just asked that question!

Answer is it's complex and one of the more interesting questions. RAD will help design the shielding for HSF Mars missions.
Looking at the graph though average radiation looks about half that of cruise- which is at least what one would expect from having a planet blocking half of the sky. Those peaks show that shielding of some kind is likely still required.

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Jeff Lerner on 08/08/2012 06:09 pm
Radiation chat.

Chris, any characterization of what this level of radiation would mean for an astronaut on Mars ???...probablly too early to comment...

Leo just asked that question!

Answer is it's complex and one of the more interesting questions. RAD will help design the shielding for HSF Mars missions.
Looking at the graph though average radiation looks about half that of cruise- which is at least what one would expect from having a planet blocking half of the sky. Those peaks show that shielding of some kind is likely still required.




So can we now cross off "unreasonable" radation levels on Mars for humans off the Mars Risk list ???...I believe that was one of the major unknowns......
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jcm on 08/08/2012 06:11 pm
It wasn't heard wrong, that's what they said the other day (14:39). They have finally corrected it after being asked to, but not explained why they had it wrong.

I'd have to listen to it again.
They said something was 1014:39 but maybe it wasn't rover touchdown
or maybe it wasn't PDT but some uncorrected telemetry counter value?

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Hungry4info3 on 08/08/2012 06:12 pm
So can we now cross off "unreasonable" radation levels on Mars for humans off the Mars Risk list ???...I believe that was one of the major unknowns......

I'd be cautious crossing anything off the list if all we have is less than a week's worth of uncalibrated data.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ugordan on 08/08/2012 06:12 pm
Great view of the heatshield falling away, another full res frame that was downloaded from MARDI:
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Blackstar on 08/08/2012 06:13 pm
So can we now cross off "unreasonable" radation levels on Mars for humans off the Mars Risk list ???...I believe that was one of the major unknowns......

I'd be cautious crossing anything off the list if all we have is less than a week's worth of uncalibrated data.

Yes. Wait for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jnc on 08/08/2012 06:13 pm
The SkyCrane "crater".

Just to make sure I understand, this is one of the exhaust-dug holes near the rover, not the impact crater, right?

Noel
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Hungry4info3 on 08/08/2012 06:14 pm
Yes.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Rocket Guy on 08/08/2012 06:14 pm
It wasn't heard wrong, that's what they said the other day (14:39). They have finally corrected it after being asked to, but not explained why they had it wrong.

I'd have to listen to it again.
They said something was 1014:39 but maybe it wasn't rover touchdown
or maybe it wasn't PDT but some uncorrected telemetry counter value?



They stated touchdown Mars time was 10:14:39, leading to lots of chatter about whether it was three minutes early, there was bad info, and other news sites reporting "10:39" as well. I believe the reporter asked today because they still hadn't clarified.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Pheogh on 08/08/2012 06:20 pm
I would love to know how the telemetry reconstruction is going and especially to actually see a sim of it. Anyone have any news about this?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Norm Hartnett on 08/08/2012 06:29 pm
http://www.db-prods.net/blog/2012/08/08/premiere-carte-postale-en-provenance-de-gale-sol-2/

A wallpaper/postcard from one of the good folks at unmannedspaceflight.com

Edit: click on the photo
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ArbitraryConstant on 08/08/2012 07:19 pm
Anyone have any news about this?
The one thing I caught from mission control during EDL was that when the heat shield popped, the radar velocity correction was 0.7 meters per second. I assume guidance until then was purely inertial.

Not my field, but that seems insanely good to me. They can probably work backwards from the initial radar fix and get very good position numbers all the way back to whenever they last got a fix from Earth.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: asdyt on 08/08/2012 07:45 pm
http://www.db-prods.net/blog/2012/08/08/premiere-carte-postale-en-provenance-de-gale-sol-2/

A wallpaper/postcard from one of the good folks at unmannedspaceflight.com
Here's a colourised version. It's just like being there.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: John44 on 08/08/2012 07:50 pm
Mars Science Laboratory/Curiosity Rover Post-Landing News Briefing - Sol 3 Update
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7770
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: go4mars on 08/08/2012 08:00 pm
Looks like a deflation lag to me (where it landed). 
Also, I'm not a rocketry expert, but am surprised that the plumes had such a focussed effect on the ground so far below through near-vacuum.  I figured the plumes would be more dispersed than that at that distance...
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/08/2012 08:21 pm
Great view of the heatshield falling away, another full res frame that was downloaded from MARDI:

Super fantastic!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jcm on 08/08/2012 08:36 pm
It wasn't heard wrong, that's what they said the other day (14:39). They have finally corrected it after being asked to, but not explained why they had it wrong.

I'd have to listen to it again.
They said something was 1014:39 but maybe it wasn't rover touchdown
or maybe it wasn't PDT but some uncorrected telemetry counter value?



They stated touchdown Mars time was 10:14:39, leading to lots of chatter about whether it was three minutes early, there was bad info, and other news sites reporting "10:39" as well. I believe the reporter asked today because they still hadn't clarified.

Yes, the reporter asked today because I emailed him just before the press conference :-)  - we go back a ways
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: iamlucky13 on 08/08/2012 08:49 pm
So can we now cross off "unreasonable" radation levels on Mars for humans off the Mars Risk list ???...I believe that was one of the major unknowns......

The first graph isn't RAD data. It's sunspot counts for the last decade. The second graph (link (http://"http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/images/?ImageID=4338") is an uncalibrated plot and has no units. It doesn't tell us much so far.

But the radiation environment has already been predicted through some fairly thorough analysis. It was not a complete unknown. We know it's quite a bit worse than earth - about 1,000 times the cosmic ray exposure, and I think about 100-200 times the total surface background exposure from all sources. This is the average rate, and it can jump significantly due to solar activity, so even though astronauts are allowed to receive up to about 75 times the annual exposure rate they would on the ground, you actually need more shielding than just what it would take to get your from 100x to 75x exposure. Mission design is for peak exposure, not average exposure.

I don't have a complete picture of the past dose assessments, but they generally seem amount to that the amount of shielding necessary is for the most part reasonable, but there is a moderate chance that a major solar flare can push the amount of shielding required to impractical levels.

The RAD data will show how well those predictions stand up to measurements, and provide a more confident basis for understanding how much protection astronauts actually need and what their total mission dosage would be.

In other words, excess radiation exposure is still considered a real risk, and the RAD instrument will likely confirm that. Note that this is primarily in the form of increased lifetime cancer risk. It should quite reasonably be possible to keep the exposure rate below what would cause radiation sickness, which would be a definitely unacceptable case.

Changing topics, here's a very roughly merged self-portrait mosaic from the navcam thumbnails:

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/images/?ImageID=4346
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Robotbeat on 08/08/2012 09:05 pm
Comparing Mars surface radiation levels and Earth surface radiation levels isn't terribly helpful, and makes the situation seem worse than it is. There are places on Earth where people live long, healthy lives that have natural radiation levels comparable to low altitude areas of Mars.

Compare the levels of ISS and Mars surface. They are about the same in many places, and in places that are easiest to get to EDL-wise, (i.e. lower altitude), the radiation levels are significantly lower than ISS levels.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Norm38 on 08/09/2012 12:02 am
What I liked from today's presser at 25:20 was that it's basically set that the rover is safe to drive.  No obstacles nearby to worry about.

A drive to one of the thruster craters is probably first.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: marsman2020 on 08/09/2012 07:56 am
A bunch more full resolution NavCam images from Sol 2 are now posted in the raw images section.

I couldn't help myself, I stitched a few of them together to make this.  I also spotted a few other bits of hardware that I worked on in addition to the dust covers.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bogeyman on 08/09/2012 07:58 am
Great work, marsman! Looks like there is some grain on the deck
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bogeyman on 08/09/2012 08:03 am
What was in these white "trays" that you can see just a little left of the center of the image?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ugordan on 08/09/2012 08:34 am
What was in these white "trays" that you can see just a little left of the center of the image?

I'd say that's where the cameras were tucked in while the mast was stowed.

Also: http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2012/08082211-curiosity-sol-2-navcam-full-frame-mardi.html
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/09/2012 11:27 am
A bunch more full resolution NavCam images from Sol 2 are now posted in the raw images section.

I couldn't help myself, I stitched a few of them together to make this. 
very nice, thanks

Quote
I also spotted a few other bits of hardware that I worked on in addition to the dust covers.


Please, do tell!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/09/2012 03:25 pm
Heads up that I can't be around at the time of this next presser, so if everyone could chip in.... thanks!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Stardust9906 on 08/09/2012 05:02 pm
Presser starting
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dappa on 08/09/2012 05:03 pm
Presser started with Mike Watkins, Mike Malin, Dawn Sumner, Andy Mishkin, Doug Ellison.

MSL behaves flawlessly, the team too.

New software load starting day after tomorrow. Prepping today.

Checked out a number of instruments(didn't get which ones), all was nominal.

Took first 360 degree panorama in color.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Stardust9906 on 08/09/2012 05:07 pm
Dust on the deck
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Robert Thompson on 08/09/2012 05:13 pm
Sharpened HiRISE image with noise removed
http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/images/2012/details/cut/MSL_EDL_sharp.tif
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Stardust9906 on 08/09/2012 05:14 pm
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dappa on 08/09/2012 05:14 pm
Main target (base of Mount Sharp) area is visible in navcam images. 
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Stardust9906 on 08/09/2012 05:15 pm
Curiosity is here
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Robert Thompson on 08/09/2012 05:16 pm
1 cm across for largest particles, possibly 'lighter than expected'.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Stardust9906 on 08/09/2012 05:18 pm
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dappa on 08/09/2012 05:19 pm
Predicted touchdown was 0.6 seconds off from actual touchdown.  :o :o
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Robert Thompson on 08/09/2012 05:23 pm
Doug Ellison promoting http://eyes.nasa.gov/
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dappa on 08/09/2012 05:28 pm
Curiosity Rover ‏@MarsCuriosity

Area 51? No, Quad 51 is where I landed on Mars. Here's a map of Gale crater. (PS - I come in peace) #MSL http://twitpic.com/ahdtkg
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Stardust9906 on 08/09/2012 05:28 pm
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Robert Thompson on 08/09/2012 05:32 pm
Color panorama: low exposure, no saturation, raw color. Human eye can distinguish 1000 colors, 60 gray scale.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Robert Thompson on 08/09/2012 05:36 pm
Keith Cowling > Doug Ellison > Augmented Reality apps for iPhone on the way (?).
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dappa on 08/09/2012 05:38 pm
All instruments are working to some degree, checked at least that "power is flowing".
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Robert Thompson on 08/09/2012 05:43 pm
Adaptive data rates peak at 2mbps at lowest airmass.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dappa on 08/09/2012 05:47 pm
Fight software transition on sol 5, 6, 7, 8. Standing down on science during transition.

End of presser.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Robert Thompson on 08/09/2012 05:50 pm
Dawn Sumner team eager to use laser on material exposed from landing.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/09/2012 05:59 pm
Great work Gents, and Doug at the presser!! Awesome for him! :)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dappa on 08/09/2012 06:05 pm
Curiosity Rover ‏@MarsCuriosity

Gale Crater Vista, in Glorious Color! Get a low-res preview of the 360-panorama to come [pic] http://1.usa.gov/MCkZ2x #MSL
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Stardust9906 on 08/09/2012 06:09 pm
More images from the briefing
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Stardust9906 on 08/09/2012 06:14 pm
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Stardust9906 on 08/09/2012 06:17 pm
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 08/09/2012 08:25 pm
Great images, you can really see where the Sky Crane has dug down into the bedrock with its rocket boosters in them.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/09/2012 08:54 pm
Predicted touchdown was 0.6 seconds off from actual touchdown.  :o :o

Phenomenal!

Great work on the presser guys.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jnc on 08/09/2012 08:55 pm
Phenominal!

I take it the mis-spelling there was deliberate? (Nice one, if so!)

Noel

PS: Argh! You changed it! So it was an accident after all? I thought it was a play on the 'everything nominal' NASA jargon. It was really cute/clever!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: iamlucky13 on 08/09/2012 09:56 pm
Doug Ellison promoting http://eyes.nasa.gov/

That's awesome. If R2D2 has inappropriate dreams, that website is what they look like.

I'm serious, if anybody on NSF does not check this out, Optimus Prime will personally come to your house and revoke your nerd badge.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: BrightLight on 08/09/2012 10:35 pm
I wonder what the blue stuff is - maybe algae  ;D
did i write that - opps, follow the water...
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: clongton on 08/10/2012 01:56 am
Dust on the deck

I totally love the pictures and panoramas, but I'm really surprised that the designers didn't include *some* kind of directed blower to remove accumulating dust on occasion. It's not like we haven't had to deal with Martian dust before. Everybody knows it *can* be a problem. And Curiosity, being nuclear powered, is not lacking in electrical ability to power the device. The last lander had to depend on being hit by a Martian dust devil to clear the solar panels for crying out loud. After spending all that money and expending all that time, let's not leave our landers at the whim of Martian weather to remain operational. I really don't want to read on here in a year or 2 that a perfectly good rover has become useless because of accumulating dust.  Future lander developers, please take note.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Jim on 08/10/2012 02:06 am
Dust on the deck

I totally love the pictures and panoramas, but I'm really surprised that the designers didn't include *some* kind of directed blower to remove accumulating dust on occasion. It's not like we haven't had to deal with Martian dust before. Everybody knows it *can* be a problem. And Curiosity, being nuclear powered, is not lacking in electrical ability to power the device. The last lander had to depend on being hit by a Martian dust devil to clear the solar panels for crying out loud. After spending all that money and expending all that time, let's not leave our landers at the whim of Martian weather to remain operational. I really don't want to read on here in a year or 2 that a perfectly good rover has become useless because of accumulating dust.  Future lander developers, please take note.

Because it is not problem

It is not an issue for MSL and not worth the weight.  MSL is designed for a 2 years mission.

It also was not an issue for MER, they were only designed for 90 day missions.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: thomson on 08/10/2012 02:11 am
I've missed yesterday daily press conference. Are they archived somewhere? I tied to find them on mars.jpl.nasa.gov, but they are not there in multimedia nor news sections.

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: rdale on 08/10/2012 02:19 am
YouTube and John44. Links in each daily thread.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/10/2012 02:27 am
YouTube and John44. Links in each daily thread.

Here's John44's SOL4 conference link

http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7773:mars-science-laboratorycuriosity-rover-post-landing-news-briefing-sol-4-update&catid=1:latest
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Nathan on 08/10/2012 09:09 am
I'm getting concerned that there are no sol3 raw images on the jpl site. Is there a problem?

http://marsmobile.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ugordan on 08/10/2012 09:30 am
No, there isn't, they just haven't posted any sol 3 images there. It's been obvious from sol 1 or 2 that the MARDI and Mastcam images show up in the press conferences before they hit the raw page. The color panorama released yesterday in particular was downlinked sol 3 so there's no problem with the rover.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Svetoslav on 08/10/2012 09:37 am
Does it mean that the Curiosity team will follow a different policy than Spirit, Oppy and Phoenix about how they handle the data? It would be a great disappointment if this is the case.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/10/2012 10:25 am
Curiosity Rover ‏@MarsCuriosity

Area 51? No, Quad 51 is where I landed on Mars. Here's a map of Gale crater. (PS - I come in peace) #MSL http://twitpic.com/ahdtkg
I want to go there:
(http://img808.imageshack.us/img808/1060/villaggiomarziano.jpg)

Where do I find the hires version?

Keith Cowling > Doug Ellison > Augmented Reality apps for iPhone on the way (?).
Here?
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mobile/info/
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ugordan on 08/10/2012 11:17 am
Does it mean that the Curiosity team will follow a different policy than Spirit, Oppy and Phoenix about how they handle the data? It would be a great disappointment if this is the case.

Too early to tell. I'm still willing to chalk this up to the raw page not being their number one priority right now. Although to be frank, the raw page looks like something that was cobbled up at the last minute and yet they had months if not years to lay the groundwork for it.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Svetoslav on 08/10/2012 11:19 am
Oh yeah. I had some trouble with downloading raw photos initially.

I would personally be happy even with regularly given Engineering camera images only, but pancam frames would be nice.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Nathan on 08/10/2012 11:20 am
No, there isn't, they just haven't posted any sol 3 images there. It's been obvious from sol 1 or 2 that the MARDI and Mastcam images show up in the press conferences before they hit the raw page. The color panorama released yesterday in particular was downlinked sol 3 so there's no problem with the rover.
But they said during the sol3 press conference that the images are to be posted as soon as they get them (they said that in response to a question about finding something obviously biological such as stromatolites.)
If they are holding back for press conferences then that is disappointing as that is a lousy way to engage the public ( most of whom won't watch te press conferences). It is very different than pathfinder and mer. Also - what is the procedure for sol 58 etc when here won't be a daily press conference.

As this is an update thread I don't want to derail with endless opinion - but I do want to understand when we should expect image updates and where they will be posted. 
Also, does anyone know what te downlink times are for say the next week either direct from the rover or via relay satellite ?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Svetoslav on 08/10/2012 11:31 am
According to Emily's blog tomorrow they start uploading software for surface operations - a procedure that will take minimum 4 sols. No science data during this time.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Nathan on 08/10/2012 11:43 am
According to Emily's blog tomorrow they start uploading software for surface operations - a procedure that will take minimum 4 sols. No science data during this time.
Could you please provide a link to that blog?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Svetoslav on 08/10/2012 11:45 am
http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2012/08091249-curiosity-sol-3-mastcam-pan.html

During tonight and tomorrow's communications passes, sol 4, they should get a few of the full-resolution frames down from Mars. But only 10 or 20 will make it down before they begin the big flight software upgrade on sol 5. That effort will take at least 4 sols, and no science data will be returned during that time. So it'll be some time -- at least a week, more like two -- before the whole thing is available in full resolution. Even then, it won't include the top of the mountain.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hyper_snyper on 08/10/2012 11:52 am
According to Emily's blog tomorrow they start uploading software for surface operations - a procedure that will take minimum 4 sols. No science data during this time.
Could you please provide a link to that blog?

http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Svetoslav on 08/10/2012 11:54 am
Oh, and by the way...

The images are up :

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?s=3

:)

So good news everyone!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Nathan on 08/10/2012 12:08 pm
Oh, and by the way...

The images are up :

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?s=3

:)

So good news everyone!

Nice. Hmm. Nothing new since press conference.
Thumbnails again....
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Retired Downrange on 08/10/2012 12:08 pm
Text from the "raw" page:

"Curiosity just sent back raw images for Sol 3! (A Sol is Martian Day.) The rover is now performing activities requested by the science team for Sol 4. Curiosity will send back images and other data based on these commands on Sol 4. Curiosity stores any data not transmitted onboard. The rover will send back this data on later Sols according to the mission team's priorities. That means these pages update whenever data comes back. Images are filed in the Sol the rover took the picture, not the Sol on which the rover sent the image back to Earth. Check back frequently for more discoveries from Mars! "
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/10/2012 12:29 pm
I've missed yesterday daily press conference. Are they archived somewhere?
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_tag&task=tag&tag=msl

Dust on the deck

I totally love the pictures and panoramas, but I'm really surprised that the designers didn't include *some* kind of directed blower to remove accumulating dust on occasion.
An obliquous rather than flat surface would do the same at no energy cost. :-) Why have rovers to be flat and horizontal?!?

Does it mean that the Curiosity team will follow a different policy than Spirit, Oppy and Phoenix about how they handle the data? It would be a great disappointment if this is the case.
They're adding full resolution of MARDI frames to SOL 0 page:
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?s=0
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: corrodedNut on 08/10/2012 12:39 pm
They're adding full resolution of MARDI frames to SOL 0 page:
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?s=0

And they've made a new decent video from them, "Curiosity Bids Goodbye to Heat Shield": http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/videos/index.cfm?v=65

Also, "Up, Down and All Around Curiosity":
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/videos/index.cfm?v=66

I find their Youtube page a bit more user-friendly than the JPL Video Archive

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ec1KNoDly14&list=UUZZl9m3dGpm2teFlrImny-Q&index=2&feature=plcp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5aOQAWodxs&list=UUZZl9m3dGpm2teFlrImny-Q&index=1&feature=plcp

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Gary NASA on 08/10/2012 12:45 pm
According to Emily's blog tomorrow they start uploading software for surface operations - a procedure that will take minimum 4 sols. No science data during this time.

We knew this days ago, if you had taken the time to read the 12 pages of this thread.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Jim on 08/10/2012 01:59 pm

An obliquous rather than flat surface would do the same at no energy cost. :-) Why have rovers to be flat and horizontal?!?


For packaging.  It is not an issue for the chassis, so no need for unconventional design  Also, the MMRTG is at an angle for that very purpose.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/10/2012 02:13 pm
Are we going there? IT's just between us and Mount Sharp!
(http://jumpjack.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/3d-psp_009149009294-anim.gif)

Details:
http://jumpjack.wordpress.com/2012/08/10/un-paio-di-posti-interessanti-da-andare-a-vedere-su-marte/
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: meekGee on 08/10/2012 03:18 pm
Are we going there? IT's just between us and Mount Sharp!

<obvious>I dunno, the ground looks too shaky</obvious>
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Robotbeat on 08/10/2012 03:37 pm
Thanks, Jumpjack!

I love those GIFs, they give a great perspective.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/10/2012 04:01 pm
Is there already a plenned course for Curiosity?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Retired Downrange on 08/10/2012 04:43 pm
More information about data handling in this article

""NASA wanted to ensure that this thrilling experience was shared with fans across the globe by providing up-to-the-minute details of the mission," according to a case study AWS released to illustrate the project's technical accomplishments. With hundreds of thousands of concurrent visitors anticipated during traffic peaks, the case study asserts that "availability, scalability, and performance of the [site] was of the utmost essence."

 It also says that prior to AWS implementation, NASA/JPL did not possess the requisite Web and live streaming infrastructure to push hundreds of gigabits of content per second to the legions of site users.

"The public gets access as soon as we have access," Khawaja Shams, manager of data services for tactical operations at JPL, said in an interview. "All the images that come from Mars are processed in the cloud environment before they're disseminated." Services from Amazon "allows us to leverage multiple machines to do actual processing."

http://www.informationweek.com/government/cloud-saas/nasa-mars-mission-fueled-by-amazon-web-s/240005286
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/10/2012 04:52 pm
Next presser coming up in 10 mins.

Also, heads up to L2 members to download this 650mb video of the dual screen live GUI data and live control room video from another JPL room of the EDL! Epic.
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=29674.0
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Retired Downrange on 08/10/2012 04:56 pm
Also, from Washington Post:

"While Curiosity continues to collect data on Mars, here on Earth the team that got her there continues to receive questions and accolades from the science community and general public. Members of the team will be joining us Friday for a Google Hangout at 2:30 p.m. ET; among them Tracy Neilson, head of the rover’s fault protection team; Steve Collins, a member of the attitude control systems team; Martin Greco, one of two leads on the entry, descent and landing activity team and mission controller Bobak Ferdowsi."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/innovations/post/nasa-curiosity-crew-members-are-hanging-out-with-us-today-230-pm-et/2012/08/10/c2faf4e2-e2f4-11e1-98e7-89d659f9c106_blog.html
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/10/2012 04:57 pm
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/10/2012 05:00 pm
STarting
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/10/2012 05:01 pm
EDL team and software team leading.

The cool Adam S!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/10/2012 05:03 pm
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/10/2012 05:03 pm
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/10/2012 05:03 pm
Jody Davis - wow.

EDL team get a round of applause.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/10/2012 05:05 pm
weather at landing: beat sand storms
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/10/2012 05:08 pm
Entry parameters were almost spot on, including one parameter estimated over a million miles from Mars. Was a clear and cold day during landing.

There's recorded EDL data (100MB) on MSL to be sent back. Only have 1mb of data on EDL so far.

Got more coverage than expected from MRO. 1MB of data from MRO and ODY.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/10/2012 05:08 pm
updated landing & descent times
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Stardust9906 on 08/10/2012 05:09 pm
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/10/2012 05:09 pm
landing zone history
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Stardust9906 on 08/10/2012 05:11 pm
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/10/2012 05:11 pm
discussing tungsten ballasts to adjust/trim trajectory
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/10/2012 05:14 pm
Pulled a little over 11 Gs

3 bank reversals (last one right at the end of range control, so ended up 1 mile higher which caused the error seen at lading)  (~ 1 mile off previously noted)

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/10/2012 05:14 pm
Notes about how previous missions added a lot of knowledge to MSL's EDL.

Slightly off the landing site was to do with the third bank reversal, where the vehicle climbed a bit. Could have also been related to tail winds.

Notes about the history of JSC's involvement with landings.

"I've been trying to find something interesting to talk about apart from the small miss distance, but I can't".
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Stardust9906 on 08/10/2012 05:17 pm
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/10/2012 05:21 pm
Kevin Kipp

Talking about parachute, the vent to let air escape

No tearing visible

Perfectly functioning

Also reviewed against entry timeline
259 sec after entry (based on 241 to 263 sec predicted window)

Took 20 sec to deccelerate down to Mach 0.7

Parachute Separation happened 95 sec after heat shield separation (from a 60-150 sec range)

(this all based on limited data available that they inferred)

Talking about oscillations of the capsule below the parachute, and trying to limit it. "Risk Mode". Turned out to be benign from the thumbnail video replay previously seen of heat shield falling away.

Radar beams measuring the ground can be affected by the oscillations, which were minimized

1-2 deg/sec capsule rotation during descent under the capsule (figured up to 3 deg/sec)

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/10/2012 05:22 pm
Parachute guy is happy with his parameters. Based on limited data.

Wrist mode (the wobble under parachute) can be seen in that video shown a few days ago. Shows wrist mode was small - 1 to 2 degrees of rotation.

Wanted to get the heatshield away as far as possible so as not to cause radar problems. Photos show that was all good.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/10/2012 05:23 pm
From the image of the capsule descending,

the heat shield is actually 15m away and this was after 3 seconds
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Stardust9906 on 08/10/2012 05:23 pm
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/10/2012 05:24 pm
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/10/2012 05:25 pm
Possible image of descent stage impact

edit: ~600m away

~ 100 mph

taken from rear Hazcam
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/10/2012 05:25 pm
Looks like they've photoed the SkyCrane impact!

Notes the two impact spots "We created those with our rocket engines!"

Thinks the debris on the rover is pretty cool too.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/10/2012 05:27 pm
Image taken from direction shown

Taling about divot in the ground caused by the decsent stage

debris kicked up that landed on the top of the rover (pretty cool)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/10/2012 05:29 pm
Google Mars of landing! I want to play with this!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Robert Thompson on 08/10/2012 05:30 pm
Google Mars banking reversals. They're getting good at these visualizations.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/10/2012 05:30 pm
Jody Davis

Talking about how they used Google Mars
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/10/2012 05:31 pm
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/10/2012 05:31 pm
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/10/2012 05:31 pm
(para): "Google even put an American flug at the landing spot for our rover"

edit to add image capture of American Flag
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/10/2012 05:32 pm
landing location diagrams
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/10/2012 05:33 pm
Only missed the landing target by 1.5 miles.

The estimation and actual landing sport are just 200m apart.

The ballast landed where they expected.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Stardust9906 on 08/10/2012 05:34 pm
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/10/2012 05:35 pm
What we are doing next:

To jetison flight software
(phone has processor that is 10x as faster and 16x as much storage. Have to build computers robust enough to survive).
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/10/2012 05:35 pm
Heh. Software talk. Ben's phone has a processor 10 times faster than MSL, but his phone is only monitoring his twitter feed! ;D

Software transition talk. The slides explain.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/10/2012 05:36 pm
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/10/2012 05:36 pm
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/10/2012 05:37 pm
2 new apps coming in R10
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Stardust9906 on 08/10/2012 05:37 pm
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/10/2012 05:39 pm
R10 software will include ability to drive & do the science

(R9 was the entry software)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/10/2012 05:40 pm
If all goes well on Sol 6 we will commit to R10
Then we will implement the backup computer, with Sol 7 will ccmmit to the backup computer
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/10/2012 05:47 pm
Even after this first EDL ops, they know they can do better on future missions.

Ironically, Craig Covalt asks for a show of hands from team members on who is now looking for another job now.

A Canadian report thinks she's the only one asking questions today....and rocks excite her! :D
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/10/2012 05:47 pm
Q from CBC in Yellowknife!!

How did you decide to call the landing site "Yellowknife"?
Some of the oldest rocks found here, so perhaps that's why?

A (panel) : "We're just the delivery guys"

Naming convention from the science dep't. They found Joy Crips in the audience

Joy Crisp: It was a quadrangle
Q: Are all the other quadrangles named?
A: I believe so
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/10/2012 05:49 pm
Jonathan Amos, BBC! Top man.

Asking about comms and debris field.

Another HiRise image of the landing site coming up, he's told.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/10/2012 05:50 pm
BBC news reporter

Q: about descent stage impact site
A: Another imaging opportunity 6 days after landing (from above). Will be a Nadir image. Cleaner image, better resolution
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/10/2012 05:52 pm
Q about computer used

Rad hardened processor
133 Mhz chip
Software optimized

R10 frees up some of our processor utilization (much like cleaning up you home computer to make it faster). Same speed processor, just makes it runs faster

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/10/2012 05:54 pm
Talking about the skycrane technology and its use on future missions, cargo resupply drops.

"Absolutely. will review data..."
"We are already working on it"
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/10/2012 05:55 pm
Apparently they had a bingo game relating to landing. Guy who won probably rigged it (they joke) ;)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/10/2012 05:57 pm
Q: about picture of parachute. Was this thought of ahead of time?

A: yes. Pre-programmed. Goal was to see if anything went right, or went wrong. Confirmation of precision landing

~ 1 sec before MLE priming. 3000m descending ~80m/sec

On pre-landing day: had 50/50 chance of getting it
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Robert Thompson on 08/10/2012 05:57 pm
Posted this earlier. They aren't using it, but it's better.
Sharpened HiRISE image with noise removed
http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/images/2012/details/cut/MSL_EDL_sharp.tif
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/10/2012 05:59 pm
Q: about landing error & winds, and being ~ 1.5 miles out of expected target

A: Bank reversal pretty late and didn't have time to correct it along the center line of the ellipse. Could have been a tail wind.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/10/2012 06:00 pm
Q: about using longer or shorter tethers on the skycrane

A: use a longer tether. Heavily analyzed during development. Bridle short enough to be manageable & reduce decris kick-up, and make sure debris could be up there. Everything we have seen is as expected.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/10/2012 06:01 pm
Talking about software

Software was uploaded during cruise (had the opportunity). Software will continue to be updated throughout surface activities.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/10/2012 06:02 pm
Any Issues?

Landed with more fuel than anticipated

A few unxpected tones

working with 1MB of 60MB data, so working with what we have so far. 
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/10/2012 06:04 pm
Q (from Irish reporter): Looking to the future. Over enginnered? Lighter and meaner next time around?

A: Minor things we would change. To save costs, stick with what works. Not over-designed.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/10/2012 06:06 pm
Q: Using what worked this time, could it be used on future air bad landings?

A: Could. Would need to use RCS jets during hypesonic flight. MER rovers didn't have that
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/10/2012 06:06 pm
Q: on thermals during entry

A: No data on peak heating & thermocouple data
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/10/2012 06:10 pm
Heh! Someone asks about the interest and the photoshoped images - to which some of the team in the audience start patting one of the guys on the back, so you can tell there's been some internal shenanigans there! ;D
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/10/2012 06:10 pm
Q: on MSL coverage enduring even during the Olympics / social media

A: People are engaged, it's nice to see "They paid for it, they should be"
"I think it's great" "I hope the communications keep moving arong around"

Q: Do you feel like rock stars?
A: "I was recognized at the pizza parlour" HA!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/10/2012 06:14 pm
final news conference for this week.

ended
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: starsilk on 08/10/2012 06:18 pm
Heh! Someone asks about the interest and the photoshoped images - to which some of the team in the audience start patting one of the guys on the back, so you can tell there's been some internal shenanigans there! ;D

I think that was 'mohawk guy'. pretty sure I spotted him sitting there when they panned the camera around at one point.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/10/2012 06:20 pm
Heh! Someone asks about the interest and the photoshoped images - to which some of the team in the audience start patting one of the guys on the back, so you can tell there's been some internal shenanigans there! ;D

I think that was 'mohawk guy'. pretty sure I spotted him sitting there when they panned the camera around at one point.

he was definitely there, I saw him too (was putting screen captures into paint at the time so I missed any back patting)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ugordan on 08/10/2012 06:22 pm
He was sitting to the right of Rob Manning.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Retired Downrange on 08/10/2012 06:23 pm
When Ben the software man was talking, I thought I heard him refer to "the dust removal tool".... Did I hear correct? (we can listen again in recording) I would be interested to know any more about this, if anyone here has more information. Thanks.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Rocket Science on 08/10/2012 06:26 pm
The “Yellowknife” question was answered as to a tip of a hat to the geology tradition when searching for the oldest rocks on Earth begins with going outwards from Yellowknife and they wish to continue the tradition on Mars…
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Tcommon on 08/10/2012 06:56 pm
I think that was 'mohawk guy'. pretty sure I spotted him sitting there when they panned the camera around at one point.

The 'mohawk guy' has been all over the news -- now lets not forget the original Mohawk Man;

(http://history.nasa.gov/SP-4223/p131.jpg)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Jim on 08/10/2012 06:59 pm
When Ben the software man was talking, I thought I heard him refer to "the dust removal tool".... Did I hear correct? (we can listen again in recording) I would be interested to know any more about this, if anyone here has more information. Thanks.

It is brush on the arm for clearing a sample site
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Retired Downrange on 08/10/2012 07:32 pm
Thank you Jim
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/10/2012 07:45 pm
Thanks all for very detailed report of the conference!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 08/10/2012 07:53 pm
Thanks for all that info.

 
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: marsman2020 on 08/10/2012 09:15 pm
When Ben the software man was talking, I thought I heard him refer to "the dust removal tool".... Did I hear correct? (we can listen again in recording) I would be interested to know any more about this, if anyone here has more information. Thanks.

It is brush on the arm for clearing a sample site

And the reason there is a brush there and not a Surface Removal Tool like the MER RAT on steroids is that Al Stern de-scoped the SRT to save less then .1% of MSLs overall budget (my WAG only, but we didn't save much).
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: corrodedNut on 08/11/2012 12:23 am
Just a heads up, tonight at 9:00pm ET and then again at 12:00am ET (check your local listings) NatGeo channel is airing: "Mega Mars Rover". If you haven't seen it, its a nice one hour documentary with some interesting background on Curiosity's development.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jcopella on 08/11/2012 12:57 pm
Just a heads up, tonight at 9:00pm ET and then again at 12:00am ET (check your local listings) NatGeo channel is airing: "Mega Mars Rover". If you haven't seen it, its a nice one hour documentary with some interesting background on Curiosity's development.

Thanks for the heads-up -- it was a great show.

I have two criticisms:

1. It should've been longer.
2. It was followed immediately by "Chasing UFOs" :(
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Jamie Young on 08/11/2012 05:25 pm

Also, heads up to L2 members to download this 650mb video of the dual screen live GUI data and live control room video from another JPL room of the EDL! Epic.
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=29674.0

Thanks! That is awesome!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Nathan on 08/11/2012 09:44 pm

A part hi res panorama is available here

http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA16051
Pretty!


The raw images are still not showing up on the jpl site so we are definitely not seeing them posted on the raw images ite as soon as they arrive.
http://marsmobile.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?s=3

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ugordan on 08/11/2012 11:39 pm
The raw images are now up and they are MUCH sharper than that panorama!

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00003/mcam/0003ML0000010000E1_DXXX.jpg
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00003/mcam/0003ML0000069000E1_DXXX.jpg
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00003/mcam/0003ML0000125000E1_DXXX.jpg
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: tigerade on 08/11/2012 11:54 pm
The raw images are now up and they are MUCH sharper than that panorama!

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00003/mcam/0003ML0000010000E1_DXXX.jpg
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00003/mcam/0003ML0000069000E1_DXXX.jpg
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00003/mcam/0003ML0000125000E1_DXXX.jpg

Beautiful.  It's hard to believe I'm looking at another world.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ugordan on 08/12/2012 12:06 am
I'm loving these MSSS-provided cameras, color images right out of the box!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Nathan on 08/12/2012 12:21 am
The raw images are now up and they are MUCH sharper than that panorama!

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00003/mcam/0003ML0000010000E1_DXXX.jpg
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00003/mcam/0003ML0000069000E1_DXXX.jpg
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00003/mcam/0003ML0000125000E1_DXXX.jpg

Beautiful.  It's hard to believe I'm looking at another world.

Mars always reminds me of Jordan. But those crater walls tell a different story.
It is a beautiful world.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: meekGee on 08/12/2012 01:29 am
The raw images are now up and they are MUCH sharper than that panorama!

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00003/mcam/0003ML0000010000E1_DXXX.jpg
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00003/mcam/0003ML0000069000E1_DXXX.jpg
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00003/mcam/0003ML0000125000E1_DXXX.jpg

pic #1 is like half of my army pictures....

There's always a desert mountain range in the background (the back of the range), there's always some features in the foothills (that's where you're going) and there's ALWAYS an old, rusty, disused half-opened 50 gallon metal drum somewhere in the FoV. Always.

What I'd love to know is what's printed upside down on the back of the drum.  $20 says "cooking oil".

:)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: IRobot on 08/12/2012 01:45 am
 :o Those pictures are absolutely amazing!!! I bet you can even do basic geology science with that detail!!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Norm38 on 08/12/2012 04:13 am
Mountains
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00003/mcam/0003ML0000016000E1_DXXX.jpg
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00003/mcam/0003ML0000015000E1_DXXX.jpg
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00003/mcam/0003ML0000014000E1_DXXX.jpg
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00003/mcam/0003ML0000013000E1_DXXX.jpg
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00003/mcam/0003ML0000012000E1_DXXX.jpg
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00003/mcam/0003ML0000011000E1_DXXX.jpg
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Nathan on 08/12/2012 04:21 am
Mountains
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00003/mcam/0003ML0000016000E1_DXXX.jpg
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00003/mcam/0003ML0000015000E1_DXXX.jpg
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00003/mcam/0003ML0000014000E1_DXXX.jpg
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00003/mcam/0003ML0000013000E1_DXXX.jpg
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00003/mcam/0003ML0000012000E1_DXXX.jpg
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00003/mcam/0003ML0000011000E1_DXXX.jpg

That last picture seems to have a switchback road leading up the mountains on the right. Are we sure this isn't Earth? :)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Norm38 on 08/12/2012 04:47 am
The nearly obscured far rim

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00003/mcam/0003ML0000034000E1_DXXX.jpg
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00003/mcam/0003ML0000035000E1_DXXX.jpg
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00003/mcam/0003ML0000036000E1_DXXX.jpg
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00003/mcam/0003ML0000037000E1_DXXX.jpg
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00003/mcam/0003ML0000038000E1_DXXX.jpg
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00003/mcam/0003ML0000039000E1_DXXX.jpg
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: cleonard on 08/12/2012 05:48 am
This appears to be a high res mosaic of the above images.  Looks nice.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/images/pia16051_figure_1_raw_smaller-full.jpg
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ArbitraryConstant on 08/12/2012 07:59 am
It's amazing how a little erosion and atmospheric haze makes it look so much more like home than the moon.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Nathan on 08/12/2012 09:43 am
There is an arrowish shaped pebble to the bottom left of this image that looks as though it has been dislodged from a spot below. I wonder if that is due to the rockets or whether the rover bounced a little or just my misinterpretation?

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00003/mcam/0003ML0000125000E1_DXXX.jpg
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: saturnapollo on 08/12/2012 01:16 pm
Superb images!

Thanks for posting these as I can't find them on the JPL Curiousity site, which is the root directory.

How are you finding these? If you go to the root directory it just takes you to the JPL Curiousity site and the photos aren't under Raw or Images in the Multimedia menu.

Keith

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ugordan on 08/12/2012 01:21 pm
They're here: http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/

The hi-res Mastcams are under sol 3, although the page still seems to be behaving funky. For example, the images in the first couple of rows show only the thumbnails as available, even though the full frames are there as well (and in fact were linked there originally, but disappeared since). Whereas the thumbnail filenames end with I1_DXXX.jpg, the full resolution ones end with E1_DXXX.jpg

Here's an animated gif of 4 frames showing the shadows move over the course of 8 minutes.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: saturnapollo on 08/12/2012 01:24 pm
Many thanks for that. I hadn't scrolled down beyond the thumbnails, thinking these would be the latest to be added to the selection!

Silly me!

Keith
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: douglas100 on 08/12/2012 01:39 pm
It's amazing how a little erosion and atmospheric haze makes it look so much more like home than the moon.

Absolutely. And it's amazing how little atmosphere you need to get that haze.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Fixer on 08/12/2012 01:57 pm
This appears to be a high res mosaic of the above images.  Looks nice.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/images/pia16051_figure_1_raw_smaller-full.jpg

Indeed. This 50mb jpg panoram looks much much sharper than the first 9mb pia16051 jpg, just like original 'subframes'.

By the way, if you look up to horizon from left pair of exposed bedrock you will notice some kind of layered ground, what is that? Also, very interesting area inside the dunes, looks like exposed layer of rock, i wonder, if they are planning to visit it.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ugordan on 08/12/2012 02:04 pm
Actually, it's still not as sharp as the original frames, but it *is* much sharper than the 9 MB version.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Fr4nK on 08/12/2012 03:00 pm
What could be dark region from that picture? almost looks like a river!
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?rawid=0003ML0000023000E1_DXXX&s=3 (http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?rawid=0003ML0000023000E1_DXXX&s=3)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ugordan on 08/12/2012 03:03 pm
Dune field.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: clongton on 08/12/2012 03:40 pm
Dust on the deck

I totally love the pictures and panoramas, but I'm really surprised that the designers didn't include *some* kind of directed blower to remove accumulating dust on occasion. It's not like we haven't had to deal with Martian dust before. Everybody knows it *can* be a problem. And Curiosity, being nuclear powered, is not lacking in electrical ability to power the device. The last lander had to depend on being hit by a Martian dust devil to clear the solar panels for crying out loud. After spending all that money and expending all that time, let's not leave our landers at the whim of Martian weather to remain operational. I really don't want to read on here in a year or 2 that a perfectly good rover has become useless because of accumulating dust.  Future lander developers, please take note.

Because it is not problem

It is not an issue for MSL and not worth the weight.  MSL is designed for a 2 years mission.

It also was not an issue for MER, they were only designed for 90 day missions.


Jim, regardless of the mission it was "designed" for we all know that barring some physical accident that the rover itself can function MUCH, MUCH longer than that - many years longer. Saying that it's not a problem because the mission is only 2 years is not helpful.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: clongton on 08/12/2012 03:47 pm
Oh, and by the way...

The images are up :

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?s=3

:)

So good news everyone!

They're great. Too bad you can't slide-show view them. Have to return to the thumbnails every time to get the next one.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ugordan on 08/12/2012 04:01 pm
Jim, regardless of the mission it was "designed" for we all know that barring some physical accident that the rover itself can function MUCH, MUCH longer than that - many years longer. Saying that it's not a problem because the mission is only 2 years is not helpful.

By all means we do not know that. MERs were tested for 90 days and beyond that it was anybody's guess how long they would last. The fact they did last much longer than guaranteed is still no proof that MSL can last that much longer. Don't fall into the trap of extrapolating MER experience to MSL, it's different hardware.

It doesn't make sense to include hardware and abilities like dust wipers that only become useful at the point when all your other components are past their guaranteed design life. Use that mass to put more science on the vehicle instead. Fact is, dust is nowhere near an issue for MSL as it is for MER and Gale crater is described as a pretty windy place, anyway.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: clongton on 08/12/2012 04:08 pm
Jim, regardless of the mission it was "designed" for we all know that barring some physical accident that the rover itself can function MUCH, MUCH longer than that - many years longer. Saying that it's not a problem because the mission is only 2 years is not helpful.

By all means we do not know that. MERs were tested for 90 days and beyond that it was anybody's guess how long they would last. The fact they did last much longer than guaranteed is still no proof that MSL can last that much longer. Don't fall into the trap of extrapolating MER experience to MSL, it's different hardware.

Common expression. How about "based on past experience with American rovers, in all likelihood"?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Jim on 08/12/2012 04:12 pm

1.  Jim, regardless of the mission it was "designed" for we all know that barring some physical accident that the rover itself can function MUCH, MUCH longer than that - many years longer.

2.  Saying that it's not a problem because the mission is only 2 years is not helpful.

1.  That doesn't matter. The system is designed around the 90 day requirement for MER and hence, dust accumulation is not a consideration for that duration and so, blowers weren't added and the mass was used for something else more beneficial.    If it becomes a problem after that, who cares?  You take what bonus time there is and work around the issues that the rovers weren't designed for.

2.  First of all, dust on top of the MSL rover chassis is not a problem, regardless of the lifetime.  Where dust accumulation would be an issue, MMTG fins, a solution was designed in, the MMRTG is mounted at an angle.  And yes, you only design to the mission duration requirement and not for extended mission, regardless if you know it can last longer.  That is one way to control costs.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ugordan on 08/12/2012 04:17 pm
Common expression. How about "based on past experience with American rovers, in all likelihood"?

That is hardly a big enough statistical sample to draw confident claims from. Of course it's everyone's expectation that MSL will live more than 1 Mars year, but engineering should IMHO be done by setting requirements, not expectations. Otherwise what's stopping you from escalating costs for example when you realize one component could significantly outlive another and you wish to "improve" that other component as well?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: lcs on 08/12/2012 04:29 pm
There is an arrowish shaped pebble to the bottom left of this image that looks as though it has been dislodged from a spot below. I wonder if that is due to the rockets or whether the rover bounced a little or just my misinterpretation?

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00003/mcam/0003ML0000125000E1_DXXX.jpg

What I take away from this image is the wheel.  I recall the pre-launch photos show the wheel is black.  Aside from the granules on top of the rover, this is the first indication I've seen of a much finer dust coating. 
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: clongton on 08/12/2012 04:37 pm
Common expression. How about "based on past experience with American rovers, in all likelihood"?

That is hardly a big enough statistical sample to draw confident claims from. Of course it's everyone's expectation that MSL will live more than 1 Mars year, but engineering should IMHO be done by setting requirements, not expectations. Otherwise what's stopping you from escalating costs for example when you realize one component could significantly outlive another and you wish to "improve" that other component as well?

Ok, I cede the point. But I would think that given the cost of designing a rover and actually sending to the Martian surface, that we would want to maximize the capability and longevity as much as we can for the express purpose of extending the DRM as much as possible, within financial constraints. After all we don't do this every other week. Let's get the most bang for the buck we possibly can. That means seriously planning, within funding constraints, for a potential long-term extended mission. To plan only for the DRM when we are reasonably confident that an extended mission is likely possible is short sighted imo. Don't get me wrong I am not criticizing this rover or its design team. To the contrary I continue to be proud and amazed by it and them. But I am hoping future design teams will think longer term than the DRM. For example, did this team plan for an extended mission? If so, what are the defining parameters? If not, why not? That's not a criticism - just a question.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/12/2012 04:42 pm
Maybe we need a thread to discuss the MSL rover itself, to keep the updates thread cleaner

Great discussion points though, we need to keep them
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Norm38 on 08/12/2012 07:48 pm
I'm having trouble telling the true color of the sky. When I look at the far rim images I posted on my phone, the sky and rim are a butterscotch. But on my laptop, it's a bluish white, not yellow at all.

What do your screens show?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Jim on 08/12/2012 07:53 pm
But I am hoping future design teams will think longer term than the DRM. For example, did this team plan for an extended mission? If so, what are the defining parameters? If not, why not? That's not a criticism - just a question.

They can't.  They don't have the budget or the authority to do it.
It is not a reference mission.  The Design mission is a hard constraint.  That sets all resource planning and utilization.

Extended missions are not really planned until the basic mission is complete.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: JebbPA on 08/12/2012 08:17 pm
I have been following this forum since Sol 1, what a great forum!

I just wanted to share my humble approach on a more earth-like panorama.

“Curiosity is the very basis of education and if you tell me that curiosity killed the cat, I say only the cat died nobly.”
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: saturnapollo on 08/12/2012 08:22 pm
Quote
I'm having trouble telling the true color of the sky. When I look at the far rim images I posted on my phone, the sky and rim are a butterscotch. But on my laptop, it's a bluish white, not yellow at all.

What do your screens show?


I see them as butterscotch on my monitor but these are unprocessed colours

See here for explanation:

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/images/?ImageID=4421

But even the colour corrected one doesn't look blue on my monitor just less butterscotch and a bit more neutral.

I must admit I do like the unprocessed colours better - looks more like Mars should :)!

Keirg
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 08/12/2012 10:21 pm
But I would think that given the cost of designing a rover and actually sending to the Martian surface, that we would want to maximize the capability and longevity as much as we can for the express purpose of extending the DRM as much as possible, within financial constraints.
They had to cut significant capabilities from the primary mission because of "financial constraints" (AKA being more than a billion over budget). They were also so far behind schedule they missed their launch window. It should be obvious that "nice to have" stuff that only applied to an extended mission would be totally out of the question.

That said, without any extra cost/effort, odds for a significant extended mission appear good. There are no consumables which give a hard cutoff at 1 Mars year. The actuators are designed as much as possible to guarantee the nominal mission, so they aren't likely to drop dead at +1 day. Same goes for dust accumulation, if they can survive a full mission in the worst case, the typical case should be a lot longer. From the press briefings, I got the impression an extra Mars year should be well within reach, and substantially longer isn't out of the question.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: spectre9 on 08/12/2012 11:02 pm
Extended missions are not really planned until the basic mission is complete.

I think budget and resource allocation stops extended missions being taken for granted.

JPL can't be asking to run this mission in 5 years because operating this rover isn't free.

It has to be reviewed at each step a mission extension is called for. What power levels are still available?, what instruments should be used? (or are still operational), what science objectives should change?. Then if the returns are there decisions to continue the mission can be made.

So any word about when the rover might be driving?

I don't even know what Sol we're on now. Seems like she's just been sitting there forever.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/13/2012 12:03 am

I don't even know what Sol we're on now. Seems like she's just been sitting there forever.

6 sols: 23 hours: 00 minutes: 18 seconds

as of right now
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Blackstar on 08/13/2012 12:05 am
Extended missions are not really planned until the basic mission is complete.

That's not quite correct. The people involved start thinking about extended missions when the basic mission's end is in sight. After all, they cannot simply shut down the spacecraft and wait for their extension proposal to be approved. I forget when MSL's primary mission is supposed to end, but I can guarantee you that NASA will set a deadline for extension proposals perhaps three-six months before that date.

JCM might be a good person to chime in on this, since he has direct experience with extended missions for astronomy.

However, I'd add several points to this discussion:

1-For a long time planetary missions did not really need to worry too much about extended missions, because there was always an assumption that you operate the spacecraft until it dies. It was primarily astronomy missions that had to take continued operating costs into account. Astronomy has undergone things called "senior reviews" whereby the science return for active missions is considered and they make a decision which spacecraft to continue operating and which ones to shut off. (WISE is one example where NASA chose to shut it down even though it was still working. I think Spitzer is in the same situation.)

Planetary generally did not need to do this, because more often than not they had hard or semi-hard lifetimes, such as Phoenix (death by cold) or Deep Impact (fuel running out). However, this is changing because there are so many active planetary missions, and many of them are lasting long beyond their primary lifetimes. So you can expect to see more scrutiny of mission extensions. Senior reviews for planetary missions are increasingly likely. A good example is what to do with Opportunity. Is it worthwhile to keep it operating now that Curiosity is active?

2-Mars surface missions are in some ways different than other missions because, as a senior non-Mars scientist once explained to me, "it's so damned hard getting down to the surface that as long as the spacecraft is operating, you keep it running."

It could be a decade or more before we get another spacecraft to the surface of Mars, and so you can expect NASA to try and keep MSL running for as long as possible.

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/13/2012 12:06 am
Sorry this is a little late...but I feel it needs to be posted  :)

The Maple Leaf Returns to Mars

Canadian science instrument part of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory mission
Longueuil, Quebec, August 6, 2012 — NASA's Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) touched down on the Red Planet today at 1:32 a.m. EDT, marking the second time a Canadian science instrument lands on Mars. The mission's rover, dubbed Curiosity, carries an instrument roughly the size and shape of a Rubik's cube provided by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). Known as the Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS), the device will probe the chemistry of rocks and soils on Mars to help determine if the planet ever was, or could still be today, an environment able to support microbial life.

"In 2008, Canadians celebrated as NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander mission marked the first time we, as a country, landed Canadian technology on the surface of another planet," said Steve MacLean, President of the CSA. "Mars Science Lab is another first for Canada: the first time wereach out and "touch" Mars, since APXS will investigate the planet's surface."
The Canadian two-in-one instrument is the second of Webb's four instruments to be delivered. It consists of the Webb's Fine Guidance Sensor (FGS), which will direct the telescope precisely, and the Near-Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (or NIRISS) science instrument. Both were designed, built and tested by COM DEV International in Ottawa and Cambridge, Ontario, with technical contributions from the Université de Montréal and the National Research Council of Canada, and under the leadership of the FGS science team. The CSA's contribution guarantees Canadian astronomers a share of observing time once the telescope launches.

The size of a small car, Curiosity is a mobile science lab equipped with the largest, most advanced suite of science instruments ever to land on Mars. Curiosity will analyze samples on site to determine whether Mars was ever a habitable planet, characterize the climate and geology of Mars, and pave the way for human exploration. APXS is one of 10 science instruments on Curiosity. It will determine the chemical composition of Martian rocks and soil samples to establish their geological history, identify possible alterations by water and perform sample triage for the on-board laboratory instruments. It will be used regularly throughout the mission, which is planned to last one full Martian year (687 Earth days).

An improved version of the instruments on Pathfinder, Spirit, and Opportunity, this latest version of APXS was developed specifically for MSL under the scientific leadership of Dr. Ralf Gellert of the University of Guelph, Principal Investigator for APXS. Dr. Gellert also heads the APXS science team, which is composed of members from the University of Guelph, the University of New Brunswick, NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab (a division of Caltech), the University of California, San Diego, Cornell University, the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the Australian National University. With funding from the CSA, scientists from Brock University, the University of Western Ontario and the CSA are also participating in the mission as NASA-selected Participating Scientists.

The CSA is investing $17.8 million in the design, construction, primary operations and scientific support of APXS. The CSA managed the development and construction of the instrument with MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (MDA) as the prime contractor for APXS. The University of Guelph provided the scientific direction for the design and engineering support during the development, calibrated the APXS instrument and will lead the science operations for the instrument. Components of APXS were tested in Brampton, Montreal, Vancouver, Ottawa, Toronto and Guelph.

http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/media/news_releases/2012/0806.asp
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Blackstar on 08/13/2012 12:08 am
They had to cut significant capabilities from the primary mission because of "financial constraints" (AKA being more than a billion over budget).

There was another aspect to this. I forget the exact details, but when they went over budget, NASA cut back on the lifetime testing. I believe that originally they planned to test the rover to enable it to achieve something like three times its planned lifetime. When the budget went high, they cut the testing to assure confidence that it could only achieve its primary mission.

This produced some savings, without risking the primary mission.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bogeyman on 08/13/2012 07:39 am
Is there a specific date where it is planned for the rover to start driving?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: clongton on 08/13/2012 10:04 am
2-Mars surface missions are in some ways different than other missions because, as a senior non-Mars scientist once explained to me, "it's so damned hard getting down to the surface that as long as the spacecraft is operating, you keep it running."

It could be a decade or more before we get another spacecraft to the surface of Mars, and so you can expect NASA to try and keep MSL running for as long as possible.

That was exactly my point for bringing up extended missions. I understand about the funding constraints, I really do, but Blackstar's statement is why I believe that lander and rover designers need to think beyond the DRM for their spacecraft and very deliberately do whatever they can when designing for the DRM to be able to make their spacecraft last as long as humanly possible. From what I know about Curiosity's design, it would not surprise me to see her continue to function well 5 or 6 years from now. She is well designed and built. Given that, I wanted to know what thought the scientists had given to extended missions because I believe she will last long enough to execute at least 1 if not 2.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Jim on 08/13/2012 11:11 am
That was exactly my point for bringing up extended missions. I understand about the funding constraints, I really do, but Blackstar's statement is why I believe that lander and rover designers need to think beyond the DRM for their spacecraft and very deliberately do whatever they can when designing for the DRM to be able to make their spacecraft last as long as humanly possible.

No, you don't.  The funding constraints and thinking beyond the design requirements are mutually exclusive and actually the opposite happens.  Most of the time when they find excessive margin, it is redesigned to save money.


P.S.  there are no DRM for one of a kind spacecraft
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Nathan on 08/13/2012 12:59 pm
Is there any update on how the software upgrade is progressing?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/13/2012 01:10 pm
Oh here we go! Some pimping for MSL in the mainstream media hopefully!!

Congratulations to @MarsCuriosity team from President Obama at 11am ET today. Watch live on NASA TV: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/13/2012 01:35 pm
MEDIA ADVISORY: M12-149

PRESIDENT OBAMA TO CALL NASA CURIOSITY MARS ROVER TEAM TODAY



WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama will congratulate members of
NASA's Curiosity Mars rover team at the agency's Jet Propulsion
Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, Calif., at 11 a.m. EDT (8 a.m. PDT)
this morning.

Audio of the call and video of the JPL team's portion of the call will
be carried live on NASA Television and the agency's website.

President Obama's call comes a week after Curiosity landed on the Red
Planet. Curiosity carries the most advanced science payload ever used
on Mars' surface. During the next 2 years, it will use its 10
instruments to investigate whether conditions have been favorable for
microbial life and for preserving clues in the rocks about possible
past life.

Curiosity was designed, developed and assembled at JPL, which also is
where the rover's mission control is located.

For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming
video, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

For more information about NASA's Curiosity mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/mars

and

http://marsprogram.jpl.nasa.gov/msl

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/13/2012 02:56 pm
Someone needs to turn off the open mic! Whoops!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/13/2012 03:00 pm
Nervous room! :)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/13/2012 03:08 pm
El Presidente. "We're all very excited. We were wondering if you have found Martians.

"Captured the imagination of 10s of millions of people. How you got on Mars was incredibly impressive. The 500,000 lines of code working. It's really mind boggling the way you got that landing sequence to work."

Awww, Adam looked overjoyed when he had his name read out! :)

"Your hard work is now paying dividends. Curiosity will lay the foundations for more ambitious mission with humans."

Mohawk guy reference! President is considering one himself.

"Does sound like NASA has come a long way from the white shirts. NASA is cooler nowadays."

STEM references. Inspiring kids - want to be a part of a Mars mission, maybe the first Mars astronaut.

More names getting mentioned. And thanks the international partners for contributing to the instrumentation.

"You've made is all proud and are an example of American ingenuity".

Notes he will protect the investment.

Wants to know when they do contact Martians. Even if they are just microbes :D

"You've already inspired us but I can't wait for the photos to come back. Congratulations and keep up the great work."

That was good!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ChrisC on 08/13/2012 03:11 pm
Thanks for the coverage, Chris B.!  I just barely missed it aaaaaargh ....

Will look forward to the replays/online availability shortly.

Is there any update on how the software upgrade is progressing?

Nope, not a peep.  I've been checking Ben Cichy's Twitter feed (https://twitter.com/bencichy) and he's saying nothing.  He did answer a softball question a couple hours ago there so it's not like he's buried in a crisis or anything, so I'm not really worried.  But I expect we'll hear something this afternoon as they come off their work shift.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Rocket Science on 08/13/2012 03:12 pm
That was a “well-earned” pat on the back.  :)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/13/2012 03:13 pm
Thanks for the coverage, Chris B.!  I just barely missed it aaaaaargh ....

Will look forward to the replays/online availability shortly.


Ditto & same here.

A good plug for NASA is always welcomed (as is continued funding) :)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/13/2012 03:14 pm
Thanks for the coverage, Chris B.!  I just barely missed it aaaaaargh ....

Will look forward to the replays/online availability shortly.


Thanks and yep - John44 will have it, and NASA TV's bound to put it on youtube soon.

Was nice and casual, but got the main points in. No crazy promises and no silly "2035s" dates, but a big reference to human missions. Gave the media a headline with the Martians (tempted to use that myself).

Perfect really! :)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/13/2012 04:27 pm
Video is up.

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/videogallery/index.html?media_id=150373681

Presser in 30 mins if they are still doing the 10am local presser.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: dsmillman on 08/13/2012 04:35 pm
Video is up.

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/videogallery/index.html?media_id=150373681

Presser in 30 mins if they are still doing the 10am local presser.
At the Friday (8/10) briefing it was stated that there was no set date for the next briefing. 
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: apace on 08/13/2012 04:36 pm
Is there some transcript of this phone call? The phone line quality was not the best for non-native speakers like me ;-)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/13/2012 04:59 pm
Video is up.

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/videogallery/index.html?media_id=150373681

Presser in 30 mins if they are still doing the 10am local presser.
At the Friday (8/10) briefing it was stated that there was no set date for the next briefing. 

Ah, I missed that. And yes, no presser today.

Well I think I'll write up where we are and use the President's quotes later.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/13/2012 05:19 pm
What is the schedule for next conferences?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/13/2012 05:21 pm
What is the schedule for next conferences?

We don't know yet.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ChrisC on 08/13/2012 05:21 pm
What is the schedule for next conferences?

Nothing posted yet.  I think they are waiting until they are through the software overhaul (today/tomorrow-ish) before announcing a forward plan.  When it's made public (or even leaked) you'll hear it here :)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Sparky on 08/13/2012 07:18 pm
Are we going there? IT's just between us and Mount Sharp!
(http://jumpjack.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/3d-psp_009149009294-anim.gif)

Details:
http://jumpjack.wordpress.com/2012/08/10/un-paio-di-posti-interessanti-da-andare-a-vedere-su-marte/
I have a potentially silly question regarding this gif: Is the light coming from top or the bottom of the image? I am having trouble telling if I am looking at a ridge surrounded by crater like-depressions, or a valley flanked by raised mounds to either side. I've managed to trick my eyes into seeing both versions recently.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jnc on 08/13/2012 08:10 pm
Is the light coming from top or the bottom of the image? I am having trouble telling if I am looking at a ridge surrounded by crater like-depressions, or a valley flanked by raised mounds to either side.

Well, I'm pretty sure the terrain at the top of the image is higher than that at the bottom (given that the bottom seems to be a classic braided alluvial plain, almost certainly created by runoff). And the large channel in the middle of that braided runoff would seem to source from the 'ridge or valley' thing, which would make it a valley.

Noel

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Lars_J on 08/13/2012 08:46 pm
Is the light coming from top or the bottom of the image? I am having trouble telling if I am looking at a ridge surrounded by crater like-depressions, or a valley flanked by raised mounds to either side.

Well, I'm pretty sure the terrain at the top of the image is higher than that at the bottom (given that the bottom seems to be a classic braided alluvial plain, almost certainly created by runoff). And the large channel in the middle of that braided runoff would seem to source from the 'ridge or valley' thing, which would make it a valley.

Noel

No, the top of the image is the 'flat' type of terrain in the crater floor, then comes the darkest area which appears to be the lowest point in the crater. Then - moving down - the elevation increases until the base of 'mount sharp' starts at the bottom third of the images.

I could be wrong, but that's how I read the image based on other wider shots of the crater.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Hungry4info3 on 08/13/2012 08:54 pm
You're correct. The bottom of the image is the mountain we came for.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jnc on 08/13/2012 09:03 pm
No, the top of the image is the 'flat' type of terrain in the crater floor, then comes the darkest area which appears to be the lowest point in the crater. Then - moving down - the elevation increases until the base of 'mount sharp' starts at the bottom third of the images.

Hmm. Could be. Odd that the braided alluvial formation has produced that deep channel leading to the cut, but on the high side of the cut, though. Well, I suppose it's possible. Look like maybe water came around both sides of the large rock at the lower right, and joined into that channel?

I think we both agree that the 'ridge or valley' feature is a valley, though, right (to answer the OP's question)? Seems to have remarkably steep (i.e. near vertical) sides, at least from what I see in the photo.

Noel

PS: I'm speaking of the narrow feature that runs from top to bottom through the ridge which runs sideways across the image, in the middle of the image. I assume that's what the OP was asking about, although now that I think about it, they could have been asking about the ridge which runs from side to side (asking if that was a ridge, or valley).
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Lars_J on 08/13/2012 09:14 pm
'mount sharp' starts at the bottom third of the images.
No, the top of the image is the 'flat' type of terrain in the crater floor, then comes the darkest area which appears to be the lowest point in the crater. Then - moving down - the elevation increases until the base of

Hmm. Could be. Odd that the braided alluvial formation has produced that deep channel leading to the cut, but on the high side of the cut, though. Well, I suppose it's possible. Look like maybe water came around both sides of the large rock at the lower right, and joined into that channel?

I think we both agree that the 'ridge or valley' feature is a valley, though, right (to answer the OP's question)? Seems to have remarkably steep (i.e. near vertical) sides, at least from what I see in the photo.

Keep in mind that the animated GIF is exaggerating the vertical differences.

Anyway, to prove that the bottom 3rd is indeed the base of Mount Sharp, here is a wider image: (the center part of this image covers the same area as the animated GIF)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: clongton on 08/13/2012 10:17 pm
That was exactly my point for bringing up extended missions. I understand about the funding constraints, I really do, but Blackstar's statement is why I believe that lander and rover designers need to think beyond the DRM for their spacecraft and very deliberately do whatever they can when designing for the DRM to be able to make their spacecraft last as long as humanly possible.

No, you don't.  The funding constraints and thinking beyond the design requirements are mutually exclusive and actually the opposite happens.  Most of the time when they find excessive margin, it is redesigned to save money.


P.S.  there are no DRM for one of a kind spacecraft

Yes I do. I guess you missed my post above where I ceded the point. As for your comment on DRM's you know perfectly well what I meant.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/13/2012 11:45 pm
NASA Hosts Teleconference About Curiosity Rover Progess

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA will host a media teleconference at 10 a.m. PDT (1 p.m. EDT) on Tuesday, Aug.14, to provide a status update on the Curiosity rover's mission to Mars' Gale Crater.

The Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft delivered Curiosity to its target area on Mars at 10:31 p.m. PDT, Aug. 5 (1:31 a.m. EDT, Aug. 6). Mission controllers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., spent last week beginning initial checks of Curiosity's 10 instruments and updating software for its two-year mission to investigate whether conditions have been favorable for microbial life and preserving clues in the rocks about possible past life.

Audio of the event will be streamed live online at: http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio .
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: cleonard on 08/14/2012 12:11 am
NASA Hosts Teleconference About Curiosity Rover Progess

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA will host a media teleconference at 10 a.m. PDT (1 p.m. EDT) on Tuesday, Aug.14, to provide a status update on the Curiosity rover's mission to Mars' Gale Crater.

The Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft delivered Curiosity to its target area on Mars at 10:31 p.m. PDT, Aug. 5 (1:31 a.m. EDT, Aug. 6). Mission controllers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., spent last week beginning initial checks of Curiosity's 10 instruments and updating software for its two-year mission to investigate whether conditions have been favorable for microbial life and preserving clues in the rocks about possible past life.

Audio of the event will be streamed live online at: http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio .


Good to know that there will be more of these new conferences.  I understand that they might not be every day like last week, but I hope that we get them at least once a week for a few months.

Edit: 
This seems like it's not going to be on NASA TV.  It should be in my opinion.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/14/2012 12:43 am
NASA Hosts Teleconference About Curiosity Rover Progess

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA will host a media teleconference at 10 a.m. PDT (1 p.m. EDT) on Tuesday, Aug.14, to provide a status update on the Curiosity rover's mission to Mars' Gale Crater.

The Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft delivered Curiosity to its target area on Mars at 10:31 p.m. PDT, Aug. 5 (1:31 a.m. EDT, Aug. 6). Mission controllers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., spent last week beginning initial checks of Curiosity's 10 instruments and updating software for its two-year mission to investigate whether conditions have been favorable for microbial life and preserving clues in the rocks about possible past life.

Audio of the event will be streamed live online at: http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio .


Good to know that there will be more of these new conferences.  I understand that they might not be every day like last week, but I hope that we get them at least once a week for a few months.

Edit: 
This seems like it's not going to be on NASA TV.  It should be in my opinion.

I would agree too, but they obviously have no new images as they are working on driving software.

I can wait  :)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/14/2012 04:18 am
If someone wants to, we could use a dedicated image update thread? The highlights so far, then posts as they issue new ones. Avoids them getting lost in the live thread (where they can also be posted still).
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/14/2012 04:18 am
OK, so I played with this a bit. Gone with the fun headline, covered some status up to this point, focused on President Obama's call and then finished with the challenge of a human missions to Mars.

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2012/08/curiosity-martian-contact-call-president/
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ChrisC on 08/14/2012 05:22 am
NASA Hosts Teleconference About Curiosity Rover Progess
...
Audio of the event will be streamed live online at: http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio .

I want to warn you all about something here.  These teleconferences are common in unmanned spaceflight but less so in manned.  I follow UMSF closely so I've listened to a lot of these -- or at least attempted to.

NASA will NOT offer this audio up in an archive after the fact.  I've bugged them about this before, and they've explained that if they offer it up, then they also have to create a transcript and other formats in order to meet federal accessibility rules for government agency output.  And that strains the budget for what they think is a low demand item.

However there is nothing stopping someone else here from recording it and offering it up :)  Just in case, though, I'll be listening live ...
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: racshot65 on 08/14/2012 10:36 am
Quote
Wheel wiggle planned for sol 13 to check out the steer actuators. First drive planned for sol 15.

https://twitter.com/Matt_Heverly/status/235201959357976576 (https://twitter.com/Matt_Heverly/status/235201959357976576)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bogeyman on 08/14/2012 12:43 pm
It appears that the right rear wheel is already straight? I thought they are all still in it's "flight" position... ???


Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Fixer on 08/14/2012 12:44 pm
However there is nothing stopping someone else here from recording it and offering it up :)  Just in case, though, I'll be listening live ...

I will give it a try :) mp3 32kbit/s avg. stereo @ 22050Hz, one hour should be less than 20 000 KB attachment limit. If there are no warnings from admins I will attach it.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: dsmillman on 08/14/2012 05:00 pm
Telecon about to start at:

http://www.nasa.gov/news/media/newsaudio/index.html

and visuals are up at:

 http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/telecon

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: dsmillman on 08/14/2012 05:08 pm
The cutover to software release 10 went without any problems.

Now they will do more testing on the instruments - APXS and DAN.

Also they will do an electrical checkout of Chemin.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: dsmillman on 08/14/2012 05:17 pm
Now discussing both new MRO images and MSL images.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: dsmillman on 08/14/2012 05:25 pm
Now describing the MSL Avionics in moderate detail. 
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: dsmillman on 08/14/2012 05:30 pm
MSL will complete the MASTCAM mosaic including Mt. Sharp in the next few days.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: MP99 on 08/14/2012 06:09 pm
However there is nothing stopping someone else here from recording it and offering it up :)  Just in case, though, I'll be listening live ...

I will give it a try :) mp3 32kbit/s avg. stereo @ 22050Hz, one hour should be less than 20 000 KB attachment limit. If there are no warnings from admins I will attach it.

Quote
Allowed file types: doc, docx, gif, ppt, srt, pptx, jpg, mpg, pdf, ods, odt, odp, ogg, kml, png, txt, zip, mp3, jpeg, wma, wmv, asf, mov, mp4, avi, xls, rm, rm3, flv, mpeg, xlsx
Maximum attachment size allowed: 20000 KB, per post: 150

MP3s allowed. Up to 150 files of 20MB each...

cheers, Martin
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ScientificMethod on 08/14/2012 06:16 pm
Did anyone catch the 800 phone number for the audio replay? I got 800 839 xxxx and missed the rest...
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ehb on 08/14/2012 06:38 pm
Did anyone catch the 800 phone number for the audio replay? I got 800 839 xxxx and missed the rest...
800-839-3416
1 week archive.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jabe on 08/14/2012 06:39 pm
try here for replay
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/24703937
jb
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Fixer on 08/14/2012 06:44 pm
Here's my full record of the news conference:

"MSL Media Teleconference - 08.14.12

NASA is hosting a media teleconference at 10 a.m. PDT (1 p.m. EDT) on Tuesday, Aug. 14, to provide a status update on the Curiosity rover's mission to Mars' Gale Crater."

Slides: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/telecon/

Enjoy
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/14/2012 08:06 pm
Well done Fixer! :)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Fixer on 08/14/2012 09:38 pm
It would be nice to see the results of landing ellipse mapping by scientists that was initiated by Grotzinger just before landing (of 151 squares I think).
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: savuporo on 08/14/2012 10:45 pm
Has it been mentioned if the full MEDLI dataset is downlinked yet ? Saw a post few days ago about team having 10% of it in hand.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Retired Downrange on 08/14/2012 11:21 pm
I really enjoyed the enthusiasm (and humor) of Ken, the MALHI camera guy at the presser last week. (he gave the "squirrels" answer when asked about the "walnut sized" rocks). Today I learned he attended Earlham College, as I did also.

Here is the college article about him, if you are interested:

  https://www.earlham.edu/news/articles/earlhams-martian-connection
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ChrisC on 08/15/2012 03:14 am
Here's my full record of the news conference

try here for replay: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/24703937

Thanks Fixer and jabe!  Nice to see that JPL stepped up to address this problem.  Perhaps they operate under different constraints than NASA itself.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Apollo-phill on 08/15/2012 12:06 pm
I'd forgotten - until reminded by a USA friend - that my name (along with 1,246,445 other worldwide names) is etched  onto a microchip on board MSL Curiosity now parked inside Gale crater.

I submitted my name to NASA on 25 March 2009 and was accepted.

Here is my Certificate (in B&W - original in colour)


Phill Parker
UK
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ScientificMethod on 08/15/2012 04:31 pm
Looking for my daily Curiosity fix, either on NASA TV, on audio, or multimedia. Is there a conference call today at 10am PDT?

It would be good if the JPL media folks gave a clear indication if they want to transition the tempo to say weekly now, so we know when to check in.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: pippin on 08/15/2012 04:52 pm
Sorry if this is a duplicate, but did anybody post this?

http://www.360cities.net/image/curiosity-rover-martian-solar-day-2

If you've got an iPad, this is a must. Works on a computer as well but then the real fun gets a bit lost.

Get into an office chair for the best effect. This is how I want all space coverage :)

And no, I'm not going to spoil the fun effect :)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/15/2012 04:53 pm
Looking for my daily Curiosity fix, either on NASA TV, on audio, or multimedia. Is there a conference call today at 10am PDT?

It would be good if the JPL media folks gave a clear indication if they want to transition the tempo to say weekly now, so we know when to check in.


Nothing posted except this (via Twitter):

MarsCuriosity Hey Redditors: Who's in for an #AMA with an #MSL engineer or 2...or 3...or more? Thur Aug 16 8am PT (1500 UT) @Reddit 16 hours ago
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/15/2012 04:54 pm
Sorry if this is a duplicate, but did anybody post this?

http://www.360cities.net/image/curiosity-rover-martian-solar-day-2

If you've got an iPad, this is a must. Works on a computer as well but then the real fun gets a bit lost.

And no, I'm not going to spoil the fun effect :)


!!!!!!!!!!!

(yes, must see)

thanks!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: aero on 08/15/2012 05:06 pm
Very nice!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ceepdublu on 08/15/2012 06:37 pm
Not sure if anyone else has caught this yet, but the Multimedia page (http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/) is following a format similar to MER now, instead of the previous gallery-style format.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: WulfTheSaxon on 08/15/2012 11:12 pm
Oh, and by the way...

The images are up :

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?s=3

:)

So good news everyone!

They're great. Too bad you can't slide-show view them. Have to return to the thumbnails every time to get the next one.

Do what I do – middle-click all the links, then Ctrl+Tab through them.  :)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: neilh on 08/16/2012 07:42 am
I haven't seen this mentioned here yet, but several Curiosity engineers and scientists are doing a reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) starting at 11am EDT Thursday:

http://www.reddit.com/r/space/comments/y9n5v/curiosity_engineers_to_do_an_ama_on_thursday_816/
Quote
[–]CuriosityMarsRover 29 points 7 hours ago
We're looking forward to tomorrow's AMA and wanted to give you a heads up on who will participate. We're a group of engineers from landing night, plus team members (scientists and engineers) working on surface operations. We also wanted to point you to the mission press kit in case you want to read up. It's at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/press_kits/MSLLanding.pdf .

Here's the list of participants so far: Bobak Ferdowsi aka “Mohawk Guy” - Flight Director
Steve Collins aka “Hippy NASA Guy” - Cruise Attitude Control/System engineer
Aaron Stehura - EDL Systems Engineer
Jonny Grinblat aka “Pre-celebration Guy” - Avionics System Engineer
Brian Schratz - EDL telecommunications lead
Keri Bean - Mastcam uplink lead/environmental science theme group lead
Rob Zimmerman - Power/Pyro Systems Engineer
Steve Sell - Deputy Operations Lead for EDL
Scott McCloskey -­ Turret Rover Planner
@MarsCuriosity Twitter Team
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bogeyman on 08/16/2012 10:56 am
What is an AMA?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: racshot65 on 08/16/2012 01:08 pm
What is an AMA?


It stands for "Ask Me Anything"

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: JebbPA on 08/16/2012 01:13 pm
Some Sol 10 images have recently been uploaded! does anyone know what these Chemcam images show? http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?s=10&camera=CHEMCAM_RMI
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bogeyman on 08/16/2012 02:13 pm
Parts of the MSL top deck?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jabe on 08/16/2012 02:21 pm
lens cover? :)
jb
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: neilh on 08/16/2012 03:32 pm
I haven't seen this mentioned here yet, but several Curiosity engineers and scientists are doing a reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) starting at 11am EDT Thursday:

http://www.reddit.com/r/space/comments/y9n5v/curiosity_engineers_to_do_an_ama_on_thursday_816/
Quote
[–]CuriosityMarsRover 29 points 7 hours ago
We're looking forward to tomorrow's AMA and wanted to give you a heads up on who will participate. We're a group of engineers from landing night, plus team members (scientists and engineers) working on surface operations. We also wanted to point you to the mission press kit in case you want to read up. It's at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/press_kits/MSLLanding.pdf .

Here's the list of participants so far: Bobak Ferdowsi aka “Mohawk Guy” - Flight Director
Steve Collins aka “Hippy NASA Guy” - Cruise Attitude Control/System engineer
Aaron Stehura - EDL Systems Engineer
Jonny Grinblat aka “Pre-celebration Guy” - Avionics System Engineer
Brian Schratz - EDL telecommunications lead
Keri Bean - Mastcam uplink lead/environmental science theme group lead
Rob Zimmerman - Power/Pyro Systems Engineer
Steve Sell - Deputy Operations Lead for EDL
Scott McCloskey -­ Turret Rover Planner
@MarsCuriosity Twitter Team

AMA started: http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ybmmh/we_are_engineers_and_scientists_on_the_mars/

This one in particular is quite a good set of questions, and I'm particularly hopefulhttp://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ybmmh/we_are_engineers_and_scientists_on_the_mars/c5u2pec the team answers the lens calibration question:
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ArbitraryConstant on 08/16/2012 04:08 pm
These are higher quality questions than at the pressers I've seen.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: JohnFornaro on 08/16/2012 04:26 pm
I'd forgotten - until reminded by a USA friend - that my name (along with 1,246,445 other worldwide names) is etched  onto a microchip on board MSL Curiosity now parked inside Gale crater.

I dunno.  You know the way aliens are.  As soon as "Melvin" finds that chip, I betcha you all are going to get a visit from a little green man about landing stuff in his back yard.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Plopper on 08/16/2012 05:08 pm
Does that Reddit AMA thing mean that engineers are answering questions NOW live online somehow? I've seen nothing from them in the links given here. [confused]
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: neilh on 08/16/2012 05:14 pm
Does that Reddit AMA thing mean that engineers are answering questions NOW live online somehow? I've seen nothing from them in the links given here. [confused]

they're answering questions right now at the link I posted a few above. Their reddit responses are highlighted and under the name "CuriosityMarsRover." They posted a pic to Twitter confirming it was them.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Plopper on 08/16/2012 05:49 pm
Thank you neilh!
News to me was that they on average will transfer about 31 Mbytes per Sol.
And I didn't know they coded in C for simplicity!
410 scientists and engineers work in shift on the project since 1-10 years. Now I understand why it costs billions...
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Andrew Faulring on 08/16/2012 06:20 pm
The raw images website now has 127 full frame images from MARDI.

  http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?s=0&camera=MARDI

Frame #358 taken at 2012-08-06 05:16:52 UTC appears to show the heat shield impact location, possibly including the debris plume.

  http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00000/mrdi/0000MD9999000358E1_DXXX.jpg
  http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?rawid=0000MD9999000358E1_DXXX&s=0

Look for the dark spot centered about 50 pixels from the bottom of frame. Crop of full frame attached.

North is towards the upper right corner. Rotate the MARDI frame about 45 degrees counterclockwise to align with the MRO HiRISE images (see below).

I believe this is the heat shield because

(1) The location is consistent with the heat shield as imaged by MRO HiRISE:

  http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/multimedia/PIA16001.html

(2) The frame was taken 65 seconds before touchdown. The HiRISE EDL image was taken around one minute before touchdown and shows the heat shield still in free flight close to the impact point.

  http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/multimedia/pia15993.html

(3) The dark spot does not appear in MARDI frame #344 taken around 3.5 seconds earlier:

  http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00000/mrdi/0000MD9999000344E1_DXXX.jpg
  http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?rawid=0000MD9999000344E1_DXXX&s=0

Note that the field of view rotated towards the top of the image between frames #344 and #358, so the impact location would be about a third the way up from the bottom of the earlier frame.

The next full frame that has been downloaded is #372. In this frame the impact location is not visible, since it is below the bottom of this frame.

  http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00000/mrdi/0000MD9999000372E1_DXXX.jpg
  http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?rawid=0000MD9999000372E1_DXXX&s=0

(4) The descending heat shield is visible in earlier frames. The last frame in which the heat shield is clearly visible is #162:

  http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00000/mrdi/0000MD9999000162E1_DXXX.jpg
  http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?rawid=0000MD9999000162E1_DXXX&s=0

Look above the sand dunes a few hundred pixels from the left edge of the frame about one third down from the top. The next three full frames (#200, #228, #241) show a white dot moving left to right over the dark sand dunes.

  http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00000/mrdi/0000MD9999000200E1_DXXX.jpg
  http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00000/mrdi/0000MD9999000228E1_DXXX.jpg
  http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00000/mrdi/0000MD9999000241E1_DXXX.jpg

After that the heat shield is not visible probably because it was over the lighter colored areas.

The dark spot in frame #358 is much larger than the last image of the heat shield. Thus frame #358 is likely showing the impact location and possibly the debris plume of the heat shield.

We will have more confidence that this is the impact location after the remaining MARDI full frame images are downloaded. Would these be the first images of human-made hardware impacting Mars?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: savuporo on 08/16/2012 06:27 pm
The AMA is pretty interesting. As the thread is pretty big, if you want to see just the responses they keep posting, head over to http://www.reddit.com/user/CuriosityMarsRover and click on "context" for the answers you are interested in.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: neilh on 08/16/2012 08:12 pm
The raw images website now has 127 full frame images from MARDI.

  http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?s=0&camera=MARDI

Someone on r/space made an unofficial HD youtube video from the images, pretty amazing:

http://www.reddit.com/r/space/comments/ybe61/hires_animated_gif_from_mardi_of_heat_shield/c5u64od

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ju0Q6TWMYHw
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Fixer on 08/16/2012 08:27 pm
Quote
Curiosity Update 1:30 p.m. EDT, Friday, Aug. 17

NASA will host a media teleconference at 1:30 p.m. EDT (10:30 a.m. PDT), Aug. 17, to provide a status update on the Curiosity rover's mission to Mars' Gale Crater.

http://www.nasa.gov/news/media/newsaudio/index.html
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/telecon/index.html
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Duck on 08/17/2012 12:18 pm
Are those images the best we'll get of the landing sequence?  (Was there not a camera on the descent stage/skycrane that would have taken photos looking at the rover being lowered, from above?)

-Iain
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Kaputnik on 08/17/2012 01:01 pm
Are those images the best we'll get of the landing sequence?  (Was there not a camera on the descent stage/skycrane that would have taken photos looking at the rover being lowered, from above?)

-Iain

The main purpose of the MARDI footage is to help put the landing site into context when planning the initial science operations. The fact that you get a cool movie out of it is a byproduct :)
There was no science objective in taking footage from the descent stage; you could perhaps argue that it would be useful for engineering feedback but clearly that wasn't felt to be necessary. Anyway, it would have been a significant project in its own right as the descent stage as flown had no way of transmitting data back.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Duck on 08/17/2012 01:09 pm
Right; I always forget about the data transmission part.  Something taken for granted.  :)

That being said - as a mechanical designer - pictures and video feedback of machines in the field is crucial for future designs.  If I can't be on-site to troubleshoot a machine I've designed, I need to get the guys who are doing the install to send pics and video back to get the best result.  It is difficult to understand how something works, if you can't see or "feel" it!  I can't help but feel the team that worked on the mechanical elements of the whole skycrane maneouver would have loved to have had at least *something* to see the results of their labours.

-Iain
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: douglas100 on 08/17/2012 05:19 pm
If they thought a camera in the descent stage was worth it they would have installed one. I imagine the EDL guys got lots of data about how the skycrane maneuver went, up to the point when the connection to the rover was severed.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Plopper on 08/17/2012 06:08 pm
They lost contact!!!
Not with Curiosity, but with the telecon. I'm "off air" since about 15 minutes now. If someone recorded it, or knows where to find a recording, please post here! (Nice news about Glenelg!)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Lars_J on 08/17/2012 06:20 pm
The telecon ran fine for me.

The images can be see here: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/telecon/index.html
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Plopper on 08/17/2012 06:39 pm
In the second image at todays telecon,
When they reach the base of Mount Sharp, will they enter on the floor of that deep narrow valley leading SW, or will they climb up on one of the sides of it among those "four-story buildings" like hills? Isn't it that very valley which is expected to be layered like Grand Canyon and would be an excellent science target for geology?

3D effect image of it here (I found it somewhere else in this forum yesterday):
http://jumpjack.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/3d-psp_009149009294-anim.gif
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Fixer on 08/17/2012 07:25 pm
Quote
NASA media teleconference at 10:30 a.m. PDT (1:30 p.m. EDT), Friday, Aug. 17, to provide a status update on the Curiosity rover's mission to Mars' Gale Crater.

Participants:
John Grotzinger - Curiosity project scientist, California Institute of Technology
Roger Wiens - ChemCam principal investigator, Los Alamos National Laboratory

Slides: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/telecon/index.html
P.S. It seems they will drive to that interesting trisection point where high TI unit and other layers meet each other. 276K at landing point. Will test Chemcam, more high-res images to come in a days and weeks. Interesting telecon. Tell me if sound volume is too low.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jacqmans on 08/17/2012 09:21 pm
RELEASE: 12-287

NASA CURIOSITY TEAM PINPOINTS SITE FOR FIRST DRIVE, FIRST LASER USE ON TAP THIS WEEKEND

WASHINGTON -- The scientists and engineers of NASA's Curiosity rover
mission have selected the first destination for their one-ton,
six-wheeled mobile Mars laboratory. The target area, named Glenelg,
is a natural intersection of three kinds of terrain. The choice was
described by Curiosity Principal Investigator John Grotzinger of the
California Institute of Technology during a media teleconference on
Aug. 17.

"With such a great landing spot in Gale Crater, we literally had every
degree of the compass to choose from for our first drive," Grotzinger
said. "We had a bunch of strong contenders. It is the kind of dilemma
planetary scientists dream of, but you can only go one place for the
first drilling for a rock sample on Mars. That first drilling will be
a huge moment in the history of Mars exploration."

The trek to Glenelg will send the rover 1,300 feet (400 meters) east
southeast of its landing site. One of the three types of terrain
intersecting at Glenelg is layered bedrock, which is attractive as
the first drilling target.

"We're about ready to load our new destination into our GPS and head
out onto the open road," Grotzinger said. "Our challenge is there is
no GPS on Mars, so we have a roomful of rover-driver engineers
providing our turn-by-turn navigation for us."

Prior to the rover's trip to Glenelg, the team in charge of
Curiosity's Chemistry and Camera instrument, or ChemCam, is planning
to give their mast-mounted rock-zapping laser and telescope
combination a thorough checkout. On Saturday night, ChemCam is
expected to "zap" its first rock in the name of planetary science. It
will be the first time such a powerful laser has been used on the
surface of another world.

"Rock N165 looks like your typical Mars rock, about three inches wide.
It's about 10 feet away," said Roger Wiens, principal investigator of
the ChemCam instrument from the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New
Mexico. "We are going to hit it with 14 millijoules of energy 30
times in 10 seconds. It is not only going to be an excellent test of
our system, it should be pretty cool too."

Mission engineers are devoting more time to planning the first roll of
Curiosity. In the coming days, the rover will exercise each of its
four steerable (front and back) wheels, turning each of them
side-to-side before ending up with each wheel pointing straight
ahead. On a later day, the rover will drive forward about one
rover-length (10 feet, or 3 meters), turn 90 degrees, and then kick
into reverse for about 7 feet (2 meters).

"There will be a lot of important firsts that will be taking place for
Curiosity over the next few weeks, but the first motion of its
wheels, the first time our roving laboratory on Mars does some actual
roving, that will be something special," said Michael Watkins,
mission manager for Curiosity from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in
Pasadena, Calif.

The Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft delivered Curiosity to its
target area on Mars at 10:31:45 p.m. PDT on Aug. 5 (1:31:45 a.m. EDT
on Aug. 6), which included the 13.8 minutes needed for confirmation
of the touchdown to be radioed to Earth at the speed of light.

The audio and visuals of the teleconference will be archived and
available for viewing at:

http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl

The mission is managed by JPL for NASA's Science Mission Directorate
in Washington. The rover was designed, developed and assembled at
JPL, a division of Caltech. ChemCam was provided by Los Alamos
National Laboratory. France provided ChemCam's laser and telescope.

For more information about NASA's Curiosity mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/msl
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: JebbPA on 08/17/2012 09:36 pm
Some Sol 10 images have recently been uploaded! does anyone know what these Chemcam images show? http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?s=10&camera=CHEMCAM_RMI

For those who missed the telecon update, the early Chemcam images show this calibration target http://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/USLANL/2012/08/17/file_attachments/151341/ChemCamCalibrationPreLaunch.jpg
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 08/18/2012 01:50 am
Heat Shield, Meet Mars

Published on Aug 17, 2012 by JPLnews
This sequence of images shows the heat shield from NASA's Mars Science Laboratory hitting the ground on Mars and raising a cloud of dust. The images were taken by the Mars Descent Imager on the mission's Curiosity rover while the rover was still suspended on a parachute, after the spacecraft had jettisoned the heat shield.

A dark spot, the shadow of the heat shield, enters the scene from lower left, moving toward the center. The bright heat shield itself is also apparent just before the shadow and hardware meet in the impact on the surface. The area of ground visible in the images is about six-tenths of a mile (1 kilometer) across. The frames shown here are cropped portions of full-frame images from the Mars Descent Imager.

The sequence includes 25 frames, repeated in five run-throughs for this presentation. The action is full speed in the first, fourth and fifth run-throughs. It is one-half and one-eighth speeds in the second and third run-throughs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVLPXfF3l_U
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/18/2012 01:43 pm
Quote
NASA media teleconference at 10:30 a.m. PDT (1:30 p.m. EDT), Friday, Aug. 17, to provide a status update on the Curiosity rover's mission to Mars' Gale Crater.

Participants:
John Grotzinger - Curiosity project scientist, California Institute of Technology
Roger Wiens - ChemCam principal investigator, Los Alamos National Laboratory

Slides: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/telecon/index.html
P.S. It seems they will drive to that interesting trisection point where high TI unit and other layers meet each other. 276K at landing point. Will test Chemcam, more high-res images to come in a days and weeks. Interesting telecon. Tell me if sound volume is too low.

Thanks for the recording
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: notsorandom on 08/18/2012 04:39 pm
Heat Shield, Meet Mars

Published on Aug 17, 2012 by JPLnews
This sequence of images shows the heat shield from NASA's Mars Science Laboratory hitting the ground on Mars and raising a cloud of dust. The images were taken by the Mars Descent Imager on the mission's Curiosity rover while the rover was still suspended on a parachute, after the spacecraft had jettisoned the heat shield....
Wow now that is cool! Thanks for pointing that out.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Fixer on 08/18/2012 08:59 pm
New grayscale images of the mountain! http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?s=12 including this one http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/proj/msl/redops/ods/surface/sol/00012/opgs/edr/ncam/NLA_398561766EDR_F0030004NCAM00400M_.JPG
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: TheFallen on 08/18/2012 09:17 pm
I'd forgotten - until reminded by a USA friend - that my name (along with 1,246,445 other worldwide names) is etched  onto a microchip on board MSL Curiosity now parked inside Gale crater.

The microchips (there are two of them) are installed on the top deck of Curiosity... I'm sure they're visible in the images already downloaded and posted online, but I wonder when JPL will have the time to post an update specifically pointing out the location of the chips aboard the rover... (Pages were eventually posted on the Stardust, Kepler and Cassini mission sites with pics of the microchips and/or DVDs aboard them) :)

EDIT: I found the image below through Google. This pic is uploaded through the MSL mission site...but I can't find the specific page this photo is posted on. Hm.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/images/ChipCloseUptKSC.jpg
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: TheFallen on 08/18/2012 11:58 pm
Persistence! I found the page...and the location of the chips on Curiosity ;D

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/participate/sendyournameTEMP4/
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: js117 on 08/19/2012 12:31 am
Will JPL ever drive MSL Curiosity to the landing site of the sky crane.
To far or of no interest.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Jim on 08/19/2012 12:43 am
Will JPL ever drive MSL Curiosity to the landing site of the sky crane.
To far or of no interest.

Search the thread, been answered many times
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Duck on 08/19/2012 02:22 am
Will JPL ever drive MSL Curiosity to the landing site of the sky crane.
To far or of no interest.

Hi Js, no - they don't plan on going over there... they've mentioned that they're worried the fuel etc. would contaminate the sensors on the rover.

I agree though, it sure would be awesome to see!  Maybe toward the end of the mission, after they're all finished with the other science experiments, they could head over there? :)

-Iain
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Hungry4info3 on 08/19/2012 02:26 am
Quote
after they're all finished with the other science experiments
You don't know how exploring other planets works, do you....
 :D


But no. Hydrazine from the Skycrane is like AIDS for MSL. It will be avoided. And there's no reason whatsoever to travel dozens of km off of Mt Sharp to see it, when there's no real science to be gathered there.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: kevin-rf on 08/19/2012 03:38 am
If MSL notices a martian hazmat crew cleaning it up, it might be worth wandering over to watch...
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 08/19/2012 04:07 am
I agree though, it sure would be awesome to see!  Maybe toward the end of the mission, after they're all finished with the other science experiments, they could head over there? :)
The have consistently said they won't get close. However, MSL has some nice long lenses, and Grotzinger (IIRC) said in the last telecon that they would definitely take a look if they got line of sight on any of the hardware.

The descent stage crash site is about 600m away from the current position. Mastcam 100 is good for 7.4 cm/pixel at 1km. ChemCam RMI is also a pretty good telescope. It shouldn't take much of a rise on the way to Glenelg (http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/images/?ImageID=4482) to get a decent view.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Plopper on 08/19/2012 07:21 am
At the last teleconference, when asked, Grotzinger did say that they will take pictures of the crashed equipment if they get the opportunity from heights on the mound. (Pfuii, Hop just said that)

What's happened with the 140 kg fuel on board the sky crane? Could parts of it have combusted when in contact with oxidizing chemicals on the ground? Does it evaporate? Does it freeze? Does its status change from day to night?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Plopper on 08/19/2012 07:39 am
Concerning scientific value, they are quite interested in the little Goldburn scour because it scratched the surface bare. Hasn't the heat shield dug a much deeper pit? We've all seen that it threw a lot of materials around. Can anyone estimate how deep a crater it could've made? I think it was released at 238 m/s from 8 km altitude. Air resistance can almost be neglected, right? I can't find its mass, but it's large!
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/msl-20090710.html

Instead of landing heavy drilling equipment, they could just bomb the surface with high speed projectiles, dropped from orbiters at interesting targets, and let rovers examine the craters.


If I read the MRO images correctly, the heat shield is located only 3 times the distance to Glenelg, in the same direction, which is 130 degrees from the base of mount Sharp. Not far away at all!

EDIT: Actually, it's been said that Glenelg is 400 meters from MSL landing site, and that the heat shield is 1200 meters away. If so, it would only be about 800 meters from Glenelg to the heat shield crater. They are almost on a straight line, with no major obstacles, I gather. Going from Glenelg to the heat shield, would increase the distance to the base of mount Sharp by about 500 meters, so a visit there would result in a total extra driving of about 800+500 = 1300 meters. Wouldn't it be worth it, for the only chance to analyse fresh soil from maybe a meters depth? Also, it might be more interesting to drive to the base of mount Sharp closer along the dunes and mound.

Heat shield impact video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVLPXfF3l_U&feature=youtu.be
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/19/2012 02:02 pm
First mission targets:
http://www.spaceflight101.com/uploads/6/4/0/6/6406961/5333173.jpg?824
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Plopper on 08/19/2012 02:50 pm
They don't wanna get near the heat shield because it contains carbon, I've learned now. I suppose it could disturb measurements of organic chemistry.

Aren't the Russians launching any Mars mission soon? They use to crash theirs, so NASA could ask them to crash the next one in Gale crater in order to get a nice fresh pit to scoop from... ;)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: meekGee on 08/19/2012 03:59 pm
Wouldn't it be worth it, for the only chance to analyse fresh soil from maybe a meters depth?

It won't be meters deep - this is not a large asteroid - it's a bit of lightweight aerospace structure that fell from rest from a few km at 1/2 g onto solid ground.

Actually, at 5 m/s2, 8000m, I get barely 280 m/s, even w/o atmosphere.

It will have disturbed the dust (eating up a bunch of energy), deformed, and then scratched the surface a little bit.

And on top of that, it's the one place on Mars that they know for sure contains a bunch of heat shield dust.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Plopper on 08/19/2012 04:17 pm
First mission targets:
http://www.spaceflight101.com/uploads/6/4/0/6/6406961/5333173.jpg?824
Actually, this poor old rock might be zapped first (ChemCam zooms in on N165):
http://yfrog.com/oeuyhcevj
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/19/2012 05:45 pm
Uh-oh, we are ready to fire even before being ready to move?  :D
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Kaputnik on 08/19/2012 05:46 pm
it's a bit of lightweight aerospace structure that fell from rest from a few km at 1/2 g onto solid ground.

Actually, at 5 m/s2, 8000m, I get barely 280 m/s, even w/o atmosphere.

Not arguing with your basic point, but I don't think it 'fell from rest'; the vehicle was moving at several hundred metres per second when it jettisoned the heatshield.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: meekGee on 08/19/2012 07:08 pm
it's a bit of lightweight aerospace structure that fell from rest from a few km at 1/2 g onto solid ground.

Actually, at 5 m/s2, 8000m, I get barely 280 m/s, even w/o atmosphere.

Not arguing with your basic point, but I don't think it 'fell from rest'; the vehicle was moving at several hundred metres per second when it jettisoned the heatshield.

Sure, though I'm not sure if it was all vertical.  over here:

http://www.spaceflight101.com/uploads/6/4/0/6/6406961/mars_science_laboratory.pdf

it says 280 m/s at separation, some of it vertical, some horizontal.  Then again, I also neglected aerodynamic forces.  If moving at ~300 m/s, even in 1% atmosphere, it will slow it down.

I guess by "at rest" I meant "not at any kind of re-entry speed" - I was just being sloppy.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Retired Downrange on 08/19/2012 10:09 pm
By Associated Press,

PASADENA, Calif. — NASA’s Curiosity rover has zapped its first Martian rock, aiming its laser for the sake of science.

During the target practice on Sunday. Curiosity fired 30 pulses at a nearby rock over a 10-second window, burning a small hole.


http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2012/08/19/now-you-will-feel-the-firepower-of-a-fully-armed-and-operational-mars-rover/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/target-practice-nasa-rover-curiosity-uses-laser-to-target-a-small-martian-rock/2012/08/19/11fc960a-ea42-11e1-866f-60a00f604425_story.html
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: BrightLight on 08/20/2012 02:48 am
Now that's spectroscopy
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Helodriver on 08/20/2012 03:23 am
Given the large mirror carried by the chemcam, just how much magnification is it capable of giving if used to observe distant targets? Could it be used in this way to produce ultra high resolution composite images similar to a gigapan picture?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Danderman on 08/20/2012 05:41 am
During the target practice on Sunday. Curiosity fired 30 pulses at a nearby rock over a 10-second window, burning a small hole.

Oh dear, the first shots in a potential interplanetary war!

 :o :o
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bogeyman on 08/20/2012 12:24 pm
On the very top left of this Raw image (sol 12) , somebody found a short white streak in the sky. Could that be a star trail? A shooting star? Or even one of the orbiters? What are the exposure times of the MSL-Cameras anyway?

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Jim on 08/20/2012 02:29 pm
Given the large mirror carried by the chemcam, just how much magnification is it capable of giving if used to observe distant targets? Could it be used in this way to produce ultra high resolution composite images similar to a gigapan picture?

No, since the mirror is not in the optic path for visual instruments.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Plopper on 08/20/2012 04:17 pm
Arm unstoved. Is this true!???
Surprise surprise! According to my calender anyway. Thumbnail below:
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?rawid=NLA_398742207EDR_T0030004NCAM00105M_&s=14
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Fixer on 08/20/2012 04:23 pm
Quote
The next scheduled media telecons are:
Tuesday, Aug. 21 and Thursday, Aug. 23, both at 10 a.m. PDT (1 p.m. EDT).

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1314
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: TheFallen on 08/20/2012 08:39 pm
Thumbail pics of Curiosity unstowing her robotic arm posted online

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?s=14
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: glanmor05 on 08/20/2012 08:59 pm
Arm unstoved. Is this true!???
Surprise surprise! According to my calender anyway. Thumbnail below:
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?rawid=NLA_398742207EDR_T0030004NCAM00105M_&s=14


Yeah, I thought steering actuators and small drive came first? 

Not enough updates (from JPL) for me. Feed the beast!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: iamlucky13 on 08/20/2012 11:19 pm
Given the large mirror carried by the chemcam, just how much magnification is it capable of giving if used to observe distant targets? Could it be used in this way to produce ultra high resolution composite images similar to a gigapan picture?

No, since the mirror is not in the optic path for visual instruments.

Chemcam actually does have a CCD recording from that mirror called the Remote Micro-Imager (ChemCam RMI), used for taking context shots of study targets.

It's uses a dichroic (passes some wavelengths, reflects others) tertiary mirror to split the incoming light between the CCD and the spectrometer.

A few details here:

http://msl-scicorner.jpl.nasa.gov/Instruments/ChemCam/

Quote
The Remote Micro-Imager (RMI) is intended as a context imager for the LIBS...It images through the same telescope as the LIBS...The detector is a 1024 x 1024 pixel CCD. The RMI has a field of view of 19 milliradians. Due to optimization of the telescope for LIBS, the RMI resolution is not pixel-limited, and is approximately 100 microradians.

Technical details here:
http://congrex.nl/icso/Papers/TPosters/12_dufour_icso_paper.pdf

If you divide the 19 milliradian field of view (diagonal) by the 100 microradian resolution and do some quick trigonometry, you will get only ~128 lines of horizontal resolution. In other words, the 1024x1024 pixel CCD significantly outresolves the telescope itself, but it was an already flight-proven sensor, and the extra pixels don't really harm the image, other than they show the ultimate limits of 4" telescope with such a narrow field of view (sensitivity for the spectrometers was the primary goal for this telescope, not resolution). In fact, you can see this as the blurriness of the raw images:
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/proj/msl/redops/ods/surface/sol/00013/opgs/edr/ccam/CR0_398646468EDR_F0030004CCAM05013M_.JPG

The ultimate answer to the question is yes, you could do ultra-resolution mosaics, with a resolution of about 1 mm at 10 meters (if I did my math right), but it's not the best use of bandwidth. Doing a 360 degree panorama just with the Mastcam takes several GB...on the order of a week's worth of bandwidth, I believe.

So instead what you would do is use the widest angle cameras on the mast - the Navcams - to take your panoramas. From those images, you select areas for the Mastcams to study in more detail. Only the most interesting areas would you likely take further shots of with the ChemCam RMI, and probably in conjunction with using the laser on those spots.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Sparky on 08/21/2012 04:46 am
On the very top left of this Raw image (sol 12) , somebody found a short white streak in the sky. Could that be a star trail? A shooting star? Or even one of the orbiters? What are the exposure times of the MSL-Cameras anyway?

Perhaps Phobos?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: douglas100 on 08/21/2012 08:06 am
Doubt it's Phobos. I guess the exposure would be less than a second  in daylight and Phobos wouldn't hardly move in that time.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ugordan on 08/21/2012 08:07 am
Cosmic rays reach the surface of Mars all the time.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Fixer on 08/21/2012 06:48 pm
Quote
NASA media teleconference at 10:00 a.m. PDT (1:00 p.m. EDT), Tuesday, Aug. 21, to provide a status update on the Curiosity rover's mission to Mars' Gale Crater.

Participants:
Michael Watkins - Curiosity mission manager, JPL
Louise Jandura - Sampling system lead engineer, JPL
Ashwin Vasavada - Curiosity deputy project scientist, JPL
Igor Mitrofanov - Principal investigator of DAN
Javier Gomez-Elvira - Principal investigator of REMS

Slides:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/telecon/index.html
Record will also be available here: http://www.ustream.tv/NASAJPL

Record: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/24867956

Have not listened to it yet, but it seems they have tested 100mm mastcam, unstowed and tested robotic arm, made first long weather and neutron measurements...
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: litton4 on 08/21/2012 07:50 pm
Just seen on the BBC News ticker, report of "Damage" to some of the weather station sensors........

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-19338870
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Fixer on 08/21/2012 08:59 pm
The issue is related to some wind sensors on one of the booms, so wind measurements will be less accurate in cases when wind blows from the direction somewhat obscured by vertical mast (with only one boom available). http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/multimedia/pia13646.html Other sensors are not affected, not a major problem but they will try to fix it.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 08/21/2012 09:01 pm
More from the BBC...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-19338870
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: iamlucky13 on 08/21/2012 10:09 pm
Hmm...sounds like something worth taking a shot of with MAHLI. I think the arm has enough dexterity to get a decent pointing in that direction.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Fixer on 08/21/2012 11:16 pm
Media conference on NASA TV at Wednesday 11:30 a.m. pacific time?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 08/22/2012 01:43 am
What It's Like to Land On Mars

Published on Aug 21, 2012 by JPLnews

This video steps viewers through a portion of the choreography needed to land NASA's Curiosity rover on Mars. It starts with a computer simulation from NASA's Eyes on the Solar System program and uses actual images from Curiosity's Mars Descent Imager. It ends with a high-resolution color image from Curiosity's Mast Camera.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMsdobLq1-4
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 08/22/2012 01:59 am
JPL News feature: 2012-253                              Aug. 21, 2012

First Words of Safe Landing on Mars - Tango Delta Nominal

The full version of this story with accompanying images is at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2012-253&cid=release_2012-253

10:32 p.m. on the evening of Aug. 5 was turning out to be one long minute for Steve Sell. Of course, the previous six had been significantly protracted as well. When added together, the entry, descent and landing of NASA's Curiosity Mars rover had been touted as "Seven Minutes of Terror," and as far as Sell was concerned things were trending in that direction. What the 42-year-old engineer from Gettysburg, Pa., wanted more than anything in that seventh minute was to hear the words "UHF Strong."

There had been a debate amongst Curiosity's entry, descent and landing team about what their first words to indicate that the rover had reached the surface should be. The EDL team at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory knew their microphones would be "hot" and that NASA TV was beaming the landing event out live to anybody with the desire and wherewithal to watch. They also knew that landing safely on Mars meant more than simply landing on Mars – which any one of the 34 engineers present at JPL’s Building 264 Room 230, also known as the “EDL War Room,” will tell you at great length is not simple at all. Their rocket-propelled backpack and rover-lowering Sky Crane system were getting their first all-up test 154 million miles (248 million kilometers) away from home, and there was still plenty that could go wrong even after the rover was gently placed on the surface… plenty.

What if the descent stage kept descending right on top of the rover? What if the bridles connecting the two did not separate? What if the algorithm used to throttle up the engines for the flyaway maneuver was not accurate?

It was the remaining "what ifs" that made what those first words from Mars confirming the rover was on the surface so important.

"If we said 'touchdown,' then people not intimately familiar with EDL might infer that Curiosity was good to go," said Sell. "But two more major calls had to be made before I could begin to breathe again."

At 10:31:45 p.m. PDT, Jody Davis saw the event record, or EVR, she was looking for appear on her computer screen in the EDL War Room. She knew that the "Touchdown" EVR would only be beamed down if the rover's descent stage had throttled down -- a result which could only occur if the descent stage had offloaded half its weight. The only way the rover could offload half its weight in an instant is if it were being held up from below.

Davis, a member of the EDL team and an engineer from NASA Langley Research Center in Virginia, gave the much reviewed, pre-scripted call -- "Tango Delta nominal."

Tango and Delta are phonetic identifiers for T and D, which the team used to represent touchdown.

One down, two to go, thought Sell. The next call the EDL team was looking for was "RIMU Stable."

"RIMU stands for Rover Inertial Measurement Unit," said Sell. "The RIMU gives us the rover's orientation as well as any movement it is making. If we landed on a crumbling crater wall or an unstable sand dune, or were being dragged by a still-connected descent stage across the surface, then the RIMU would show that in its data set."

The War Room's David Way, an engineer from JPL, was monitoring that unit's performance. Eight long seconds after Jody's call, he found the EVR he was looking for.

"RIMU Stable," said Way.

One more crucial milestone to go.

Not receiving that one final call would be something of a long shot to be sure. After all, the rover was down on the ground, and RIMU indicated it wasn't moving. Their system had been proven every step of the way so far. But everyone in the EDL War Room got as far as they did not only because they were excellent engineers, but because of their predilection for concocting unappetizing entry, descent and landing scenarios – and then figuring out how to elude them. And one ton of fuel-laden, rocket-firing descent stage climbing straight up, only to fall right back down on their factory-fresh landing site and an otherwise good-to-go, roving Mars laboratory was about as unappetizing a scenario as Sell could imagine.

That final confirmation would not come from Sell’s location. The final confirmation that Curiosity had landed clean would come 200 yards and one building away from the EDL War Room. There, in the Mission Support Area of JPL's Building 230, Adam Steltzner, the mission's EDL phase lead, was staring across the room at Brian Schwartz, who was not making eye contact with anyone. Schwartz, the EDL communications engineer, was staring at his screen. His task was not to check for a good-news EVR from the rover. Instead, he was waiting to see if the UHF signal became intermittent, faded away or just cut out altogether – all potential indications that the rover and descent stage had not gone their separate ways.

Eight seconds after the RIMU call – Schwartz looked up.

"UHF strong," said Schwartz.

With that, Steltzner had all the data he needed. Seated directly in front of the pacing EDL Phase Lead, Allen Chen felt a jab in the shoulder. Chen, the mission's (capsule communicator), knew it could only mean one thing.

"Touchdown confirmed," said Chen.

***
Epilogue
With time to reflect upon the events of August 5, Curiosity's EDL phase lead states only one thing fazed him that evening.

"The biggest surprise about EDL was there were no surprises," said Steltzner. "But soon after we were confirmed down, what I saw on the screen absolutely floored me."

Months, and even years before landing, Steltzner and his team had kicked around the idea of imaging the final moments of the descent stage's short life. Wouldn't it be cool if the rover's first pic could be timed just so?

Working with the surface operations team, they got the timing of the first images from the surface timed for about 40 seconds after landing – a little bit after the time the descent stage was estimated to impact the ground after flying away to a safe distance.

"We thought the odds were pretty small that we would see it," said Steltzner.

But there, right in the upper-middle of those first rear-hazcam images, was a plume of dust rising from the surface.

A later image, taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment camera, or HiRISE, aboard NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft in Martian orbit, provides the location of what Curiosity team members believe is the final destination of the powered descent stage – or Sky Crane – which was programmed to fly away automatically after safely depositing the rover on the surface.

"With HiRISE we get the Sky Crane's distance and its compass heading with respect to the rover," said Steltzner. "The cloud seen in the distance on the Hazcam images is in perfect alignment with where we would expect to see the descent stage.

"The inescapable conclusion is that we captured the result of what happens when about 2,200 pounds (1,000 kilograms) of Sky Crane intersect with Martian surface at a pretty good clip. It is truly an amazing shot on a day full of amazing shots."

A video of imagery from the rover during EDL, including Adam Steltzner's commentary, is available at: http://1.usa.gov/NffoWl .

For more information on NASA's Curiosity mission, visit: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/msl and http://marsprogram.jpl.nasa.gov/msl . Follow the mission on Facebook and Twitter at: http://www.facebook.com/marscuriosity and http://www.twitter.com/marscuriosity .

DC Agle 818-393-9011
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
[email protected]

- end -
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 08/22/2012 02:04 am
JPL News release: 2012-254                                                                     Aug. 21, 2012

NASA's Curiosity Studies Mars Surroundings, Nears Drive

The full version of this story with accompanying images is at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2012-254&cid=release_2012-254

PASADENA, Calif. - NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has been investigating the Martian weather around it and the soil beneath it, as its controllers prepare for the car-size vehicle's first drive on Mars.

The rover's weather station, provided by Spain, checks air temperature, ground temperature, air pressure, wind and other variables every hour at the landing site in Gale Crater. On a typical Martian day, or "sol," based on measurements so far in the two-week old mission, air temperatures swing from 28 degrees to minus 103 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 2 to minus 75 Celsius). Ground temperatures change even more between afternoon and pre-dawn morning, from 37 degrees to minus 132 degrees Fahrenheit (3 to minus 91 Celsius).

"We will learn about changes from day to day and season to season," said Javier Gómez-Elvira of the Centro de Astrobiología, Madrid, Spain, principal investigator for the suite of weather sensors called the Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS).

Within a week or so, daily Mars weather reports from Curiosity will become available at: http://cab.inta-csic.es/rems/marsweather.html  or http://bit.ly/RzQe6p  .

One of the two sets of REMS wind sensors is not providing data. "One possibility is that pebbles lofted during the landing hit the delicate circuit boards on one of the two REMS booms," said Curiosity Deputy Project Scientist Ashwin Vasavada of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. "We will have to be more clever about using the remaining wind sensor to get wind speed and direction."

An instrument provided by Russia is checking for water bound into minerals in the top three feet (one meter) of soil beneath the rover. It employs a technology that is used in oil prospecting on Earth, but had never before been sent to another planet.

"Curiosity has begun shooting neutrons into the ground," said Igor Mitrofanov of Space Research Institute, Moscow, principal investigator for this instrument, called the Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons, or DAN. "We measure the amount of hydrogen in the soil by observing how the neutrons are scattered, and hydrogen on Mars is an indicator of water."

The most likely hydrogen to be found in shallow ground of Gale Crater, near the Martian equator, is in hydrated minerals. These are minerals with water molecules, or related ions, bound into the crystalline structure of rocks. They can tenaciously retain water from a wetter past after all free water has gone.

Curiosity will soon have a different patch of ground beneath it. Today, the six-wheeled rover wiggled its four corner wheels side to side for the first time on Mars, as a test of the steering actuators on those wheels. This was critical preparation for Curiosity's first drive on Mars.

"Late tonight, we plan to send Curiosity the commands for doing our first drive tomorrow," said Curiosity Mission Manager Michael Watkins of JPL.

The Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft delivered Curiosity to Mars on Aug. 5, PDT (Aug. 6, EDT). In a two-year prime mission researchers are using the rover's 10 instruments to assess whether the selected study area has ever offered environmental conditions favorable for microbial life and for preserving evidence about whether life has existed.

The mission is managed by JPL for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The rover was designed, developed and assembled at JPL, a division of Caltech. More information about Curiosity is online at: http://www.nasa.gov/msl .

You can follow the mission on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/marscuriosity and on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/marscuriosity .

Dwayne Brown 202-358-1726
NASA Headquarters, Washington
[email protected]

Guy Webster / D.C. Agle 818-354-6278 / 818-393-9011
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
[email protected] / [email protected]

- end -
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 08/22/2012 02:05 am
JPL News release: 2012-255a                                                                     Aug. 21, 2012

NASA to Hold Televised Curiosity Rover Media Briefing Aug. 22

The full version of this story with accompanying images is at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2012-255&cid=release_2012-255

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA will hold a televised news conference at 11:30 a.m. PDT (2:30 p.m. EDT) on Wednesday, Aug. 22, at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., to update media on the progress of its Curiosity rover mission on Mars.

The news conference will be broadcast live on NASA TV and online at: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv and http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl .

For more information about NASA's Curiosity mission, visit: http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl .

JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Science Laboratory/Curiosity mission for NASA.

D.C. Agle/Guy Webster 818-354-5011
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
[email protected] / [email protected]

Dwayne Brown 202-358-1726
NASA Headquarters, Washington
[email protected]

- end -
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/22/2012 02:22 am
JPL News release: 2012-255a                                                                     Aug. 21, 2012

NASA to Hold Televised Curiosity Rover Media Briefing Aug. 22

Yay, televised!  :)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bogeyman on 08/22/2012 07:20 am
First things broke on MSL: http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-19338870

Maybe it was not a good idea to rout cables on the surface of the deck?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Plopper on 08/22/2012 07:39 am
I love the redundancy on board Curiosity! A wind sensor broke down, but hey, there's another one! Two computers, double set of cameras everywhere, an engine at each wheel, four steering wheels, two batteries, an essentially indestructable power source, three antennas and so on. Even spare drill bits. This baby might rove for decades! Most critical and vulnerable part is probably the arm. But that kind of mechanics should be straight forward and rugged. And even without it, at least the atmosphere can be analyzed. How could this fail once landed?

Interplanetary landings used to be like: "Uhu, lost radio contact, don't know why". But with Curiosity, they can image and count each piece of dust that lies on top of it. It's too much to say that this kind of technology has matured, but it has come a very long way since they had the ambition in the 1960s to just crash land anything on the Moon, but missed.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: iamlucky13 on 08/22/2012 09:14 am
JPL News feature: 2012-253                              Aug. 21, 2012

First Words of Safe Landing on Mars - Tango Delta Nominal

The full version of this story with accompanying images is at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2012-253&cid=release_2012-253

I had to go back and re-watch the control room video landing after reading this, because I swore there was a touchdown call and everyone started cheering, and I found myself yelling at the screen to be quiet so I could hear the calls for throttle down and separation.

As it turns out, there was a touchdown call, but only after the events called out in the article.

Good read. For the level of inside detail, I'd have almost thought Chris wrote it.  8)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: BuDkaR on 08/22/2012 10:46 am
JPL News feature: 2012-253                              Aug. 21, 2012

First Words of Safe Landing on Mars - Tango Delta Nominal

The full version of this story with accompanying images is at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2012-253&cid=release_2012-253

I had to go back and re-watch the control room video landing after reading this, because I swore there was a touchdown call and everyone started cheering, and I found myself yelling at the screen to be quiet so I could hear the calls for throttle down and separation.

As it turns out, there was a touchdown call, but only after the events called out in the article.

Good read. For the level of inside detail, I'd have almost thought Chris wrote it.  8)

I heard "Touchdown confirmed, we're safe on Mars"  :)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: dvicari on 08/22/2012 11:14 am
Maybe it was not a good idea to rout cables on the surface of the deck?

It is not the cable bundles that were damaged, a pebble couldn't hurt those. It is small exposed wires in the sensor elements. I believe the senors measure heat loss rates to the atmosphere to determine wind speed

My understanding is there are six transducers (three on each boom) and two of the six were damaged. The two damaged ones were exposed during sky crane... the other four were covered.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/22/2012 12:25 pm
So what else did they say in the telecon? Any image/slide/video?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: rdale on 08/22/2012 01:12 pm
So what else did they say in the telecon?

Most of it has been covered, you might need to listen to it all if you want everything?

Quote
Any image/slide/video?

Yes, in the post with the link to the audio recording where it says slides.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: elmarko on 08/22/2012 01:52 pm
Maybe it was not a good idea to rout cables on the surface of the deck?

It is not the cable bundles that were damaged, a pebble couldn't hurt those. It is small exposed wires in the sensor elements. I believe the senors measure heat loss rates to the atmosphere to determine wind speed

My understanding is there are six transducers (three on each boom) and two of the six were damaged. The two damaged ones were exposed during sky crane... the other four were covered.


Was that ever noticed as a potential problem? Why were those two uncovered?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: dvicari on 08/22/2012 02:00 pm
Was that ever noticed as a potential problem? Why were those two uncovered?

The mast being down protected the others.

I'm guessing they didn't expect to throw small rocks around that much during landing. They probably should have been protected with covers or stowed like all the cameras were.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: elmarko on 08/22/2012 02:01 pm
But then that adds more complexity etc to shift those covers off, I guess.

Ah well.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/22/2012 06:26 pm
liutenant Uura from strtrek just advertised on NASA TV!!!
News conference is upcoming in next minutes.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Stardust9906 on 08/22/2012 06:29 pm
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Lee Jay on 08/22/2012 06:30 pm
Maybe it was not a good idea to rout cables on the surface of the deck?

It is not the cable bundles that were damaged, a pebble couldn't hurt those. It is small exposed wires in the sensor elements. I believe the senors measure heat loss rates to the atmosphere to determine wind speed

So, basically hot-film or hot-wire anemometers?  Those things are very delicate.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/22/2012 06:35 pm
Started.
sol 16, Ray Bradbury celebrated by a footage.

Landing site named "Bradbury landing"
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/22/2012 06:38 pm
Summary of past sol displayed.
Al nominal, but the wind sensor.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/22/2012 06:38 pm
First drive was planned for september, but we already had it today!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Stardust9906 on 08/22/2012 06:39 pm
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/22/2012 06:40 pm
First scoop sample planned for september.

First-walk panorama shown.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/22/2012 06:41 pm
3d animation of walk shown.
2,5 meters: stright on, turn left, stright on, go back, then back to start positoin.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Stardust9906 on 08/22/2012 06:42 pm
First drive completed
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/22/2012 06:43 pm
Video explanation of laser and chemcam working.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/22/2012 06:43 pm
Plasma looks different on Mars (brighter than on Earth).
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/22/2012 06:44 pm
Showing first fired/analyzed rock.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/22/2012 06:45 pm
Still lores imgs, waiting mastcam.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Stardust9906 on 08/22/2012 06:46 pm
First ChemCam
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/22/2012 06:47 pm
Showing spectral analysis of plasma producedb by laser firing on rock.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/22/2012 06:48 pm
Detailed images of a "scour". To be laser-analyzed?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/22/2012 06:50 pm
Correct: scour already laser-analyzed.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Stardust9906 on 08/22/2012 06:51 pm
2nd Chem Cam target (Scour)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/22/2012 06:58 pm
Questions time.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Stardust9906 on 08/22/2012 07:03 pm
Drive lasted 16 minutes with 4 or 5 minutes driving and the rest of the time taking pictures.

Track marks show the ground is firm.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Stardust9906 on 08/22/2012 07:10 pm
Chem Cam capable of 20 analysis per day.

First drives expected to be in the range of 10m at a time to be eventually extended to 100m at a time.

Team very excited everything working well.  Pete expressing caution and reminding everyone that there is still a long way to go.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/22/2012 07:29 pm
Damn, MSL has same speed of Spirit! 4 cm/s! I really hoped it was a bit faster!
It will require a(nother) whole life to go around! 0,144 km/h! How far is Mount Sharp?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Fixer on 08/22/2012 07:45 pm
Quote
NASA televised news conference at 11:30 a.m. PDT (2:30 p.m. EDT) on Wednesday, Aug. 22, at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., to update media on the progress of its Curiosity rover mission on Mars.

Attached audio record until video record comes in.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: John44 on 08/22/2012 07:49 pm
Curiosity Rover Mission Update - August 22
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7795
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 08/22/2012 08:17 pm
Curiosity Rover: First Drive Celebration

Published on Aug 22, 2012 by JPLnews

Team members celebrate in the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Curiosity Surface Mission Support Area (SMSA) when images are received confirming the rover's first drive on Mars on Aug. 22, 2012.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEhFinlRMBM
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: iamlucky13 on 08/22/2012 09:35 pm
Just thought I'd throw in two of the images relevant to the presser for those who want to see the high res. These have captions that are decently informative.

Plasma looks different on Mars (brighter than on Earth).

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/images/?ImageID=4540

Showing spectral analysis of plasma producedb by laser firing on rock.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/images/?ImageID=4540
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: MP99 on 08/22/2012 09:50 pm
Damn, MSL has same speed of Spirit! 4 cm/s! I really hoped it was a bit faster!
It will require a(nother) whole life to go around! 0,144 km/h! How far is Mount Sharp?

That means it would only take 7 hours to go 1 km.

Control algorithms seem far more important than speed-over-ground, to me.

cheers, Martin
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: iamlucky13 on 08/22/2012 11:00 pm
Damn, MSL has same speed of Spirit! 4 cm/s! I really hoped it was a bit faster!
It will require a(nother) whole life to go around! 0,144 km/h! How far is Mount Sharp?

That means it would only take 7 hours to go 1 km.

Control algorithms seem far more important than speed-over-ground, to me.

cheers, Martin

Not that it produces anywhere near enough power to drive a kilometer in 7 hours.

Design range is 200 meters per day, and most days will be far below that.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: js117 on 08/22/2012 11:30 pm
Damn, MSL has same speed of Spirit! 4 cm/s! I really hoped it was a bit faster!
It will require a(nother) whole life to go around! 0,144 km/h! How far is Mount Sharp?

That means it would only take 7 hours to go 1 km.

Control algorithms seem far more important than speed-over-ground, to me.

cheers, Martin

Remember there is 28 minute delay in single.
14 minute transmit time and 14 minute return time.
So you can't do anything wrong.
That is why the slow speed.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Pheogh on 08/22/2012 11:35 pm
Weren't the navcams going to be capable of 15fps video? Am I imagining that. I could have swore one of the other cameras besides MARDI were capable of sequential imaging?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Retired Downrange on 08/23/2012 12:02 am
By Alan Boyle
 
You've seen it before, but not like this: Visual-effects specialist Daniel Luke Fitch has assembled the high-resolution imagery showing the Curiosity rover's descent to Mars this month into a YouTube video that's as slick as his highlights reel.

The video takes advantage of pictures captured by the Mars Descent Imager, or MARDI, which is positioned on the bottom of the rover. During the "seven minutes of terror" leading up to Curiosity's landing on Aug. 5, MARDI recorded hundreds of still frames and stored them in the rover's memory. Thumbnail versions of the pictures were quickly sent back to Earth and turned into a low-resolution movie, but it's taken days to reserve the bandwidth required for transmitting the full-resolution frames.


http://cosmiclog.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/22/13419779-watch-the-rover-fall-to-mars-in-hd


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZX5GRPnd4U&feature=plcp


Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/23/2012 12:25 am
Just thought I'd throw in two of the images relevant to the presser for those who want to see the high res. These have captions that are decently informative.

Plasma looks different on Mars (brighter than on Earth).

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/images/?ImageID=4540

Showing spectral analysis of plasma producedb by laser firing on rock.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/images/?ImageID=4540

As far as I'm concerned, that one analysis was worth its weight in gold. Fabulous instrument. I'm sure the designers & constructors are tickled to see it in action! Great work.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: iamlucky13 on 08/23/2012 11:09 am
As far as I'm concerned, that one analysis was worth its weight in gold. Fabulous instrument. I'm sure the designers & constructors are tickled to see it in action! Great work.

I'd say an individual analysis isn't fantastic on its own. My understanding is the measurements from ChemCam have a relatively low sensitivity. The Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer can provide much better results, but it's a contact instrument, so it requires driving up to a target and placing the APXS, which means both planning a drive and an arm operation, then sitting still for 15 minutes to several hours for the observation.

In comparison, in the very first ChemCam operation, it analyzed three targets in less time than it would take to drive to and place the arm on a single target. So it will increase the number of targets they're able to get basic data on very significantly, and save them time by allowing them to reserve APXS operations for targets already shown by ChemCam to be interesting. That makes it a fantastic instrument, probably worth far more than its weight in platinum.

Mini-TES on the Mars Exploration Rovers served a somewhat similar purpose, but could only identify basic mineralogy instead of detailed elemental composition.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Fixer on 08/23/2012 02:36 pm
Made a simple panorama of mt. Sharp with the new images
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bubbinski on 08/23/2012 02:55 pm
Thanks, I noticed the new raw images of the mountain this morning.  Nice panorama.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Plopper on 08/23/2012 02:56 pm
Wow, Fixer! Beautiful image! And that's Mars.
But, it isn't Mons Aeolis proper is it? It's a hill of about 4 km height over the crater bottom on the mound surrounding Mons Aeolis (Mount Sharp). The true 5.5 km high summit of the real mountain, is out of sight for the rover, behind and a bit to the right of the peak of that mound in your image, and might remain so for the entire mission.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: iamlucky13 on 08/23/2012 05:50 pm
Weren't the navcams going to be capable of 15fps video? Am I imagining that. I could have swore one of the other cameras besides MARDI were capable of sequential imaging?

The mastcams are capable of 10 fps. Expect this to be used sparingly due to the bandwidth involved. It's possible we'll get a few sequences of arm deployments or driving, but nothing has been promised. One of the planned uses is catching dust devils in action, assuming they occur regular at this location as they have where the MER's landed.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/23/2012 06:27 pm
Do we eventually have a full res version of the 360° panorama shot in first sols? Or it was not at all a full-360° and we'll never see it? I only see "fake" full-color panoramas made by stitching and colorizing navcam images!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 08/23/2012 07:03 pm
...and finally a high definition version form JPL.

Curiosity Drops in on Mars in High-Res

Published on Aug 23, 2012 by JPLnews

This movie from NASA's Curiosity rover shows most of the high-resolution frames acquired by the Mars Descent Imager between the jettison of the heat shield and touchdown.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1ebHThBdlY
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/23/2012 07:27 pm
Now that I know of the "encrypted" comment (T.D. nominal, RIMU stable, UHF good), hearing the audio makes it a lot more interesting to look at just some pebbles in the background.
I also think someone in the room was "muted" upon getting already enthusiast for "T.D. nominal" ("sssshhh! It's too early to speak!!") :-) .

Now somebody should prepare a video showing what could have gone wrong: skycrane crashing on the rover, or flying away before ropes are cut, and so on... :-)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/23/2012 07:38 pm
2160p (!!!) MARDI video syncronized with audio and simulation!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZuzSxQ_Zeg&feature=youtu.be
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ugordan on 08/23/2012 07:39 pm
Now somebody should prepare a video showing what could have gone wrong: skycrane crashing on the rover, or flying away before ropes are cut, and so on... :-)

I think the documentary called "Martian Mega Rover" has some cute CGI video of some of those scenarios, although it depicts the rover landing on a pretty big slope even in the normal scenario.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ScientificMethod on 08/23/2012 08:07 pm
By Alan Boyle
 
You've seen it before, but not like this: {snip}
http://cosmiclog.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/22/13419779-watch-the-rover-fall-to-mars-in-hd


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZX5GRPnd4U&feature=plcp




In full HD, you really get a vivid view of how much thrust there was in the last few feet of the skycrane. With 20/20 hindsight, it's not to hard to see why pebbles and debris would be thrown on the top of Curiosity.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/23/2012 09:21 pm
Wonderful video. Although for an update thread, we can place priority on the specific video and image threads to keep everything nice and tidy.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Fixer on 08/23/2012 10:19 pm
Have no words... Look at that http://www.db-prods.net/blog/2012/08/20/le-panorama-en-couleur-de-curiosity-enfin-complet/
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: TheFallen on 08/24/2012 01:13 am
Have no words... Look at that http://www.db-prods.net/blog/2012/08/20/le-panorama-en-couleur-de-curiosity-enfin-complet/

Awesome. Though I'm waiting for a color panorama that actually includes the rover in it. Just saying :)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bubbinski on 08/24/2012 01:56 pm
Jumpjack, thanks for the synchronized video!

Where's the "like" button? :)

Took me back to landing night, to the nailbiting moments then the celebration.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: rickyjames on 08/24/2012 03:40 pm
As far as I'm concerned, that one analysis was worth its weight in gold...

That makes it a fantastic instrument, probably worth far more than its weight in platinum....

Actually at the moment gold is worth more (around $1660 per ounce) than platinum (around $1540 per ounce).  But the worth on Mars of Curiosity is $2,500,000,000 / (1982 pounds * 16 oz /lb) = $78,835 per ounce or around 48 times its worth on Earth if it were all made of solid gold.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: pippin on 08/24/2012 04:05 pm
Awesome. Though I'm waiting for a color panorama that actually includes the rover in it. Just saying :)

Have a look further up the thread for the one I linked. If you've got an iPad it's even stunningly interactive.

EDIT:
Here it is again:
http://www.360cities.net/image/curiosity-rover-martian-solar-day-2
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Lee Jay on 08/24/2012 06:08 pm
Awesome. Though I'm waiting for a color panorama that actually includes the rover in it. Just saying :)

Have a look further up the thread for the one I linked. If you've got an iPad it's even stunningly interactive.

EDIT:
Here it is again:
http://www.360cities.net/image/curiosity-rover-martian-solar-day-2 (http://www.360cities.net/image/curiosity-rover-martian-solar-day-2)

You don't need an iPad.  It's interactive on my Windows 7 PC just fine.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 08/24/2012 07:29 pm
Advisory: 2012-258b                                                                     Aug. 24, 2012

NASA Announces Aug. 27 Mars News Conference

The full version of this story with accompanying images is at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2012-258b&cid=release_2012-258b

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA will hold a televised news conference at 2 p.m. PDT (5 p.m.EDT), Monday, Aug. 27, at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., about the activities of its Curiosity rover mission on Mars. The event will feature new images, an update of the rover's progress, and a special greeting by NASA Administrator Charles Bolden.

Televised news conferences are broadcast live on NASA TV and online at: http://www.nasa.gov/ and http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl

The Mars Curiosity team is operating on Mars time. The Martian day is about 40 minutes longer than an Earth day. Media events are scheduled based on team availability and are subject to change. Updates of event times will be posted at:

http://go.nasa.gov/curiositytelecon

For information about NASA's Mars Science Laboratory mission, including the Curiosity rover, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl

D.C. Agle/Guy Webster 818-354-5011
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
[email protected] / [email protected]

Dwayne Brown 202-358-1726
Headquarters, Washington
[email protected]

- end -
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: go4mars on 08/26/2012 05:53 am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3V00dKs40k&feature=autoplay&list=PL57B8D5FFF5B55A62&playnext=1

Dr. Jim Bell goes through a brief notion of where MSL will be going.  Starting around 21 minutes. 
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: TheFallen on 08/26/2012 06:05 am
Awesome. Though I'm waiting for a color panorama that actually includes the rover in it. Just saying :)

Have a look further up the thread for the one I linked. If you've got an iPad it's even stunningly interactive.

EDIT:
Here it is again:
http://www.360cities.net/image/curiosity-rover-martian-solar-day-2

Nice work. But I meant a true-color panorama... Not a colorized Navcam image. Sorry for being so finicky  :)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: iamlucky13 on 08/26/2012 09:24 am
Awesome. Though I'm waiting for a color panorama that actually includes the rover in it. Just saying :)

Have a look further up the thread for the one I linked. If you've got an iPad it's even stunningly interactive.

EDIT:
Here it is again:
http://www.360cities.net/image/curiosity-rover-martian-solar-day-2

Nice work. But I meant a true-color panorama... Not a colorized Navcam image. Sorry for being so finicky  :)

You might be waiting a while. The mastcams trade more resolution for a narrower field of view compared to the navcams. The result is a full panorama takes almost 10 times as many images, and consequently 10 times as much data return. They've got generally in the range of 250-800 MB worth of bandwidth available per sol, but Malin says that a 360 degree x 80 degree panorama will take about 2.5 GB worth of raw images (the source didn't specify, so that might have been for the 100mm mastcam, not the 34mm).

Hence why the mastcam panorama we have so far is substantially cropped in the vertical.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/26/2012 12:42 pm
I hate fake-color navcam images indeed. What's the meaning of them? They could also be green- or blue-colorized!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: pippin on 08/26/2012 01:28 pm
You don't need an iPad.  It's interactive on my Windows 7 PC just fine.

Yes, but if you haven't seen it on an iPad with the gyro feature enabled (default) and everything you don't even know what I mean. Believe me.
"Interactive" as on a PC or Mac is nothing compared to that. Dragging a picture around on a screen with a mouse is no "wow" effect. Turning around on an office chair and looking at the image like through a window IS.

Don't know whether it would work on an Android tablet as well, don't have one.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/26/2012 01:30 pm
Augmented reality on Mars?!?
Cool! :-)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Robotbeat on 08/26/2012 08:59 pm
You don't need an iPad.  It's interactive on my Windows 7 PC just fine.

Yes, but if you haven't seen it on an iPad with the gyro feature enabled (default) and everything you don't even know what I mean. Believe me.
"Interactive" as on a PC or Mac is nothing compared to that. Dragging a picture around on a screen with a mouse is no "wow" effect. Turning around on an office chair and looking at the image like through a window IS.

Don't know whether it would work on an Android tablet as well, don't have one.
Works on iPhone. :)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bogeyman on 08/27/2012 01:58 pm
WHOW!!! Now THAT's awsome! I hope JPL provides us with frequent panoramas like this every now and then. With your iphone moving in front of you it seems as if you really are on mars...
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/27/2012 09:13 pm
News conference startd.
AMAZING full color mastcam images of far targets (up to 16 km)
A picture shows how big (small) the rover would look upon reaching a far target.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/27/2012 09:15 pm
Speaker appears excited at looking from grounwhat he only viewed from orbit till now.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/27/2012 09:15 pm
Lots of layer visible.
Comparison with terrestrial Gran Canyon's layers.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/27/2012 09:18 pm
Explanation of science instruments onboard:
QMS, GC, ...
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/27/2012 09:19 pm
TLS, SSIT,...
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/27/2012 09:19 pm
Paul Mahaffy, principal investigator of the SAM instrument, is describing them.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/27/2012 09:19 pm
http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl
Question time starting within 5 minutes.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/27/2012 09:23 pm
Overview on MSL communications by  Chad Edwards, chief telecommunications engineer for NASA's Mars Exploration Program
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/27/2012 09:26 pm
7 GB MRO and 3 GB odyssey: data amount relayed till now.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/27/2012 09:26 pm
Question time
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Stardust9906 on 08/27/2012 09:28 pm
Images from the presser
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/27/2012 09:30 pm
Returned data:
(http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/images/PIA16107_Edwards3-br.jpg)

Rover as it would appear from this site:
(http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/images/PIA16105_malin04ano-br.jpg)

Targets distances:
(http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/images/PIA16104malin06anno-br.jpg)

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Lee Jay on 08/27/2012 09:35 pm
7 GB MRO and 3 GB odyssey: data amount relayed till now.

Maybe I missed it, but I thought those were Gb (gigabits), not GB (gigabytes).
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Stardust9906 on 08/27/2012 09:35 pm
Latest picture of the rover positioned over the scour.

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 08/27/2012 09:35 pm
Here's the news on that song they are going to plan from Mars:

MEDIA ADVISORY: M12-160

NASA JOINS MUSICIAN WILL.I.AM, DISCOVERY EDUCATION FOR PREMIERE OF SONG FROM MARS

WASHINGTON -- NASA will hold an educational event to share findings
about Mars with students and premiere a new song by musician
will.i.am that will be broadcast from the surface of the Red Planet
via the Curiosity rover. The event will take place at 1 p.m. PDT (4
p.m. EDT) Tuesday, Aug. 28, at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
in Pasadena, Calif.

Members of the team that successfully landed the rover on Mars earlier
this month will explain to students the mission and the technology
behind the song's interplanetary transmission. will.i.am will then
premiere "Reach for the Stars," a new composition about the singer's
passion for science, technology and space exploration.

will.i.am's i.am.angel Foundation, in partnership with Discovery
Education of Silver Spring, Md., a provider of digital resources to
kindergarten through grade 12 classrooms, will announce a new
science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics initiative
featuring NASA assets such as the Mars Curiosity Rover.

The event will be streamed on the agency's website and broadcast on
NASA TV at:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

Media attending the event will be able to ask questions. Media
interested in attending must contact the JPL Media Relations office
by 9 a.m. PDT, Tuesday at 818-354-5011. Reporters who have responded
must arrive by 11:30 a.m. for admittance to the event. JPL is located
at 4800 Oak Grove Drive.

NASA's Curiosity rover continues to reach new milestones as it begins
its exploration mission to help scientists discover if Mars has ever
been hospitable to life.

For more information about Curiosity and Mars exploration, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/mars

For more information about NASA's education programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/education


-end-

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Stardust9906 on 08/27/2012 09:40 pm
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/27/2012 09:51 pm
7 GB MRO and 3 GB odyssey: data amount relayed till now.

Maybe I missed it, but I thought those were Gb (gigabits), not GB (gigabytes).
you could be right, hence it would be 700MB and 300 MB.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: aero on 08/27/2012 11:57 pm
7 GB MRO and 3 GB odyssey: data amount relayed till now.

Maybe I missed it, but I thought those were Gb (gigabits), not GB (gigabytes).
you could be right, hence it would be 700MB and 300 MB.


Haven't we seen more photographic data than that?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: seanpg71 on 08/28/2012 12:19 am
...
you could be right, hence it would be 700MB and 300 MB.


Generally a byte would be 8 bits.  And usually Gb = 1,000,000,000 bits whereas 1GB is generally 1,073,741,824 bytes.

Bits are usually used in sequential transmission rates.  Whereas bytes are usually used for file sizes.

So, while I don't know anything about this situation specifically - I'd assume it's probably GB.  And if not, that it would be 834MB and 358MB, not 700 and 300.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Lee Jay on 08/28/2012 12:30 am
This (posted above) has a lower-case b in it, which means bits.  Upper-case means Bytes.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/images/PIA16107_Edwards3-br.jpg

So, it's a little over 7Gb TOTAL (around 850 megabytes).

Image data is losslessly compressed, relatively low-res (1600x1200 per image) and monchrome, so it's not all that big compared to the images we're used to with modern digital cameras.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Robotbeat on 08/28/2012 12:36 am
...
you could be right, hence it would be 700MB and 300 MB.


Generally a byte would be 8 bits.  And usually Gb = 1,000,000,000 bits whereas 1GB is generally 1,073,741,824 bytes.

Bits are usually used in sequential transmission rates.  Whereas bytes are usually used for file sizes.

So, while I don't know anything about this situation specifically - I'd assume it's probably GB.  And if not, that it would be 834MB and 358MB, not 700 and 300.

You mean Gibibytes (GiB), not Gigabytes. ;) (Giga is an SI prefix that literally means 10^9, not 10.24^9 like some people use it as...)

(Of course, I'm not being serious... While my point is literally correct, I myself don't usually use the term Gibibytes...)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: aero on 08/28/2012 12:51 am
On the graph posted above, it looks to me like the ordinate is labled Mb, but the graph is hard to read ...
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: david1971 on 08/28/2012 08:08 am
http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/28/us/mars-curiosity-voice/index.html?hpt=hp_c2

"Curiosity already is sending back more data from the surface of Mars than the combined results of all of NASA's previous rovers, the space agency said Monday."

Is this really true?  Has MSL really sent back more data in a few weeks than Spirit and Opportunity did in a combined decade-and-a-half?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Stardust9906 on 08/28/2012 09:26 am
http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/28/us/mars-curiosity-voice/index.html?hpt=hp_c2

"Curiosity already is sending back more data from the surface of Mars than the combined results of all of NASA's previous rovers, the space agency said Monday."

Is this really true?  Has MSL really sent back more data in a few weeks than Spirit and Opportunity did in a combined decade-and-a-half?

No it's up to the same point in their respective missions not the full lifetime of the MER rovers.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/28/2012 11:28 am
Are chat sessions from ustream downloadable once they finish? I missed a lot of NASA answers in yesterday chat mess...
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Stardust9906 on 08/28/2012 01:49 pm
Are chat sessions from ustream downloadable once they finish? I missed a lot of NASA answers in yesterday chat mess...

If you mean the press briefing John44 has posted it at

 http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7803:nasa-science-curiosity-mission-news-conference-august-27&catid=1:latest
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/28/2012 02:24 pm
No, there's a text chat window during ustream conference, i 'd like to have a transcript.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Stan Black on 08/28/2012 06:47 pm
 Did any one catch P.M. with Eddie Mair on Radio 4 in the U.K.? David Oh talked about being on Martian time.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b01m5jvl
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: collectSPACE on 08/29/2012 12:39 am
Signals from Mars: NASA's Curiosity rover radios will.i.am song in music first
http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-082812a.html

In a first for music and space history, a song has been broadcast back to Earth from the surface of another planet. On Tuesday, students gathered at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to hear "Reach for the Stars" by musician will.i.am after it was transmitted by the Curiosity rover on Mars.

A well-known advocate of science education, will.i.am told collectSPACE he hoped the song would encourage and remind them just how important their involvement in the sciences is to the future.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgQ4aXzhvHw
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: tigerade on 08/29/2012 01:07 am
While I appreciate will.i.am's space advocacy, his music is awful, this song included.  Never been a black eyed peas fan.  I wish NASA would have picked a better song, and I'm glad there are no Martians to listen to the broadcast, or they'd be very mad at us.   ;)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/29/2012 02:31 am
While I appreciate will.i.am's space advocacy, his music is awful, this song included.  Never been a black eyed peas fan.  I wish NASA would have picked a better song, and I'm glad there are no Martians to listen to the broadcast, or they'd be very mad at us.   ;)

I thought it was allright. Considering the target audience, they probably 'Will' like it  ;)

It's exposure in a good way, something NASA needs to continue doing. I applaud their efforts.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/29/2012 11:19 am
Awesome. Though I'm waiting for a color panorama that actually includes the rover in it. Just saying :)

Have a look further up the thread for the one I linked. If you've got an iPad it's even stunningly interactive.

EDIT:
Here it is again:
http://www.360cities.net/image/curiosity-rover-martian-solar-day-2
How do you see these panoramas in ipad? Just loading the web page or is there a specific app? Does it exist an android app which uses accelerometer for immersve effect?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: pippin on 08/29/2012 11:31 am
Just load the web page, no App required so I would have hopes that Android works as well, but I didn't try.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Crispy on 08/29/2012 12:44 pm
I think you need an ipad 2 or 3. Doesn't work on my 1.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Duck on 08/29/2012 04:27 pm
When I asked about video coming back from the descent, I got raked over the coals about bandwidth and blah blah blah. How do they have bandwidth then to go friviously sending song files back and forth?  What's the point of that?

-Iain
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ugordan on 08/29/2012 04:44 pm
When I asked about video coming back from the descent, I got raked over the coals about bandwidth and blah blah blah.

"Blah blah blah" constituting 140 megabytes of MARDI data returned so far and it's still not complete. How much do you think a single music file took?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Duck on 08/29/2012 07:05 pm
5-10 MByte, which would account for 1/6 to 1/3 of a day's bandwidth...

-Iain
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Hungry4info3 on 08/29/2012 07:07 pm
I thought the MARDI video was complete. Are they still downloading post-landing MARDI images?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Moe Grills on 08/29/2012 07:34 pm
Images from the presser

 :o

WOW!!! Those images are excellent!!!

It's almost as if those images were taken in Utah or Arizona.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jacqmans on 08/29/2012 09:13 pm
RELEASE: 12-301

NASA CURIOSITY ROVER BEGINS EASTBOUND TREK ON MARTIAN SURFACE

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has set off from its
landing vicinity on a trek to a science destination about a
quarter-mile (400 meters) away, where it may begin using its drill.

The rover drove eastward about 52 feet (16 meters) on Tuesday, its
22nd Martian day after landing. This third drive was longer than
Curiosity's first two drives combined. The previous drives tested the
mobility system and positioned the rover to examine an area scoured
by exhaust from one of the Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft engines
that placed the rover on the ground.

"This drive really begins our journey toward the first major driving
destination, Glenelg, and it's nice to see some Martian soil on our
wheels," said mission manager Arthur Amador of NASA's Jet Propulsion
Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, Calif. "The drive went beautifully,
just as our rover planners designed it."

Glenelg is a location where three types of terrain intersect.
Curiosity's science team chose it as a likely place to find a first
rock target for drilling and analysis.

"We are on our way, though Glenelg is still many weeks away," said
Curiosity Project Scientist John Grotzinger of the California
Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena. "We plan to stop for
just a day at the location we just reached, but in the next week or
so we will make a longer stop."

During the longer stop at a site still to be determined, Curiosity
will test its robotic arm and the contact instruments at the end of
the arm. At the location reached Tuesday, Curiosity's Mast Camera
(Mastcam) will collect a set of images toward the mission's ultimate
driving destination, the lower slope of nearby Mount Sharp. A mosaic
of images from the current location will be used along with the
Mastcam images of the mountain taken at the spot where Curiosity
touched down, Bradbury Landing. This stereo pair taken about 33 feet
(10 meters) apart will provide three-dimensional information about
distant features and possible driving routes.

Curiosity is three weeks into a two-year prime mission on Mars. It
will use 10 science instruments to assess whether the selected study
area ever has offered environmental conditions favorable for
microbial life. JPL, a division of Caltech, manages the mission for
NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington.

More information about Curiosity is online at:

http://www.nasa.gov/msl

and

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl

You can follow the mission on Facebook and on Twitter at:

http://www.facebook.com/marscuriosity

and

http://www.twitter.com/marscuriosity
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: iamlucky13 on 08/30/2012 01:08 am
Signals from Mars: NASA's Curiosity rover radios will.i.am song in music first
http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-082812a.html

Choosing to not only include, but autotune the mating call of the white rhinoceros at about 1:30 is bold and unprecedented composition choice.

That's pretty much the nicest thing I can say about the song.


When I asked about video coming back from the descent, I got raked over the coals about bandwidth and blah blah blah. How do they have bandwidth then to go friviously sending song files back and forth?  What's the point of that?

-Iain

I bet they sent it highly compressed...maybe as small as 25 kbps, which would come in at just under 1 MB.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: block51 on 08/30/2012 11:46 am

When I asked about video coming back from the descent, I got raked over the coals about bandwidth and blah blah blah. How do they have bandwidth then to go friviously sending song files back and forth?  What's the point of that?
-Iain

I bet they sent it highly compressed...maybe as small as 25 kbps, which would come in at just under 1 MB.

Also, education and educational outreach activities are a fairly important (not arguing for or against personally...) part of what NASA sees as its job. Devoting a significant portion of data downlink capability for one day is probably well worth the cost in many NASA higher up's eyes.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/30/2012 07:13 pm
I think it was a "camouflaged" test for audio back-transmission , for future manned missions to Mars.
Sending data is one thing, sending images in another thing, sending audio recording is another thing, sending back audio in realtime will be another thing.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/30/2012 07:44 pm
Libe webcast on the air (not by NASA):
http://www.exploratorium.edu/mars/
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: LegendCJS on 08/30/2012 08:05 pm
I think it was a "camouflaged" test for audio back-transmission , for future manned missions to Mars.
Sending data is one thing, sending images in another thing, sending audio recording is another thing, sending back audio in realtime will be another thing.


Sending digital data is the only thing. Real-time is meaningless at these distances. If you mean no hardware delay at origin or in relay satellite, this is already proven, as is digital data transmission with no hardware delays.

Also why do you think NASA needs to be covert in testing out technologies for future maned missions?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 08/30/2012 08:24 pm
Then they were just playing with a 2,5 billions dollars MP3 player.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Garrett on 08/30/2012 08:38 pm
I think it was a "camouflaged" test for audio back-transmission , for future manned missions to Mars.
Sending data is one thing, sending images in another thing, sending audio recording is another thing, sending back audio in realtime will be another thing.

Real-time is meaningless at these distances.
Real-time is not meaningless. Sure, the signal takes 14 or so minutes to get from Mars to Earth, but that doesn't mean it's not real time. Otherwise the notion of real-time wouldn't make sense under any scenario as there is always a signal transmission time. There's no such thing as zero transmission time (with the possible exception of quantum entanglement experiments).

Quote
Also why do you think NASA needs to be covert in testing out technologies for future maned missions?
The quotation marks he put around the word "camouflaged" suggests that he doesn't think NASA wanted to be covert. I think he was suggesting that they made use of an actual engineering test to perform some PR.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bubbinski on 08/31/2012 05:08 am
Today Curiosity drove 70 feet (21 m) as per this link:

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1330

Those color Mastcam 100 pics of the Mt. Sharp foothills stunned me when I saw them.  They remind me of the scenery on my favorite road - US 89 between Flagstaff and Panguitch, UT.  I look forward to what the rover will find in those rocks.  And I look forward to the vista the rover will see when she's on that mountain next year.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Norm38 on 09/04/2012 03:13 pm
I know it hasn't driven much yet, but has a traverse map been started?
I didn't find one on the JPL rover home page.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Kaputnik on 09/04/2012 07:29 pm
Not an official source, but worth a look:

http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?showtopic=7442
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: savuporo on 09/06/2012 12:14 am
I think it was a "camouflaged" test for audio back-transmission , for future manned missions to Mars.
Voice codecs are very different from audio codecs, that would be a pretty useless test.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 09/06/2012 12:39 am
PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA will host a media teleconference at 10 a.m. PDT (1 p.m. EDT) on Thursday, Sept. 6, to provide a status update on the Curiosity rover's mission to Mars' Gale Crater.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1335
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: cneth on 09/06/2012 01:37 am
I think it was a "camouflaged" test for audio back-transmission , for future manned missions to Mars.
Voice codecs are very different from audio codecs, that would be a pretty useless test.
More to the point, audio is all digital these days.  There is no need to test that we can send data back from Mars.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/06/2012 05:00 pm
Going live on NASA USTREAM right now:
http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/06/2012 05:01 pm
Question time should start 17:30 UT, I'll try to ask explanation about "music test". :-)

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/06/2012 05:01 pm
BTW, currently onair music is very irritating!!!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/06/2012 05:03 pm
Which address did she say???
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/06/2012 05:05 pm
Getting far from touchdown point.
"Playing" with chemcam.
Checking arm functionalities.
Completing rover checkout and calibration.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/06/2012 05:06 pm
"Amazing pictures" in an AUDIOconference??? >:-(
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/06/2012 05:07 pm
Ah ok, no people visibile, just MRO picture of landing site, with rover away from touchdown locatoin.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/06/2012 05:07 pm
New color picture of parachute.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/06/2012 05:08 pm
Quite an hard hit for a "parachuted" landing!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/06/2012 05:09 pm
Note: subscribe to ustream community on http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl to ask NASA live your questions by chat!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/06/2012 05:11 pm
Describing robotic arm, which has 5 motors / degrees of freedom.
Its instruments:
Drill, Spectrometer (APXS), CHIMRA (sample collector), MAHLI (camera), DRT (dust removal tool)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/06/2012 05:13 pm
ground samples will be placed on a "playground" before getting inside the rover to be analyzed.

Showing slide with two arm positions, "Ready out", and "Drop sample".

Showing also animation of that, with MAHLI field of view highlighted.

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/06/2012 05:14 pm
Animatoin shows rover moving in a 3d environment textured with real surface pictures taken by MSL.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/06/2012 05:16 pm
Successfully checkout of all scientific instruments.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/06/2012 05:17 pm
Carachterizatoin Activity Phase - CAP is gonig to be soon completed.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/06/2012 05:17 pm
Shown calibration target picture shot on earth.
Ther'salso a coin on it! [Is it also on Mars?!?]
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/06/2012 05:18 pm
Going to use this target to perform calibration on Mars.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Stardust9906 on 09/06/2012 05:18 pm
Images from the briefing can be seen at

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/telecon/index.html
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/06/2012 05:19 pm
Remaining checkoout:
chemcam
day/night laser shot
navcam pointing

Showing route map.
We are nowon sol 29, going South-east. [I suppsed we were going north-east, toward Sharp!]
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/06/2012 05:21 pm
Showing color image of robotic arm with mars in background. Viewing the lens-cap still in position.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/06/2012 05:21 pm
MAHLI images till now were shot through glass lens cap.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/06/2012 05:22 pm
Aileen Yingst, a scientist on the MAHLI, excited for being able to see by her eyes "her" instrument! :-)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/06/2012 05:23 pm
Expecting much better MAHLI images once cap is removed.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/06/2012 05:23 pm
Question time, chat opening!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/06/2012 05:33 pm
HELP ME! Nasa does not know anything about the "music test"! Have you got links?

They also  don't know about the small rock damagin a wheel with a hole, any link for this?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/06/2012 06:18 pm
Full NASA chat transcript available on my blog:
http://jumpjack.wordpress.com/2012/09/06/mslmars-science-laboratorycuriosity-press-teleconference-full-chat-transcript-2012-09-06z1700/
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 09/06/2012 07:41 pm
Meeting Recorded on USTREAM now available here:

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/25224209
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/06/2012 09:50 pm
I eventually found the picture I was asking info about iin the chat:
http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/q593/meraero/MSLLanding/Screenshot2012-09-05at121651PM.png

But, according to UMSF forum where I found it, that happened to the "spare" rover here on Earth:
http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?showtopic=7426&view=findpost&p=190641
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jabe on 09/07/2012 08:10 pm
They also  don't know about the small rock damagin a wheel with a hole, any link for this?

i think this tweet (https://twitter.com/elakdawalla/status/243769044350693376) answers that .
jb
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 09/08/2012 01:33 am
News release: 2012-280                                                                    Sept. 7, 2012

NASA Mars Exploration Rover Team to be Honored


Really belongs here:
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=4075.0

I will re-post it there
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 09/09/2012 12:38 am
Arm Work to Include Vibration Testing

09.07.2012

Curiosity skipped arm testing on Sol 31 (Sept. 6) after controllers held back on new commanding due to a caution about a temperature reading on the arm. The issue was resolved later in the day, so the planned activities have shifted to Sol 32 (Sept. 7). These include a checkout of the tool turret at the end of the arm and a test using vibration of the sample processing device on the arm.
The downlink during Sol 31 returned a Navigation Camera image of the turret taken during testing on Sol 30. It can be seen among the raw images from the rover at: http://1.usa.gov/NPGnIp .

Curiosity continues to work in good health. Sol 31, in Mars local mean solar time at Gale Crater, ended at 3:56 a.m. Sept. 7, PDT.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1337
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: racshot65 on 09/10/2012 02:55 pm
Calibration Target for Curiosity's Arm Camera

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/spaceimages/details.php?id=PIA16132
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: racshot65 on 09/10/2012 02:55 pm
Belly Check for Curiosity

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/spaceimages/details.php?id=PIA16133
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: JohnFornaro on 09/10/2012 03:16 pm
While I appreciate will.i.am's space advocacy, his music is awful, this song included.  Never been a black eyed peas fan.  I wish NASA would have picked a better song, and I'm glad there are no Martians to listen to the broadcast, or they'd be very mad at us.   ;)

Not picking on you and you alone, TigerAde.

That was a fine song, and a fine message.  Which doesn't mean that every song that the Peas do is great.  It was a fine use of bandwidth also.  Just sayin'.

There's no science whatsoever behind liking or disliking music.  Where is the love?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 09/12/2012 02:10 am
JPL to Stream Mars Curiosity Telecon and Lecture

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA will host a media teleconference at 11 a.m. PDT (2 p.m. EDT) tomorrow (Wednesday, Sept. 12), to provide a status update on the Curiosity rover's mission to Mars' Gale Crater.

The Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft is more than one month into a two-year mission to investigate whether conditions have been favorable for microbial life and preserving clues in the rocks about possible past life.

Audio and visuals from the telecon will be streamed live to one of JPL's Ustream.tv channels, at http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl .

Visuals only will be available at the start of the telecon at: http://go.nasa.gov/curiositytelecon .
Also this week, Mars Science Laboratory Project Manager Richard Cook will speak Thursday, Sept. 13 in JPL's von Karman Auditorium. The lecture, which begins at 7 p.m. PDT (10 p.m. EDT), is open to the public and will be broadcast live with moderated chat, on JPL's Ustream channel.

For additional options to view live streaming video of Thursday's talk please visit: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/lectures_archive.cfm?year=2012&month=9#NASA . For more information about NASA's Curiosity mission, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl .
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 09/13/2012 01:19 am
09.12.2012
Mars Rover Curiosity Finishing Arm Tests

The team operating NASA's Mars rover Curiosity is planning to resume driving the rover this week after it finishes a week of tests of the rover's arm. As Curiosity drives, it will use its cameras to find a rock to touch and examine with tools on the arm.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1345
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 09/13/2012 07:52 pm
09.13.2012
Sample-Handling Gear Gets a Buzz

Sol 37 (Sept. 12, 2012) was Curiosity's last day of characterization activities for its robotic arm. The sol's activities included a vibration test for the device on the arm that processes samples of soil, or powdered rock, collected by the scoop or drill. This device, the Collection and Handling for In-situ Martian Rock Analysis, or CHIMRA, has chambers and labyrinths for sorting, sieving and portioning the samples before the arm delivers them to analytical instruments.
The Sol 37 characterization activities also included imaging of the rover's observation tray by the Mars Hand Lens Imager (raw image at http://1.usa.gov/SeDdsY).

In addition, Curiosity's science instruments performed observations and measurements, including Mast Camera observations of the Martian moon Phobos passing in front of the sun.

Curiosity continues to work in good health. Sol 37, in Mars local mean solar time at Gale Crater, ended at 7:54 a.m. Sept. 13, PDT.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1346
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Ford Mustang on 09/14/2012 01:11 am
Not sure where this should go... Someone posted this to Reddit..but, they took a month to make Curiosity's landing video from 4fps to an interpolated, smooth motion, 30fps landing video on YouTube, and in 1080p to boot!  Well worth the watch.  I don't believe this person is associated with NASA/JPL, either.

PLEASE NOTE: Video comments are NOT SAFE FOR WORK/CHILDREN.  Please read at user discretion.  To avoid that issue, please watch the embedded video below.  Thanks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Esj5juUzhpU
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 09/14/2012 01:38 am
Not sure where this should go... Someone posted this to Reddit..but, they took a month to make Curiosity's landing video from 4fps to an interpolated, smooth motion, 30fps landing video on YouTube, and in 1080p to boot!  Well worth the watch.  I don't believe this person is associated with NASA/JPL, either.

Wow, the success of that landing never ceases to amaze. Did a great job on that video.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 09/14/2012 02:08 am
Not sure where this should go... Someone posted this to Reddit..but, they took a month to make Curiosity's landing video from 4fps to an interpolated, smooth motion, 30fps landing video on YouTube, and in 1080p to boot!  Well worth the watch.  I don't believe this person is associated with NASA/JPL, either.

Wow, the success of that landing never ceases to amaze. Did a great job on that video.

The file maker, Bard Canning, also published a comparison of the original Mardi stills and his HD version.  along with a, you guess it,  a "Making Of" Video.

Comparison - Mars Curiosity Descent - Ultra HD 30fps Smooth-Motion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjeHZ9poew4

Making of the motion-flow interpolated Mars Curiosity descent video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpjkaxeMGak

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/15/2012 11:43 am
Backgorund sound is fake and wrongly sync'd.
Video is really cool.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 09/15/2012 10:54 pm
09.14.2012

32 Meters of Open Martian Road

Sol 38 (Sept. 13, 2012) was destined to be a driving day for NASA's latest edition to the Martian landscape. Curiosity perambulated over 105 feet (32 meters) of unpaved Gale Crater during yesterday's drive. The rover's odometer now clocks in at 466 feet (142 meters) covered since the landing on Aug. 5.

The sol's activities also included pre- and post-drive imaging of the road ahead by both Mastcam and Hazcam, and science measurements from the DAN and REMS instruments.

The Sol 38 Navcam image of the surface in front of the rover can be found at: (raw image at: http://1.usa.gov/QLCB15 ).

In addition, Curiosity's science instruments performed observations and measurements, including Mastcam observations of the Martian moon Phobos passing in front of the sun.

Curiosity continues to work in good health. Sol 38, in Mars local mean solar time at Gale Crater, ended at 8:34 a.m. on Sept. 14, PDT.


http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1348
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 09/18/2012 12:12 am
09.17.2012

More Meters in Curiosity's Rearview Mirror

Sol 39 through 41 (Sept. 14 - 17) were driving days for the Curiosity rover. On Sol 39, Curiosity logged 72 feet (22 meters) driven. On Sol 40, the rover drove another 121 feet (37 meters). On Sol 41, Curiosity logged 89 feet (27 meters), across the surface of Gale Crater. During this sol, for the first time, the DAN instrument (the Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons investigation) was incorporated into the rover's drive sequence. In its active mode, DAN can detect minerals associated with water below the surface. Along Curiosity's path, DAN shoots neutrons into the ground and measures how they scatter. The instrument has a high sensitivity for finding any hydrogen to a depth of about 20 inches (50 centimeters) directly beneath the rover. After driving 33 feet (10 meters), the rover stops and the DAN instrument operates for two minutes. Then another 10 meters, then another DAN measurement.
Total distance racked up by Curiosity since landing on Mars on Aug. 5 is 745 feet (227 meters).

An image of the surface of Gale Crater, taken on Sol 41 by the rover's left navigation camera, is available at: http://1.usa.gov/OAG8Rv .

Curiosity continues to be in good health. Sol 41, in Mars local mean solar time at Gale Crater, ended at 10:33 a.m. Sept. 17, PDT.


http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1349
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 09/18/2012 03:10 pm
Posting this as I love the comment section, where one fool is dealt with by everyone else:

http://news.sky.com/story/986499/mars-solar-eclipse-photographed-by-curiosity
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 09/18/2012 07:21 pm
MEDIA ADVISORY: M12-185

NASA HOSTS SEPT. 19 TELECONFERENCE ABOUT MARS CURIOSITY ROVER PROGRESS

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA will host a media teleconference at 11 a.m.
PDT (2 p.m. EDT) on Wednesday, Sept. 19, to provide a status update
on the Curiosity rover's mission to Mars' Gale Crater.

Curiosity, the Mars Science Laboratory, is 43 days into a two-year
mission to investigate whether conditions may have been favorable for
microbial life.

For teleconference dial-in information, reporters must send their
name, media affiliation and telephone number to Elena Mejia at
[email protected] or call NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Media Relations Office at 818-354-5011.

Audio and visuals of the event will be streamed live online at:

http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio

and

http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl

Visuals will be available at the start of the event at:

http://go.nasa.gov/curiositytelecon

For information about NASA's Curiosity mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/mars

and

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 09/18/2012 09:34 pm
Posting this as I love the comment section, where one fool is dealt with by everyone else:

http://news.sky.com/story/986499/mars-solar-eclipse-photographed-by-curiosity

Sadly you seem to get at least one person like this on every space story these days. >:(
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 09/19/2012 12:01 am
09.18.2012

Driving and Moon-Watching

On Sol 42 (Sept. 17, 2012), Curiosity drove about 105 feet (32 meters), toward the east-southeast, bringing the mission's total driving distance to about 850 feet (259 meters). The Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN) instrument was used at two stops during the drive to check for hydrogen in the soil beneath the rover.
During this sol, the rover used its Mast Camera to observe Mars' two moons, Phobos and Deimos, as each passed in front of the sun.

Curiosity continues to work in good health. Sol 42, in Mars local mean solar time at Gale Crater, ends at 11:12 a.m. Sept. 18, PDT.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1350
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/19/2012 05:53 pm
Going live!
http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/19/2012 05:57 pm
Where did chatbox go?!?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/19/2012 05:59 pm
Is anybody able to view/use the USTREAM NASAJPL chatbox today?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/19/2012 06:04 pm
Eclipse animation available:
(http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/689557main_pia16151-516.gif)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/19/2012 06:05 pm
next laser target:
(http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/689466main_pia16155-43_516-387.jpg)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/19/2012 06:07 pm
I think the rock is named after just-passed NASA guy:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_P._Grotzinger
Professor of Geology at California Institute of Technology under the Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/19/2012 06:08 pm
Interesting target:
(http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/689413main_Grozinger-3-pia16150-REPLACED-43_516-387.jpg)
This area appears to keep a lot of hot both during day and night, and it must be investigated.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/19/2012 06:10 pm
Describing Phobos and Deimos movement around Mars.
Describing eclipse.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/19/2012 06:11 pm
Phobos moves much faster than Deimos, and its eclipse lasted just a few seconds.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/19/2012 06:12 pm
Mastcam has "movie-capability" (some frames per second), compared to a single frame every several seconds from other rovers.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/19/2012 06:14 pm
Images of another eclipse, shot during sunrise coming next days.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/19/2012 06:17 pm
Question time.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Norm38 on 09/19/2012 06:20 pm
Mastcam has "movie-capability" (some frames per second), compared to a single frame every several seconds from other rovers.

In addition to trying to catch a dust devil, are they planning on filming a sunrise or sunset film?  That would be nice to see.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/19/2012 06:25 pm
I think the already filmed the "sunrise eclipse" (or anyway they'll do it in next days).
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: John44 on 09/19/2012 08:29 pm
NASA Teleconference About Mars Curiosity Rover Progress - September 19
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7850
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ChrisC on 09/20/2012 01:12 am
Thank you John44 for capturing this!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Stardust9906 on 09/20/2012 11:23 am
Unfortunately I missed the teleconference so thanks from me as well
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: belegor on 09/20/2012 06:32 pm
I think the rock is named after just-passed NASA guy:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_P._Grotzinger
Professor of Geology at California Institute of Technology under the Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences.

Umm, the rock is named after Jake Matijevic, who was the "surface operations systems chief engineer for the Mars Science Laboratory Project" according to NASA:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/multimedia/pia16155.html (http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/multimedia/pia16155.html)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/20/2012 08:44 pm
Forgot mentioning the link to the images!
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/telecon/index.html
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/20/2012 08:46 pm

Umm, the rock is named after Jake Matijevic, who was the "surface operations systems chief engineer for the Mars Science Laboratory Project" according to NASA:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/multimedia/pia16155.html (http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/multimedia/pia16155.html)
In the link I just posted, some pictures are named "Grotzinger"... but being my english so awful :-) maybe it's just the name of the guy who talked about the pictures... :-)
But I also heard about somebody "passed away just after landing", didn0t understand who...
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Norm38 on 09/21/2012 04:42 am
There was a diary about the rock on daily kos a couple days back, but it got the name wrong.
They're big fans of the mission though.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: dsmillman on 09/22/2012 02:45 pm
The latest pictures at:

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?s=46

show the arm on  rock 'Matijevic'.  I think that the APXS is on the rock.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 09/26/2012 06:24 pm
Advisory: 2012-302                                                                     Sept. 26, 2012

NASA to Televise Mars Curiosity Rover Science Update Sept. 27

The full version of this story with accompanying images is at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2012-302&cid=release_2012-302

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA will host a news conference at 11 a.m. PDT (2 p.m. EDT) Thursday, Sept. 27, to present science findings from the Curiosity rover's mission to Mars' Gale Crater. The news conference from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, Calif., will be carried live on NASA Television, the agency's website and on Ustream.

Curiosity, also known as the Mars Science Laboratory, is 50 days into a two-year mission to investigate whether conditions may have been favorable for microbial life.

For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming video, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv .

To watch on Ustream, go to: http://ustream.tv/nasajpl .

For information about NASA's Curiosity mission, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/mars and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl .

DC Agle / Guy Webster 818-354-5011
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
[email protected] / [email protected]

Dwayne Brown 202-358-1726
NASA Headquarters, Washington
[email protected]

- end -
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bubbinski on 09/27/2012 05:45 am
I wasn't expecting a science press conference this soon.  Did they find something super interesting with the "scours" made by the landing rockets, or did they find something on Jake Maticevic? 

Looking forward to the press conference at noon Mountain time.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/27/2012 06:01 pm
Going live right now.
http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl

Chat available again... but paused till question time! :-(
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/27/2012 06:03 pm
Interesting outcrop pictured.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/27/2012 06:03 pm
outcrop formed in presence of water!
By sure!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/27/2012 06:05 pm
Comparison to Utah outcrop.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/27/2012 06:05 pm
...taken by mastcam months ago.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/27/2012 06:10 pm
water-generated pebbles visibie under outcrop.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/27/2012 06:11 pm
Gal calls them "water transported material"
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/27/2012 06:13 pm
Video google-earth animation to explain water effects on land.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/27/2012 06:14 pm
Similar GE video, on MArs, showing a "canyon"/ancient river, just close to curiosty landing site.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/27/2012 06:15 pm
underwater video showing rocks transported by water flow.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/27/2012 06:15 pm
Image of a dry river bed on Earth looks similar to MSL current position surroundings/outcrop
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/27/2012 06:20 pm
Question time.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 09/27/2012 06:36 pm
Crazy stuff!

RELEASE: 12-338

NASA ROVER FINDS OLD STREAMBED ON MARTIAN SURFACE

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA's Curiosity rover mission has found evidence
a stream once ran vigorously across the area on Mars where the rover
is driving. There is earlier evidence for the presence of water on
Mars, but this evidence - images of rocks containing ancient
streambed gravels - is the first of its kind.

Scientists are studying the images of stones cemented into a layer of
conglomerate rock. The sizes and shapes of stones offer clues to the
speed and distance of a long-ago stream's flow.

"From the size of gravels it carried, we can interpret the water was
moving about 3 feet per second, with a depth somewhere between ankle
and hip deep," said Curiosity science co-investigator William
Dietrich of the University of California, Berkeley. "Plenty of papers
have been written about channels on Mars with many different
hypotheses about the flows in them. This is the first time we're
actually seeing water-transported gravel on Mars. This is a
transition from speculation about the size of streambed material to
direct observation of it."

The finding site lies between the north rim of Gale Crater and the
base of Mount Sharp, a mountain inside the crater. Earlier imaging of
the region from Mars orbit allows for additional interpretation of
the gravel-bearing conglomerate. The imagery shows an alluvial fan of
material washed down from the rim, streaked by many apparent
channels, sitting uphill of the new finds.

The rounded shape of some stones in the conglomerate indicates
long-distance transport from above the rim, where a channel named
Peace Vallis feeds into the alluvial fan. The abundance of channels
in the fan between the rim and conglomerate suggests flows continued
or repeated over a long time, not just once or for a few years.

The discovery comes from examining two outcrops, called "Hottah" and
"Link" with the telephoto capability of Curiosity's mast camera
during the first 40 days after landing. Those observations followed
up on earlier hints from another outcrop, which was exposed by
thruster exhaust as Curiosity, the Mars Science Laboratory Project's
rover, touched down.

"Hottah looks like someone jack-hammered up a slab of city sidewalk,
but it's really a tilted block of an ancient streambed," said Mars
Science Laboratory Project Scientist John Grotzinger of the
California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

The gravels in conglomerates at both outcrops range in size from a
grain of sand to a golf ball. Some are angular, but many are rounded.

"The shapes tell you they were transported and the sizes tell you they
couldn't be transported by wind. They were transported by water
flow," said Curiosity science co-investigator Rebecca Williams of the
Planetary Science Institute in Tucson, Ariz.

The science team may use Curiosity to learn the elemental composition
of the material, which holds the conglomerate together, revealing
more characteristics of the wet environment that formed these
deposits. The stones in the conglomerate provide a sampling from
above the crater rim, so the team may also examine several of them to
learn about broader regional geology.

The slope of Mount Sharp in Gale Crater remains the rover's main
destination. Clay and sulfate minerals detected there from orbit can
be good preservers of carbon-based organic chemicals that are
potential ingredients for life.

"A long-flowing stream can be a habitable environment," said
Grotzinger. "It is not our top choice as an environment for
preservation of organics, though. We're still going to Mount Sharp,
but this is insurance that we have already found our first
potentially habitable environment."

During the two-year prime mission of the Mars Science Laboratory,
researchers will use Curiosity's 10 instruments to investigate
whether areas in Gale Crater have ever offered environmental
conditions favorable for microbial life.

For more about Curiosity, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/msl

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 09/27/2012 06:37 pm
Here's a screenshot of the presser - which John 44 will be recording and Jack is summarizing.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 09/27/2012 06:53 pm
chatlog available: http://is.gd/chatlog1
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: John44 on 09/27/2012 07:41 pm
NASA Science Update on the Curiosity Rover's Mission to Mars' Gale Crater
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7866
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: MP99 on 09/28/2012 07:49 am
Archive also available on Ustream:-
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/25748116 (http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/25748116)

I thought the Journo's asked some excellent questions.

cheers, Martin
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 09/28/2012 09:25 am
Yay for 100,000 reads of a post landing thread! Not too shabby for a site that traditionally covers launch to S/C Sep (or through to landing and not much further in this case).
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 10/02/2012 10:44 pm
News release: 2012-307                                                                     Oct. 2, 2012

NASA Hosts Teleconference About Mars Curiosity Rover Progress

The full version of this story with accompanying images is at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2012-307&cid=release_2012-307

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA will host a media teleconference at 11 a.m. PDT (2 p.m. EDT) on Thursday, Oct. 4, to provide a status update on the Curiosity rover's mission to Mars' Gale Crater.

Curiosity, also known as the Mars Science Laboratory, is 56 days into a two-year mission to investigate whether conditions may have been favorable for microbial life.

Audio and visuals of the event will be streamed live online at: http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio and http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl .

Visuals will be available at the start of the event at: http://go.nasa.gov/curiositytelecon .

For information about NASA's Curiosity mission, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/mars and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl .

DC Agle / Guy Webster 818-354-5011
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
[email protected] / [email protected]

Dwayne Brown 202-358-1726
NASA Headquarters, Washington
[email protected]

- end -
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 10/03/2012 10:45 pm
News release: 2012-310                                                                     Oct. 3, 2012

NASA's Curiosity Rover Checks In on Mars Using Foursquare

The full version of this story with accompanying images is at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2012-310&cid=release_2012-310

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA's Curiosity Mars rover checked in on Mars Wednesday using the mobile application Foursquare. This marks the first check-in on another planet. Users on Foursquare can keep up with Curiosity as the rover checks in at key locations and posts photos and tips, all while exploring the Red Planet.

"NASA is using Foursquare as a tool to share the rover's new locations while exploring Mars," said David Weaver, associate administrator for communications at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "This will help to involve the public with the mission and give them a sense of the rover's travels through Gale Crater."

After landing in Gale Crater last month, Curiosity began a planned 23-month mission that includes some of Mars' most intriguing scientific destinations. Curiosity is roving toward Mount Sharp, a mountain about 3 miles (5 kilometers) tall. The rover is conducting experiments along the way, seeking clues in the rocks and soil that would indicate whether Mars ever was capable of supporting microbial life. It is taking and sharing pictures of the trip.

Back here on Earth, Foursquare users will be able to earn a Curiosity-themed badge on the social media platform for check-ins at locations that generate an interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Available late this year, this new badge will encourage Foursquare users to explore science centers, laboratories and museums that pique scientific curiosity.

NASA has been on Foursquare since 2010 through a strategic partnership with the platform. This partnership, launched with astronaut Doug Wheelock's first-ever check-in from the International Space Station, has allowed users to connect with NASA and enabled them to explore the universe and re-discover Earth.

The partnership launched the NASA Explorer badge for Foursquare users, encouraging them to explore NASA-related locations across the country. It also included the launch of a NASA Foursquare page, where the agency provides official tips and information about the nation's space program.

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the Mars Science Laboratory mission and its Curiosity rover for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The rover was designed, developed and assembled at JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

To find out more about Mars Curiosity and NASA on Foursquare, visit: http://www.foursquare.com/MarsCuriosity and http://www.foursquare.com/NASA

For information about NASA's partnership with Foursquare, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/connect/foursquare.html

For more information about NASA's Curiosity mission, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl .

Courtney O'Connor 818-354-2274
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
[email protected]

John Yembrick / Jason Townsend 202-358-1584 / 202-358-0359
NASA Headquarters, Washington
[email protected] / [email protected]

- end -
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 10/04/2012 05:56 pm
Going live.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 10/04/2012 06:14 pm
Video demonstration of scoop&analyse system. It will be soon used.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 10/04/2012 06:15 pm
Slides and videos:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/telecon/index.html
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 10/04/2012 06:23 pm
(http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/5729/marsboot.jpg)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 10/05/2012 12:14 am
JumpJack,

Neat!!   I thought the same when I first saw that Curiosity shot.  Thanks for getting the comparison photo of Neil's first step.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 10/05/2012 12:15 am
News release: 2012-312                                                                     Oct. 4, 2012

NASA Mars Curiosity Rover Prepares to Study Martian Soil

The full version of this story with accompanying images is at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2012-312&cid=release_2012-312

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA's Curiosity rover is in a position on Mars where scientists and engineers can begin preparing the rover to take its first scoop of soil for analysis.

Curiosity is the centerpiece of the two-year Mars Science Laboratory mission. The rover's ability to put soil samples into analytical instruments is central to assessing whether its present location on Mars, called Gale Crater, ever offered environmental conditions favorable for microbial life. Mineral analysis can reveal past environmental conditions. Chemical analysis can check for ingredients necessary for life.

"We now have reached an important phase that will get the first solid samples into the analytical instruments in about two weeks," said Mission Manager Michael Watkins of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. "Curiosity has been so well-behaved that we have made great progress during the first two months of the mission."

The rover's preparatory operations will involve testing its robotic scooping capabilities to collect and process soil samples. Later, it also will use a hammering drill to collect powdered samples from rocks. To begin preparations for a first scoop, the rover used one of its wheels Wednesday to scuff the soil to expose fresh material.

Next, the rover twice will scoop up some soil, shake it thoroughly inside the sample-processing chambers to scrub the internal surfaces, then discard the sample. Curiosity will scoop and shake a third measure of soil and place it in an observation tray for inspection by cameras mounted on the rover's mast. A portion of the third sample will be delivered to the mineral-identifying chemistry and mineralogy (CheMin) instrument inside the rover. From a fourth scoopful, samples will be delivered to both CheMin and to the sample analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument, which identifies chemical ingredients.

"We're going to take a close look at the particle size distribution in the soil here to be sure it's what we want," said Daniel Limonadi of JPL, lead systems engineer for Curiosity's surface sampling and science system. "We are being very careful with this first time using the scoop on Mars."

The rinse-and-discard cycles serve a quality-assurance purpose similar to a common practice in geochemical laboratory analysis on Earth.

"It is standard to run a split of your sample through first and dump it out, to clean out any residue from a previous sample," said JPL's Joel Hurowitz, a sampling system scientist on the Curiosity team. "We want to be sure the first sample we analyze is unambiguously Martian, so we take these steps to remove any residual material from Earth that might be on the walls of our sample handling system."

Rocknest is the name of the area of soil Curiosity will test and analyze. The rover pulled up to the windblown, sandy and dusty location Oct. 2. The Rocknest patch is about 8 feet by 16 feet (2.5 meters by 5 meters). The area provides plenty of area for scooping several times. Diverse rocks nearby provide targets for investigation with the instruments on Curiosity's mast during the weeks the rover is stationed at Rocknest for this first scooping campaign.

Curiosity's motorized, clamshell-shaped scoop is 1.8 inches (4.5 centimeters) wide, 2.8 inches (7 centimeters) long, and can sample to a depth of about 1.4 inches (3.5 centimeters). It is part of the collection and handling Martian rock analysis (CHIMRA) device on a turret of tools at the end of the rover's arm. CHIMRA also includes a series of chambers and labyrinths for sorting, sieving and portioning samples collected by the scoop or by the arm's percussive drill.

Following the work at Rocknest, the rover team plans to drive Curiosity about 100 yards (about 100 meters) eastward into the Glenelg area and select a rock as the first target for use of its drill.

JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology, manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project and built Curiosity.

For more about Curiosity, visit: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/msl , http://www.nasa.gov/msl or http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl .

You can follow the mission on Facebook and Twitter at: http://www.facebook.com/marscuriosity and http://www.twitter.com/marscuriosity .

Guy Webster / D.C. Agle 818-354-5011
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
[email protected] / [email protected]

Dwayne Brown 202-358-1726
NASA Headquarters, Washington
[email protected]

- end -
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 10/05/2012 01:08 am
Curiosity Report (Oct. 4, 2012): Rover Gets Set to Scoop

Published on Oct 4, 2012 by JPLnews

NASA scientists and engineers prepare Mars Curiosity rover for its first scoop of soil for analysis.The rover's ability to put soil samples into analytical instruments is central to assessing whether its present location on Mars, called Gale Crater, ever offered environmental conditions favorable for microbial life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5b6KSTst-o

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 10/08/2012 07:06 pm
now for the actual thing....

Curiosity's First Scoopful of Mars

Published on Oct 8, 2012 by JPLnews

This video clip shows the first Martian material collected by the scoop on the robotic arm of NASA's Mars Curiosity rover, being vibrated inside the scoop after it was lifted from the ground on Oct. 7, 2012.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V10goCmY2FQ
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Retired Downrange on 10/09/2012 01:05 am
View of Curiosity's First Scoop Also Shows Bright Object

This image from the right Mast Camera (Mastcam) of NASA's Mars rover Curiosity shows a scoop full of sand and dust lifted by the rover's first use of the scoop on its robotic arm. In the foreground, near the bottom of the image, a bright object is visible on the ground. The object might be a piece of rover hardware.

This image was taken during the mission's 61st Martian day, or sol (Oct. 7, 2012), the same sol as the first scooping. After examining Sol 61 imaging, the rover team decided to refrain from using the arm on Sol 62 (Oct. 8). Instead, the rover was instructed to acquire additional imaging of the bright object, on Sol 62, to aid the team in assessing possible impact, if any, to sampling activities.

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/spaceimages/details.php?id=PIA16225

(...somebody's lost earring?)


Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 10/09/2012 01:11 am
now for the actual thing....

Curiosity's First Scoopful of Mars

Published on Oct 8, 2012 by JPLnews

This video clip shows the first Martian material collected by the scoop on the robotic arm of NASA's Mars Curiosity rover, being vibrated inside the scoop after it was lifted from the ground on Oct. 7, 2012.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V10goCmY2FQ

That was cool!

Almost looked to me like a bubbling cup of hot chocolate!  :)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bogeyman on 10/09/2012 09:20 am
Maybe a Mars-Shrimp...
(http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/proj/msl/redops/ods/surface/sol/00062/opgs/edr/ccam/CR0_403005421EDR_F0050104CCAM01062M_.JPG)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 10/09/2012 11:05 am
Maybe a Mars-Shrimp...
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/proj/msl/redops/ods/surface/sol/00062/opgs/edr/ccam/CR0_403005421EDR_F0050104CCAM01062M_.JPG

that is too curious!!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: apace on 10/09/2012 11:18 am
Maybe a Mars-Shrimp...
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/proj/msl/redops/ods/surface/sol/00062/opgs/edr/ccam/CR0_403005421EDR_F0050104CCAM01062M_.JPG

that is too curious!!

Will be more a part of Curiosity itself ;-)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 10/09/2012 11:28 am
Maybe a Mars-Shrimp...
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/proj/msl/redops/ods/surface/sol/00062/opgs/edr/ccam/CR0_403005421EDR_F0050104CCAM01062M_.JPG

that is too curious!!

Will be more a part of Curiosity itself ;-)

Was that a question? lol

No chance it is. Might be just another curious artifact, like many macro images so far from orbit.

edit: Looks like I'm eating crow. Apologies.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: apace on 10/09/2012 11:37 am
Maybe a Mars-Shrimp...
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/proj/msl/redops/ods/surface/sol/00062/opgs/edr/ccam/CR0_403005421EDR_F0050104CCAM01062M_.JPG

that is too curious!!

Will be more a part of Curiosity itself ;-)

Was that a question? lol

No chance it is. Might be just another curious artifact, like many macro images so far from orbit.

Why not a part of Curiosity? Before this picture, the sample was shaked, perhhaps something was falling away from the rover.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bogeyman on 10/09/2012 12:33 pm
Of course it was not a question!  ;D

Seriously: Maybe some part of the arm flaked off? Cable insulation?
Looks like a plastic foil or something
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bogeyman on 10/09/2012 12:35 pm
Curiosity should fire the Chemcam at it and "sniff" what that thing is.
If it smells like plastic: Rover part.
If it smells like fish: Mars shrimp (as I said) ;)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chandonn on 10/09/2012 12:50 pm
Curiosity should fire the Chemcam at it ...


... and start an interplanetary war with the Martian Shrimp-people?????    :o
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 10/09/2012 05:58 pm
THIS could be a part of curiosity!
(http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/181mruo23mezwjpg/original.jpg)
http://gizmodo.com/5950185/what-is-this-shiny-metallic-thing-found-on-mars
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Robotbeat on 10/09/2012 08:09 pm
This thread on UMSF is helpful:
http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?showtopic=7495&st=120&start=120
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: JohnFornaro on 10/09/2012 08:39 pm
Link from that UMSF site:

http://mepag.jpl.nasa.gov/meeting/oct-12/presentations/07_MEPAG-MSL-Oct2012F.pdf
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 10/09/2012 11:49 pm
Of course it was not a question!  ;D

Seriously: Maybe some part of the arm flaked off? Cable insulation?
Looks like a plastic foil or something

Yeah...I corrected my earlier post. As much as I love monochromatic (B&W) images, this is a case where colour has many advantages.

Apologies for my 'jumping to conclusions'
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Retired Downrange on 10/10/2012 07:14 pm
The team operating Curiosity decided on Oct. 9, 2012, to proceed with using the rover's first scoop of Martian material. Plans for Sol 64 (Oct. 10) call for shifting the scoopful of sand and dust into the mechanism for sieving and portioning samples, and vibrating it vigorously to clean internal surfaces of the mechanism. This first scooped sample, and the second one, will be discarded after use, since they are only being used for the cleaning process. Subsequent samples scooped from the same "Rocknest" area will be delivered to analytical instruments.

Investigation of a small, bright object thought to have come from the rover may resume between the first and second scoop. Over the past two sols, with rover arm activities on hold, the team has assessed the object as likely to be some type of plastic wrapper material, such as a tube used around a wire, possibly having fallen onto the rover from the Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft's descent stage during the landing in August.

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/m/news/index.cfm?release=2012-316
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: John Duncan on 10/10/2012 08:27 pm
Perhaps they will scrutinize the images of the rover top surface for the fragment, pre-fall?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 10/11/2012 06:44 am
Media Advisory: 2012-315                                                                     Oct. 9, 2012

NASA Hosts Teleconference About Mars Rover Progress

The full version of this story with accompanying images is at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2012-315&cid=release_2012-315

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA will host a media teleconference at 11 a.m. PDT (2 p.m. EDT) on Thursday, Oct. 11, to provide a status update on the Curiosity rover's mission to Mars' Gale Crater.

The Mars Science Laboratory's Curiosity rover is 63 days into a two-year mission to investigate whether conditions may have been favorable for microbial life.

Audio and visuals of the event will be streamed live online at: http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio and http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl .

Visuals will be available at the start of the event at: http://go.nasa.gov/curiositytelecon .

For information about NASA's Curiosity mission, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/mars and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl .

DC Agle / Guy Webster 818-354-5011
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
[email protected] / [email protected]

Dwayne Brown 202-358-1726
NASA Headquarters, Washington
[email protected]

- end -
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 10/11/2012 06:06 pm
Placeholder for Ustream chatlog (if they open chatbox):
http://is.gd/chatlog4
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 10/11/2012 06:21 pm
boring spectrography
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ugordan on 10/11/2012 06:22 pm
boring spectrography

lol...
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: racshot65 on 10/11/2012 08:01 pm
Mars Rock Touched by NASA Curiosity has Surprises

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2012-318
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 10/13/2012 01:40 am
10.12.2012
Curiosity Preparing for Second Scoop

On Sol 65 (Oct. 11, 2012) of the Mars Science Laboratory mission, NASA's Mars rover Curiosity completed several activities in preparation for collecting its second scoop of soil. Like the first scoop, the next will come from a ripple of sand and dust at "Rocknest," and will be used for cleaning interior surfaces of the sample-handling chambers on the arm.
The Collection and Handling for In-Situ Martian Rock Analysis (CHIMRA) tool on the end of arm shook out remnants of the first scoopful and posed for camera inspection to verify it was emptied. The Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) moved close some loose material on the ground to get a good look. Seeing more detail in the object will help engineers finish assessing whether this loose material from the spacecraft poses any concern for future operations. A raw image from that MAHLI activity is at http://1.usa.gov/Qgs5ha .

Sol 65, in Mars local mean solar time at Gale Crater, will end at 2:22 a.m. Oct. 12, PDT (5:22 a.m., EDT).

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1376
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 10/13/2012 03:01 am
NASA's Mars Curiosity Rover Report #9

Published on Oct 12, 2012 by NASAtelevision

A NASA's Mars Curiosity rover team member gives an update on developments and status of the planetary exploration mission. The Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft delivered Curiosity to its target area on Mars at 1:31:45 a.m. EDT on Aug. 6, which includes the 13.8 minutes needed for confirmation of the touchdown to be radioed to Earth at the speed of light.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Az7GQb-emnk
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 10/15/2012 10:15 pm
10.15.2012

Rover's Second Scoop Discarded, Third Scoop Commanded

Commands will be sent to Curiosity today instructing the rover to collect a third scoop of soil from the "Rocknest" site of windblown Martian sand and dust. Pending evaluation of this Sol 69 (Oct. 15, 2012) scooping, a sample from the scoopful is planned as the first sample for delivery -- later this week -- to one of the rover's internal analytical instruments, the Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) instrument. A later scoopful will become the first solid sample for delivery to the rover's other internal analytical instrument, the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument.

The rover's second scoopful, collected on Sol 66 (Oct. 12), was intentionally discarded on Sol 67 due to concern about particles of bright material seen in the hole dug by the scooping. Other small pieces of bright material in the Rocknest area have been assessed as debris from the spacecraft. The science team did not want to put spacecraft material into the rover's sample-processing mechanisms. Confidence for going ahead with the third scooping was based on new assessment that other bright particles in the area are native Martian material. One factor in that consideration is seeing some bright particles embedded in clods of Martian soil. Further investigations of the bright particles are planned, including some imaging in the Sol 69 plan.

Sol 69, in Mars local mean solar time at Gale Crater, will end at 5:01 a.m. Oct. 16, PDT (8:01 a.m., EDT).

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1377
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: iamlucky13 on 10/16/2012 12:57 am
Mars Rock Touched by NASA Curiosity has Surprises

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2012-318

It is easy to miss the mention that this was already the 30th rock analyzed by ChemCam.

Not only that, but each rock analyzed typically is examined in multiple spots. This rock was examined in 14 locations, and most importantly, ChemCam reported differing compositions at each location it shot, so aside from its ability to give researchers very quick, hands-off analyses of large numbers of targets, it is also doing a solid job of demonstrating its ability to resolve small scale chemical variations in its targets.

Maybe JPL should add another counter on their website next to the mission clock: number of shots fired by ChemCam, and number of enemy targets destroyed...err...I mean...number of science targets analyzed.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 10/16/2012 11:54 pm
News release: 2012-327                                                                     Oct. 16, 2012

NASA to Host Mars Curiosity Rover Teleconference Oct. 18

The full version of this story with accompanying images is at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2012-327&cid=release_2012-327

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA will host a media teleconference at noon PDT (3 p.m. EDT) on Thursday, Oct. 18, about the latest status of the Curiosity rover's mission to Mars.

The Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover is 10 weeks into a two-year mission to investigate whether conditions may have been favorable for microbial life.

Audio and visuals of the event will be streamed live online at: http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio and http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl .

Visuals will be available at the start of the event at: http://go.nasa.gov/curiositytelecon .

For information about NASA's Curiosity mission, visit: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/msl , http://www.nasa.gov/mars and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl .

DC Agle / Guy Webster 818-354-5011
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
[email protected] / [email protected]

Dwayne Brown 202-358-1726
NASA Headquarters, Washington
[email protected]

- end -
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 10/17/2012 04:19 am
From http://astrogeology.usgs.gov/news/category/astrogeology/item/sol-69-update-on-curiosity-from-usgs-scientist-ken-herkenhoff-pushing-data 

MRO went into safe mode, meaning much less bandwidth is available for MSL.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bubbinski on 10/18/2012 06:17 am
I saw a tweet from the HIRISE team that indicated MRO was now out of safe mode.  Good news.

Looking forward to the teleconference in 12 hours, hoping for some great new pics and data as usual.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 10/18/2012 10:53 pm
10.18.2012
Source: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Mars Soil Sample Delivered for Analysis Inside Rover


PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has ingested its first solid sample into an analytical instrument inside the rover, a capability at the core of the two-year mission.
The rover's Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) instrument is analyzing this sample to determine what minerals it contains.

"We are crossing a significant threshold for this mission by using CheMin on its first sample," said Curiosity's project scientist, John Grotzinger of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. "This instrument gives us a more definitive mineral-identifying method than ever before used on Mars: X-ray diffraction. Confidently identifying minerals is important because minerals record the environmental conditions under which they form."

The sample is a sieved portion -- about as much material as in a baby aspirin -- from the third scoop collected by Curiosity as a windblown patch of dusty sand called "Rocknest." The rover's robotic arm delivered the sample to CheMin's opened inlet funnel on the rover's deck on Oct. 17.

The previous day, the rover shook the scooped material inside sample-processing chambers to scrub internal surfaces of any residue carried from Earth. One earlier scoopful was also used for cleaning. Additional repetitions of this cleaning method will be used before delivery of a future sample to the rover's other internal analytic instrument, the Sample Analysis at Mars investigation, which studies samples' chemistry.

Various small bits of light-toned material on the ground at Rocknest have affected the rover's activities in the past several days. One piece about half an inch (1.3 centimeters) long was noticed on Oct. 7. The rover team postponed use of the robotic arm for two days while investigating this object, and assessed it to be debris from the spacecraft.

Images taken after Curiosity collected its second scoop of Rocknest material on Oct. 12 showed smaller bits of light-toned material in the hole dug by the scooping action. This led to discarding that scoopful rather than using it to scrub the processing mechanisms. Scientists assess these smaller, bright particles to be native Martian material, not from the spacecraft.
"We plan to learn more both about the spacecraft material and about the smaller, bright particles," said Curiosity Project Manager Richard Cook of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena. "We will finish determining whether the spacecraft material warrants concern during future operations. The native Mars particles become fodder for the mission's scientific studies."

During a two-year prime mission, researchers are using Curiosity's 10 instruments to assess whether the study area has ever offered environmental conditions favorable for microbial life. JPL, a division of Caltech, manages the project and built Curiosity. For more about Curiosity, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl .

You can follow the mission on Facebook and Twitter at: http://www.facebook.com/marscuriosity and http://www.twitter.com/marscuriosity .

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 10/19/2012 07:51 pm
Curiosity Rover Report (Oct. 19, 2012) Mars Soil Sample Delivered

Published on Oct 19, 2012 by JPLnews
NASA's Curiosity rover delivers its first soil sample to its chemistry and mineralogy instrument.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neUJ5y4hrkE
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 10/21/2012 08:15 am
Does it exist an official, public method to know in which direction Mastcam is pointed in each picture?
Hence, how can we find same feature in different shots to build 3d anagliphs or study objects from different angles?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 10/22/2012 11:16 pm
10.22.2012
Curiosity Rover Collects Fourth Scoop of Martian Soil

NASA's Mars rover Curiosity shook a scoopful of dusty sand inside its sample-handling mechanism on Sol 75 (Oct. 21, 2012) as the third scrubbing of interior surfaces of the mechanism. The rover team is instructing the rover to deliver a sieved sample from this scoopful -- the mission's fourth -- onto Curiosity's observation tray on Oct. 22 and plans to analyze another sample from the same scoopful with the Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) instrument this week.
Curiosity collected this fourth scoop of soil on Sol 74 (Oct. 20). A later scoop will become the first delivered to the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument. While continuing with scooping activities at the "Rocknest" site, the rover also has been examining surroundings with the Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) and Mast Camera (Mastcam) instruments, and monitoring environmental conditions with the Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD), Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS) and Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN) instruments of its science payload.

Sol 75, in Mars local mean solar time at Gale Crater, ended at 8:58 a.m. Oct. 22, PDT (11:58 a.m., EDT).

2012-332

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1380
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Hungry4info3 on 10/23/2012 02:52 am
So a second run with ChemMin and the first run with SAM?  Am I reading this right?  Did they find something intriguing?  Very exciting.  The press conference on Thursday should be rather interesting.
They mentioned several times that they would be flushing the system out with several scoops to rid it of Earth-grote.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: fthurber on 10/26/2012 12:09 am
So a second run with ChemMin and the first run with SAM?  Am I reading this right?  Did they find something intriguing?  Very exciting.  The press conference on Thursday should be rather interesting.
They mentioned several times that they would be flushing the system out with several scoops to rid it of Earth-grote.

I knew about the flushing of CHIMRA but I was interested in the ChemMin samples.   Apparenty I was reading it right; there was a second ChemMin run (http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2012-336), and it does not appear to be for flushing purposes.  Grotzinger did not mention a planned second ChemMin run during the last press teleconference; seems as if they wanted a second look.  Maybe they were hoping to get one of the reflective particles in the second run (a tiny piece of it anyway).

Very interesting.  I like to think they found something intriguing. 

I cannot wait to see the results....but I have heard some dire warnings that results will not be forthcoming until December  :(
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 10/26/2012 08:39 pm
Curiosity Rover Report (Oct. 26, 2012):
Working with Curiosity's ChemCam Laser


Published on Oct 26, 2012 by JPLnews
Curiosity uses its ChemCam laser to explore a tiny cluster of rocks nicknamed "Stonehenge."


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDgv14Qtl1c
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: BrightLight on 10/26/2012 10:44 pm
Curiosity Rover Report (Oct. 26, 2012):
Working with Curiosity's ChemCam Laser


Published on Oct 26, 2012 by JPLnews
Curiosity uses its ChemCam laser to explore a tiny cluster of rocks nicknamed "Stonehenge."


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDgv14Qtl1c
Tunneling through the surface patina of selected rocks is a critical requirement for understanding the history and evolution of the mars geology, this is where chemcam really shows its utility.

and
Nina  rocks! ;D
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 10/27/2012 02:12 am
News advisory: 2012-338                                                                       Oct. 26, 2012

NASA Oct. 30 Telecon About Mars Curiosity Progress

The full version of this story with accompanying images is at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2012-338&cid=release_2012-338

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA will host a media teleconference at 11:30 a.m. PDT (2:30 p.m. EDT) on Tuesday, Oct. 30, to provide an update about the Curiosity rover's mission to Mars' Gale Crater.

The Mars Science Laboratory Project and its Curiosity rover are almost three months into a two-year prime mission to investigate whether conditions may have been favorable for microbial life.

Audio and visuals of the event will be streamed live online at: http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio and http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl .

Visuals will be available at the start of the event at: http://go.nasa.gov/curiositytelecon .

For information about NASA's Curiosity mission, visit: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/msl , http://www.nasa.gov/mars and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl .

DC Agle / Guy Webster 818-354-5011
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
[email protected] / [email protected]

Dwayne Brown 202-358-1726
NASA Headquarters, Washington
[email protected]
- end -
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: fthurber on 10/28/2012 01:14 am
News advisory: 2012-338                                                                       Oct. 26, 2012

NASA Oct. 30 Telecon About Mars Curiosity Progress

The full version of this story with accompanying images is at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2012-338&cid=release_2012-338

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA will host a media teleconference at 11:30 a.m. PDT (2:30 p.m. EDT) on Tuesday, Oct. 30, to provide an update about the Curiosity rover's mission to Mars' Gale Crater.

The Mars Science Laboratory Project and its Curiosity rover are almost three months into a two-year prime mission to investigate whether conditions may have been favorable for microbial life.

Audio and visuals of the event will be streamed live online at: http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio and http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl .

Visuals will be available at the start of the event at: http://go.nasa.gov/curiositytelecon .

For information about NASA's Curiosity mission, visit: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/msl , http://www.nasa.gov/mars and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl .

DC Agle / Guy Webster 818-354-5011
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
[email protected] / [email protected]

Dwayne Brown 202-358-1726
NASA Headquarters, Washington
[email protected]
- end -

Will this be the where they finally unveil the TLS methane measurements?  I sort of doubt it; I suspect that they would have a press conference instead of a tele conference for something this important.

How about the ChemMin results?  Or more ChemCam results?

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 10/30/2012 07:41 pm
News release: 2012-341                                                                    Oct. 30, 2012

NASA Rover's First Soil Studies Help Fingerprint Martian Minerals

The full version of this story with accompanying images is at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2012-341&cid=release_2012-341

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has completed initial experiments showing the mineralogy of Martian soil is similar to weathered basaltic soils of volcanic origin in Hawaii.

The minerals were identified in the first sample of Martian soil ingested recently by the rover. Curiosity used its Chemistry and Mineralogy instrument (CheMin) to obtain the results, which are filling gaps and adding confidence to earlier estimates of the mineralogical makeup of the dust and fine soil widespread on the Red Planet.

"We had many previous inferences and discussions about the mineralogy of Martian soil," said David Blake of NASA Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif., who is the principal investigator for CheMin. "Our quantitative results provide refined and in some cases new identifications of the minerals in this first X-ray diffraction analysis on Mars."

The identification of minerals in rocks and soil is crucial for the mission's goal to assess past environmental conditions. Each mineral records the conditions under which it formed. The chemical composition of a rock provides only ambiguous mineralogical information, as in the textbook example of the minerals diamond and graphite, which have the same chemical composition, but strikingly different structures and properties.

CheMin uses X-ray diffraction, the standard practice for geologists on Earth using much larger laboratory instruments. This method provides more accurate identifications of minerals than any method previously used on Mars. X-ray diffraction reads minerals' internal structure by recording how their crystals distinctively interact with X-rays. Innovations from Ames led to an X-ray diffraction instrument compact enough to fit inside the rover.

These NASA technological advances have resulted in other applications on Earth, including compact and portable X-ray diffraction equipment for oil and gas exploration, analysis of archaeological objects and screening of counterfeit pharmaceuticals, among other uses.

"Our team is elated with these first results from our instrument," said Blake. "They heighten our anticipation for future CheMin analyses in the months and miles ahead for Curiosity."

The specific sample for CheMin's first analysis was soil Curiosity scooped up at a patch of dust and sand that the team named Rocknest. The sample was processed through a sieve to exclude particles larger than 0.006 inch (150 micrometers), roughly the width of a human hair. The sample has at least two components: dust distributed globally in dust storms and fine sand originating more locally. Unlike conglomerate rocks Curiosity investigated a few weeks ago, which are several billion years old and indicative of flowing water, the soil material CheMin has analyzed is more representative of modern processes on Mars.

"Much of Mars is covered with dust, and we had an incomplete understanding of its mineralogy," said David Bish, CheMin co-investigator with Indiana University in Bloomington. "We now know it is mineralogically similar to basaltic material, with significant amounts of feldspar, pyroxene and olivine, which was not unexpected. Roughly half the soil is non-crystalline material, such as volcanic glass or products from weathering of the glass. "

Bish said, "So far, the materials Curiosity has analyzed are consistent with our initial ideas of the deposits in Gale Crater recording a transition through time from a wet to dry environment. The ancient rocks, such as the conglomerates, suggest flowing water, while the minerals in the younger soil are consistent with limited interaction with water."

During the two-year prime mission of the Mars Science Laboratory Project, researchers are using Curiosity's 10 instruments to investigate whether areas in Gale Crater ever offered environmental conditions favorable for microbial life.

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, manages the project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, and built Curiosity and CheMin.

For more information about Curiosity and its mission, visit: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/msl , http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl .

For more information about a commercial application of the CheMin technology, visit: http://blogs.getty.edu/iris/mars-rover-technology-helps-unlock-art-mysteries/ .

You can follow the mission on Facebook and Twitter at: http://www.facebook.com/marscuriosity and http://www.twitter.com/marscuriosity .

Guy Webster / D.C. Agle 818-354-5011
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
[email protected] / [email protected]

Rachel Hoover 650-604-4789
NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.
[email protected]

Dwayne Brown 202-358-1726
NASA Headquarters, Washington
[email protected]
- end -
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 10/31/2012 10:07 pm
Media advisory: 2012-343                                                                    Oct. 31, 2012

NASA Hosts Nov. 2 Teleconference About Mars Rover Progress

The full version of this story with accompanying images is at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2012-343&cid=release_2012-343

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA will host a media teleconference at 10 a.m. PDT (1 p.m. EDT) on Friday, Nov. 2, to provide an update on Curiosity's studies of the Martian atmosphere.

The Mars Science Laboratory Project and its Curiosity rover are about three months into a two-year prime mission to investigate whether conditions in Mars' Gale Crater may have been favorable for microbial life.

Audio and visuals of the event will be streamed live online at: http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio and http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl .

Visuals will be available at the start of the event at: http://go.nasa.gov/curiositytelecon .

For information about NASA's Curiosity mission, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/mars and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl .

DC Agle / Guy Webster 818-354-5011
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
[email protected] / [email protected]

Dwayne Brown 202-358-1726
NASA Headquarters, Washington
[email protected]
- end -
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 11/01/2012 02:24 am
Curiosity Rover Takes Best Self-Portrait Ever

Quote
Amateur astronomer and science writer Stuart Atkinson stitched together the raw images that Curiosity beamed back to Earth on Oct 31. 

Story:
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/10/curiosity-self-portrait-best/

Full Size picture:
http://twitpic.com/b95icx/full
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: TheFallen on 11/01/2012 02:28 am
Curiosity Rover Takes Best Self-Portrait Ever

Quote
Amateur astronomer and science writer Stuart Atkinson stitched together the raw images that Curiosity beamed back to Earth on Oct 31. 


http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/10/curiosity-self-portrait-best/

Nice!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: iamlucky13 on 11/01/2012 11:15 pm
Does it exist an official, public method to know in which direction Mastcam is pointed in each picture?
Hence, how can we find same feature in different shots to build 3d anagliphs or study objects from different angles?


I don't think so.

For the Mars Exploration Rovers, the filenames on the RAW images were a code that included quite a bit of data about the photo, and the MSL filenames appear to be equally complex, but not of the same format. However, for the MER's camera direction was not one of the included details.

I suppose if that information were to be found anywhere, it would be the Planetary Data System, but MSL data has not been released on PDS yet.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 11/03/2012 12:47 am
News release 2012-348                                                                    Nov. 2, 2012

NASA Rover Finds Clues to Changes in Mars' Atmosphere

The full version of this story with accompanying images is at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2012-348&cid=release_2012-348

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA's car-sized rover, Curiosity, has taken significant steps toward understanding how Mars may have lost much of its original atmosphere.

Learning what happened to the Martian atmosphere will help scientists assess whether the planet ever was habitable. The present atmosphere of Mars is 100 times thinner than Earth's.

A set of instruments aboard the rover has ingested and analyzed samples of the atmosphere collected near the "Rocknest" site in Gale Crater where the rover is stopped for research. Findings from the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instruments suggest that loss of a fraction of the atmosphere, resulting from a physical process favoring retention of heavier isotopes of certain elements, has been a significant factor in the evolution of the planet. Isotopes are variants of the same element with different atomic weights.

Initial SAM results show an increase of five percent in heavier isotopes of carbon in the atmospheric carbon dioxide compared to estimates of the isotopic ratios present when Mars formed. These enriched ratios of heavier isotopes to lighter ones suggest the top of the atmosphere may have been lost to interplanetary space. Losses at the top of the atmosphere would deplete lighter isotopes. Isotopes of argon also show enrichment of the heavy isotope, matching previous estimates of atmosphere composition derived from studies of Martian meteorites on Earth.

Scientists theorize that in Mars' distant past its environment may have been quite different, with persistent water and a thicker atmosphere. NASA's Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution, or MAVEN, mission will investigate possible losses from the upper atmosphere when it arrives at Mars in 2014.

With these initial sniffs of Martian atmosphere, SAM also made the most sensitive measurements ever to search for methane gas on Mars. Preliminary results reveal little to no methane. Methane is of interest as a simple precursor chemical for life. On Earth, it can be produced by either biological or non-biological processes.

Methane has been difficult to detect from Earth or the current generation of Mars orbiters because the gas exists on Mars only in traces, if at all. The Tunable Laser Spectrometer (TLS) in SAM provides the first search conducted within the Martian atmosphere for this molecule. The initial SAM measurements place an upper limit of just a few parts methane per billion parts of Martian atmosphere, by volume, with enough uncertainty that the amount could be zero.

"Methane is clearly not an abundant gas at the Gale Crater site, if it is there at all. At this point in the mission we're just excited to be searching for it," said SAM TLS lead Chris Webster of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. "While we determine upper limits on low values, atmospheric variability in the Martian atmosphere could yet hold surprises for us."

In Curiosity's first three months on Mars, SAM has analyzed atmosphere samples with two laboratory methods. One is a mass spectrometer investigating the full range of atmospheric gases. The other, TLS, has focused on carbon dioxide and methane. During its two-year prime mission, the rover also will use an instrument called a gas chromatograph that separates and identifies gases. The instrument also will analyze samples of soil and rock, as well as more atmosphere samples.

"With these first atmospheric measurements we already can see the power of having a complex chemical laboratory like SAM on the surface of Mars," said SAM Principal Investigator Paul Mahaffy of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. "Both atmospheric and solid sample analyses are crucial for understanding Mars' habitability."

SAM is set to analyze its first solid sample in the coming weeks, beginning the search for organic compounds in the rocks and soils of Gale Crater. Analyzing water-bearing minerals and searching for and analyzing carbonates are high priorities for upcoming SAM solid sample analyses.

Researchers are using Curiosity's 10 instruments to investigate whether areas in Gale Crater ever offered environmental conditions favorable for microbial life. JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, and built Curiosity. The SAM instrument was developed at Goddard with instrument contributions from Goddard, JPL and the University of Paris in France.

For more information about Curiosity and its mission, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl .

You can follow the mission on Facebook and Twitter at: http://www.facebook.com/marscuriosity and http://www.twitter.com/marscuriosity .

Guy Webster 818-354-6278
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
[email protected]

Nancy Neal Jones 301-286-0039
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
[email protected]

Dwayne Brown 202-358-1726
NASA Headquarters, Washington
[email protected]
- end -
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: kevin-rf on 11/03/2012 01:00 am
Interesting results, I really wish they had a better base line than
Quote
estimates of the isotopic ratios present when Mars formed

Anyone know if they will be be able to pull the carbon ratios out of some of the rocks?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 11/03/2012 01:08 am
NASA's Mars Curiosity Rover Report #13 -- November 1, 2012

Published on Nov 2, 2012 by NASAtelevision

A NASA's Mars Curiosity rover team member gives an update on developments and status of the planetary exploration mission. The Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft delivered Curiosity to its target area on Mars at 1:31:45 a.m. EDT on Aug. 6, which includes the 13.8 minutes needed for confirmation of the touchdown to be radioed to Earth at the speed of light. The rover will conduct a nearly two-year prime mission to investigate whether the Gale Crater region of Mars ever offered conditions favorable for microbial life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jy52AUjRHM
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 11/08/2012 01:16 am
(I bet they're happy!!):

11.06.2012

Curiosity Team Switches Back to Earth Time

PASADENA, Calif. -- After three months working on "Mars time," the team operating NASA Mars rover Curiosity has switched to more regular hours, as planned.
A Martian day, called a sol, is about 40 minutes longer than an Earth day, so the team's start time for daily planning has been moving a few hours later each week. This often resulted in the team working overnight hours, Pacific Time.

Starting this week, most of the team's work will stay within bounds of 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., PST. Compressing the daily planning process for rover activities makes the switch possible.

"People are glad to be going off Mars time," said Richard Cook of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., project manager for NASA's Mars Science Laboratory Project, which operates Curiosity. "The team has been successful in getting the duration of the daily planning process from more than 16 hours, during the initial weeks after landing, down to 12 hours. We've been getting better at operations."

A simultaneous change this week begins more dispersed operations for the scientists on the rover team. The team includes about 200 JPL engineers and about 400 scientists, mostly from other institutions. More than 200 non-JPL scientists who have spent some time working at JPL since Curiosity's landing on Aug. 5, 2012 (Pacific Time; Aug. 6, Eastern Time and Universal Time) will continue participating regularly from their home institutions throughout North America and Europe. The team has been preparing in recent weeks to use dispersed participation teleconferences and Web connections.

"The phase that we're completing, working together at one location, has been incredibly valuable for team-building and getting to know each other under the pressure of daily timelines," said Mars Science Laboratory Deputy Project Scientist Joy Crisp, of JPL. "We have reached the point where we can continue working together well without needing to have people living away from their homes."

The operational planning this week is focused on getting a first sample of solid Martian material into the rover's Sample Analysis at Mars, or SAM, instrument.

On the mission's Sol 89 (Nov. 5, 2012), the other analytical instrument inside the rover, Chemistry and Mineralogy, or CheMin, dumped out the second soil sample it had finished analyzing. That second sample into CheMin came from the fourth scoop of soil that Curiosity's robotic arm collected at a site called "Rocknest." Also on Sol 89 came confirmation that SAM had completed an overnight analysis run on a blank sample cup in preparation for receiving a soil sample. Plans call for the fifth scoop at Rocknest to provide samples going into both SAM and CheMin in coming days.

JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. JPL designed and built the rover.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1389
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 11/08/2012 02:20 am
Emily Lakdawalla did a long and informative google hangout with SAM deputy PI Pamela Conrad. A recording is available at http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2012/11071600-hangout-pan-conrad-sam.html
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 11/10/2012 04:03 am
SAM Sniffs Mars' Atmosphere

Published on Nov 9, 2012 by JPLnews

The Curiosity rover's Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instruments make the most sensitive measurements ever to search for methane gas on the Red Planet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6uWUrxuuok
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: fthurber on 11/13/2012 02:10 am

Lakdawalla's interview with Pan (not Pamela) Conrad was excellent.  A bit more detailed than the JPL video.  She is very well spoken and the subject is fascinating.

One question I had was about their discussion the difficulty of life detection with the SAM suite.  I was thinking that the stereochemistry of any organics found would be the key.  As we all know, non-biological organics are usually racemic while biological organics are not. A detection L-amino acids would would be a clear sign of life. Or am I wrong? This is certainly true on Earth but maybe possible life on Mars would be different.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 11/14/2012 12:40 am
Media advisory: 2012-357                                                                    Nov. 13, 2012

NASA Hosts Nov. 15 Telecon About Mars Rover Progress

The full version of this story with accompanying images is at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2012-357&cid=release_2012-357

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA will host a media teleconference at 11 a.m. PST (2 p.m. EST) on Thursday, Nov. 15, to provide an update about the Curiosity rover's mission to Mars' Gale Crater.

The Mars Science Laboratory Project and its Curiosity rover are three months into a two-year prime mission to investigate whether conditions may have been favorable for microbial life.

Audio and visuals of the event will be streamed live online at: http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio and http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl .

Visuals will be available at the start of the event at: http://go.nasa.gov/curiositytelecon .

For information about NASA's Curiosity mission, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/mars and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl .

DC Agle / Guy Webster 818-354-5011
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
[email protected] / [email protected]

Dwayne Brown 202-358-1726
NASA Headquarters, Washington
[email protected]
- end -
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 11/14/2012 11:58 pm
IN case people missed this:

PBS documentary tonight on Curiosity!  :)

Ultimate Mars Challenge

In its search for life beyond Earth, NASA employs a "sky crane" maneuver to land the Curiosity rover on Mars. Airing November 14, 2012 at 9 pm on PBS

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/space/ultimate-mars-challenge.html

edit to add: that was quite enjoyable. Well worth seeing imo.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jacqmans on 11/15/2012 07:18 pm
RELEASE: 12-402

NASA ROVER PROVIDING NEW WEATHER AND RADIATION DATA ABOUT MARS

PASADENA, Calif. -- Observations of wind patterns and natural
radiation patterns on Mars by NASA's Curiosity rover are helping
scientists better understand the environment on the Red Planet's
surface.

Researchers using the car-sized mobile laboratory have identified
transient whirlwinds, mapped winds in relation to slopes, tracked
daily and seasonal changes in air pressure, and linked rhythmic
changes in radiation to daily atmospheric changes. The knowledge
being gained about these processes helps scientists interpret
evidence about environmental changes on Mars might have led to
conditions favorable for life.

During the first 12 weeks after Curiosity landed in an area named Gale
Crater, an international team of researchers analyzed data from more
than 20 atmospheric events with at least one characteristic of a
whirlwind recorded by the Rover Environmental Monitoring Station
(REMS) instrument. Those characteristics can include a brief dip in
air pressure, a change in wind direction, a change in wind speed, a
rise in air temperature or a dip in ultraviolet light reaching the
rover. Two of the events included all five characteristics.

In many regions of Mars, dust-devil tracks and shadows have been seen
from orbit, but those visual clues have not been seen in Gale Crater.
One possibility is that vortex whirlwinds arise at Gale without
lifting as much dust as they do elsewhere.

"Dust in the atmosphere has a major role in shaping the climate on
Mars," said Manuel de la Torre Juarez of NASA's Jet Propulsion
Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, Calif. He is the investigation
scientist for REMS, which Spain provided for the mission. "The dust
lifted by dust devils and dust storms warms the atmosphere."

Dominant wind direction identified by REMS has surprised some
researchers who expected slope effects to produce north-south winds.
The rover is just north of a mountain called Mount Sharp. If air
movement up and down the mountain's slope governed wind direction,
dominant winds generally would be north-south. However, east-west
winds appear to predominate. The rim of Gale Crater may be a factor.

"With the crater rim slope to the north and Mount Sharp to the south,
we may be seeing more of the wind blowing along the depression in
between the two slopes, rather than up and down the slope of Mount
Sharp," said Claire Newman, a REMS investigator at Ashima Research in
Pasadena. "If we don't see a change in wind patterns as Curiosity
heads up the slope of Mount Sharp -- that would be a surprise."

REMS monitoring of air pressure has tracked both a seasonal increase
and a daily rhythm. Neither was unexpected, but the details improve
understanding of atmospheric cycles on present-day Mars, which helps
with estimating how the cycles may have operated in the past.

The seasonal increase results from tons of carbon dioxide, which had
been frozen into a southern winter ice cap, returning into the
atmosphere as southern spring turns to summer. The daily cycle of
higher pressure in the morning and lower pressure in the evening
results from daytime heating of the atmosphere by the sun. As morning
works its way westward around the planet, so does a wave of
heat-expanded atmosphere, known as a thermal tide.

Effects of that atmospheric tide show up in data from Curiosity's
Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD). This instrument monitors
high-energy radiation considered to be a health risk to astronauts
and a factor in whether microbes could survive on Mars' surface.

"We see a definite pattern related to the daily thermal tides of the
atmosphere," said RAD principal investigator Don Hassler of the
Southwest Research Institute's Boulder, Colo., branch. "The
atmosphere provides a level of shielding, and so charged-particle
radiation is less when the atmosphere is thicker. Overall, Mars'
atmosphere reduces the radiation dose compared to what we saw during
the flight to Mars."

The overall goal of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory mission is to use
10 instruments on Curiosity to assess whether areas inside Gale
Crater ever offered a habitable environment for microbes.

JPL manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project for NASA's Science
Mission Directorate in Washington. JPL also built Curiosity.

For more about the mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/msl

You can follow the mission on Facebook and Twitter at:

http://www.facebook.com/marscuriosity

and

http://www.twitter.com/marscuriosity
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 11/16/2012 02:31 am
Curiosity Rover Report (Nov. 15, 2012): Wind and Radiation on Mars

Published on Nov 15, 2012 by JPLnews
Curiosity monitors radiation and spots elusive whirlwinds on Mars.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0596IF-8s4
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Robotbeat on 11/20/2012 01:21 pm
Accidentally posted this on the wrong thread. Possibly very big news from Mars: http://m.npr.org/news/front/165513016
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 11/20/2012 01:56 pm
Accidentally posted this on the wrong thread. Possibly very big news from Mars: http://m.npr.org/news/front/165513016


OOoooooo  goody.

I like those kind of surprises!  :)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: kevin-rf on 11/20/2012 02:07 pm
So did they finally found Saddam's missing WMD or is it something more interesting like complex organics?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Ares67 on 11/20/2012 03:12 pm
So did they finally found Saddam's missing WMD or is it something more interesting like complex organics?

Or maybe they've found Perry?  :D

http://d23.disney.go.com/news/2012/07/d23-first-look-wheres-perry/
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Lumpy on 11/20/2012 03:32 pm
So I herd this on NPR radio today. Seems they (MSL) found somthing in the mars soil that (quote)... "is gonna be one for the history books. It's looking really good,"  WTF ?  Anyone know more about this ?

http://www.npr.org/2012/11/20/165513016/big-news-from-mars-rover-scientists-mum-for-now
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: butters on 11/20/2012 04:16 pm
I have a source at the American Museum of Natural History who says that their geology department is reviewing the data and that Neil deGrasse Tyson was "literally dancing in the hallways this morning".
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Galactic Penguin SST on 11/20/2012 04:39 pm
I have a source at the American Museum of Natural History who says that their geology department is reviewing the data and that Neil deGrasse Tyson was "literally dancing in the hallways this morning".

Let me take a shot in guessing what it is....  ;)

1. Any type of sedimentary rocks
2. Some kind of organic material that was known to be purely biological origin

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: meekGee on 11/20/2012 04:45 pm
I wish it was the biology department and not the geology department...

My bet is also on geological evidence supporting past biology.

At this point, finding more evidence of water will be interesting, but pretty much expected.


heh, I like how the bar for excitement keeps rising....
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Jeff Lerner on 11/20/2012 04:56 pm
....even better...the xenoarchaeology department...:)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Robotbeat on 11/20/2012 05:14 pm
....even better...the xenoarchaeology department...:)
+1. :D
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: kevin-rf on 11/20/2012 05:19 pm
...Nah,  xenoarchaeology department, arsenic first contact special team ;)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 11/20/2012 05:46 pm
I for one welcome the benevolent rule of our ancient Martian overlords!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: happyflower on 11/20/2012 05:59 pm
Since the information is coming from the SAM instrument and they just finished putting samples of Martian soil in there, the news is related to the soil in some way.

Since SAM is looking for organic compounds, I guess organic compounds probably carbon based have been spotted. Still no proof of life, but a smoking gun.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: meekGee on 11/20/2012 06:05 pm
Seems too quick almost, from measurement to results to analysis to conclusion to review...

Do they publish a timeline of when they digest samples, and which instruments get a go at the samples?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Alpha_Centauri on 11/20/2012 06:09 pm
Well I have to say that Grotzinger didn't sound that excited. maybe just his style. The only direct quote about it is "This data is gonna be one for the history books", which could be anything.  Given the "exciting" news release about methane, "sorry, it's not there", I wouldn't hold out hopes that it actually is something earth-shattering.

If I heard correctly the interview happened last week.  We can be safe that it's nothing directly related to biology because realistically we'd all know by now, that's not something that could be kept secret.

I'd guess detection of simple organics.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Robotbeat on 11/20/2012 06:18 pm
Well I have to say that Grotzinger didn't sound that exited. maybe just his style. The only direct quote about it is "This data is gonna be one for the history books", which could be anything.  Given the "exiting" news release about methane, "sorry, it's not there", I wouldn't hold out hopes that it actually is something earth-shattering.

If I heard correctly the interview happened last week.  We can be safe that it's nothing directly related to biology because realistically we'd all know by now, that's not something that could be kept secret.
...
Apparently, it HASN'T been kept secret...
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Alpha_Centauri on 11/20/2012 06:30 pm
Kept secret =/= no one knows, just that it's not been leaked to the public, which such news would be very quickly.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 11/20/2012 06:46 pm
Well any announcement that increases the interest in Mars exploration in the corridors of power and maybe its budget is to be welcomed in my book.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: stone on 11/20/2012 07:23 pm
SAM has only digested dune sand, if they find any organic in that they will have a nice two years with a lot more organics.

I guess that the really story has to wait for the AGU in two weeks. There is a Curiosity special session.

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Alpha_Centauri on 11/20/2012 07:24 pm
Apparently Grotzinger has told SPACE.com that "the news will come out at the fall meeting of the American Geophysical Union, which takes place Dec. 3-7 in San Francisco."
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: notsorandom on 11/20/2012 07:29 pm
Organic compounds would certainly be an exciting find. Lets assume though that is not what was behind the hints in the NPR article. What else could SAM find that would be so interesting yet not related to life?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: schaban on 11/20/2012 07:47 pm
Organic compounds would certainly be an exciting find. Lets assume though that is not what was behind the hints in the NPR article. What else could SAM find that would be so interesting yet not related to life?
He-3?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 11/20/2012 08:16 pm
Well I have to say that Grotzinger didn't sound that exited. maybe just his style. The only direct quote about it is "This data is gonna be one for the history books", which could be anything.  Given the "exiting" news release about methane, "sorry, it's not there", I wouldn't hold out hopes that it actually is something earth-shattering.
Agreed. Two things people should remember before getting caught up in the speculative hype:
1) Given the capabilities of the SAM instrument suit, *any* successful observation is going to technically be "one for the history books", and has very goods odds of revealing something unexpected.
2) "Exciting" scientists doesn't mean earth shattering for the general public. Anything unexpected (see #1) is likely to be exciting for the people who study mars.

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Robotbeat on 11/20/2012 08:23 pm
Well I have to say that Grotzinger didn't sound that exited. maybe just his style. The only direct quote about it is "This data is gonna be one for the history books", which could be anything.  Given the "exiting" news release about methane, "sorry, it's not there", I wouldn't hold out hopes that it actually is something earth-shattering.
Agreed. Two things people should remember before getting caught up in the speculative hype:
1) Given the capabilities of the SAM instrument suit, *any* successful observation is going to technically be "one for the history books", and has very goods odds of revealing something unexpected.
2) "Exciting" scientists doesn't mean earth shattering for the general public. Anything unexpected (see #1) is likely to be exciting for the people who study mars.
Neil deGrasse Tyson dancing in that hallways? It has got to be more interesting than just something unexpected or a successful observation.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 11/20/2012 08:48 pm
It has got to be more interesting than just something unexpected or a successful observation.
Uh huh http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewnews.html?id=1297

The actual discovery which spawned that rumor fest is a pretty good example. Scientists: "Ooh, perchlorate, that's interesting!", public "huh, what?"

I did not mean to imply a successful observation would be news itself.  Rather, SAM is such a sensitive instrument that the first successful observation is quite likely to turn up *something* unexpected.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Robotbeat on 11/20/2012 09:24 pm
Quote
SarcasticRover ‏@SarcasticRover

Not sure what it means, but my new discovery has been code-named "Operation Mind-Reading Alien Slug-Worm."
https://twitter.com/SarcasticRover/status/270970332456837121

and:
Quote
SarcasticRover ‏@SarcasticRover

I'm on a completely different planet doing a science! Literally every thing up here is a "major discovery," okay?
https://twitter.com/SarcasticRover/status/271007537426489344
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: meekGee on 11/20/2012 10:41 pm
Delving even deeper into the tea-leaves:

Top surface sand is both very simple, and wind-borne.  So if there's something exciting in it, it doesn't have to be local.

The most likely reason it ended up at the geology department is that they had a session already scheduled at the AGU meeting, and decided to use it as the announcement platform, and so they have to have geology peers go over it first.

They did send it far and wide for review, and that's worth noting.

I can wait two weeks, no problem.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: fthurber on 11/20/2012 11:01 pm
I was thinking something more prosaic like carbonate or shale or clay.  But there is a problem with that; it should have shown up in ChemMin runs...or maybe that is why they had multiple ChemMin runs.

So the scanty evidence points to simple organics but it is hard to believe that organics could survive in the sands of Mars being blown around and exposed to UV and other radiation plus possible perchlorates.  I could see organics being drilled out of a clay outcrop but not in wind-borne dust.  Odd... :-\
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 11/20/2012 11:05 pm
Moving on to regular programming...

11.20.2012

Curiosity Rover Preparing for Thanksgiving Activities

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA's Mars rover Curiosity completed a touch-and-go inspection of one rock on Sunday, Nov. 18, then pivoted and, on the same day, drove toward a Thanksgiving overlook location.
Last week, Curiosity drove for the first time after spending several weeks in soil-scooping activities at one location. On Friday, Nov. 16, the rover drove 6.2 feet (1.9 meters) to get within arm's reach of a rock called "Rocknest 3." On Sunday, it touched that rock with the Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) on its arm, and took two 10-minute APXS readings of data about the chemical elements in the rock. Then Curiosity stowed its arm and drove 83 feet (25.3 meters) eastward toward a target called "Point Lake."

"We have done touches before, and we've done goes before, but this is our first 'touch-and-go' on the same day," said Curiosity Mission Manager Michael Watkins of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. "It is a good sign that the rover team is getting comfortable with more complex operational planning, which will serve us well in the weeks ahead."

During a Thanksgiving break, the team will use Curiosity's Mast Camera (Mastcam) from Point Lake to examine possible routes and targets to the east. A priority is to choose a rock for the first use of the rover's hammering drill, which will collect samples of powder from rock interiors.

Although Curiosity has departed the Rocknest patch of windblown sand and dust where it scooped up soil samples in recent weeks, the sample-handling mechanism on the rover's arm is still holding some soil from the fifth and final scoop collected at Rocknest. The rover is carrying this sample so it can be available for analysis by instruments within the rover if scientists choose that option in coming days.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1394
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Hungry4info3 on 11/21/2012 02:24 am
So the scanty evidence points to simple organics but it is hard to believe that organics could survive in the sands of Mars being blown around and exposed to UV and other radiation plus possible perchlorates.  I could see organics being drilled out of a clay outcrop but not in wind-borne dust.  Odd... :-\

Not saying I believe that it's organics, but the sand dune was not really an easily mobile, wind-blown dune. Remember it had a clumpy structure (was especially visible in the trenches after scooping). The Rocknest sand dune was not simply a loose pile of sand recently blown into position. It had been there, in that position, for a while.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: meekGee on 11/21/2012 03:32 am
Well, the PR says:
"Although Curiosity has departed the Rocknest patch of windblown sand and dust where it scooped up soil samples in recent weeks"
(which in and of itself is odd phrasing - why add "windblown", and why emphasize "dust"?  would have been more natural, in the context of the PR, to say "departed the Rocknest sand patch where it scooped....")

I do agree this did not look like completely loose sand - it was sort of in-betweenish sand - just a bit clumpy.

But sand, by its very nature, was not formed in-situ, and the dune shape does imply that it is being transported.

Here's an idea:

What if the clumpiness is telling them that there's still an underflow going on?   That would make it a geological finding.   SAM might have detected a concentration of volatile in it?  Maybe simple humidity?   That will be enough to pass the "Tyson Dance Test" without making it about organics.

This is also calibrated to the level of "this is for the textbooks" better than the discovery of anything biological in origin.

Well, I definitely have myself convinced.  That's always a good start..
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 11/21/2012 04:36 am
Not saying I believe that it's organics, but the sand dune was not really an easily mobile, wind-blown dune. Remember it had a clumpy structure (was especially visible in the trenches after scooping).
Very similar behavior has been seen in dust accumulations investigated by other missions.
Quote
The Rocknest sand dune was not simply a loose pile of sand recently blown into position. It had been there, in that position, for a while.
AFAIK mechanism that causes these crusts isn't fully understood, so I would be wary of reading too much into it. In any case, rocknest must be quite recent geologically, meaning that all the conditions fthurber mentioned would still apply even if it's old in human terms.

One note from the Chemin press conference about this material (http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/26549125) roughly 50% of it was "poorly crystalline" or amorphous and not readily identifiable by Chemin. There was a suggestion that some of this might be related to the "interaction of water with rocks".
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: iamlucky13 on 11/21/2012 04:48 am
Neil deGrasse Tyson dancing in that hallways? It has got to be more interesting than just something unexpected or a successful observation.

Keep in mind we're talking about Tyson here. He's a very outwardly enthusiastic person, which is a big part of why he became such a public figure. He's the sort who can get really excited about things that seem trivial to other people.

Organic compounds would certainly be an exciting find. Lets assume though that is not what was behind the hints in the NPR article. What else could SAM find that would be so interesting yet not related to life?
He-3?

No. He-3 would not be a surprise unless there's something inexplicable going on, and it's unimportant at this point in time.

It has got to be more interesting than just something unexpected or a successful observation.
Uh huh http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewnews.html?id=1297

The actual discovery which spawned that rumor fest is a pretty good example. Scientists: "Ooh, perchlorate, that's interesting!", public "huh, what?"

I did not mean to imply a successful observation would be news itself.  Rather, SAM is such a sensitive instrument that the first successful observation is quite likely to turn up *something* unexpected.

The Phoenix perchlorate findings have been prominent in my mind since reading the NPR article. Not saying that it's more perchlorates. Just that I strongly suspect most people will not be "dancing in the hallways" when they hear.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: fthurber on 11/21/2012 11:03 am

Here's an idea:

What if the clumpiness is telling them that there's still an underflow going on?   That would make it a geological finding.   SAM might have detected a concentration of volatile in it?  Maybe simple humidity?   That will be enough to pass the "Tyson Dance Test" without making it about organics.

Good point.

I have to wonder if the crust is salt.  I have seen this many times at the beach; the top few millimeters of sand dunes are cemented together with salt evaporate.

This would be big news but not what most people want to hear.  I sort of doubt it passes the dance test though...

Another problem is that SAM cannot detect salt so I am back to the question of what kind of organics can survive on the surface of Mars.  PAHs?

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: meekGee on 11/21/2012 02:42 pm
Yes - I was telling my wife about how such a flow might be very briny, and realized that:
a) salts might retain some humidity in the off season
b) the way the salt crystallized can tell them a lot about the flow.  Large or small crystals, independent crystals or formed around sand particles, are they linked to each other to form larger solids, etc.
c) the chemical composition of the salts

Regarding SAM, does anyone know how they vaporize the sample, and at what temperature?

A sample with humidity can give a reading even before it is vaporized - if they operate in this mode (i.e. sniffing a cold sample)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bubbinski on 11/21/2012 02:49 pm
There's an article making the rounds, that is in French, quoting the co-investigator of SAM as saying there was no revolutionary discovery to announce:

http://www.cieletespace.fr/node/9823

I don't know French but I put it in an online translator and that's what it seems to say.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Danderman on 11/21/2012 02:59 pm
Yes - I was telling my wife about how such a flow might be very briny, and realized that:
a) salts might retain some humidity in the off season
b) the way the salt crystallized can tell them a lot about the flow.  Large or small crystals, independent crystals or formed around sand particles, are they linked to each other to form larger solids, etc.
c) the chemical composition of the salts

Regarding SAM, does anyone know how they vaporize the sample, and at what temperature?

A sample with humidity can give a reading even before it is vaporized - if they operate in this mode (i.e. sniffing a cold sample)

I would imagine that they probably picked up some indirect evidence of recent water flow from the sample. That would get them all excited, but wouldn't do much for the General Public.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Space Pete on 11/21/2012 03:00 pm
From NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for Communications Bob Jacobs ‏(@bnjacobs) via Twitter:

There's out of control parroting regarding Mars Curiosity. The "one for the history books" refers to the mission, not any one new discovery.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: meekGee on 11/21/2012 03:21 pm
oh well.
It was fun there for a day though....
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Garrett on 11/21/2012 03:41 pm
There's an article making the rounds, that is in French, quoting the co-investigator of SAM as saying there was no revolutionary discovery to announce:

http://www.cieletespace.fr/node/9823

I don't know French but I put it in an online translator and that's what it seems to say.

I'll translate some of it:
Quote
Original French: « Rien de tout cela ! » martèle le Français Michel Cabane, coresponsable scientifique de l'instrument SAM. « Nous ne comprenons pas ce qu'il se passe. Nous n'avons absolument aucune nouvelle éclatante à annoncer ! »

Selon le chercheur du Latmos, SAM fonctionne très bien et fournit des signaux. Mais il n'y a « rien » pour le moment dans les données qui puisse justifier un tel engouement. Les premiers résultats de SAM devraient être annoncés lors du colloque de l'Union géophysique américaine, du 3 au 7 décembre 2012, à San Francisco.


My translation: "Nothing like that at all", insists Frenchman Michael Cabane, scientific co-investigator of the SAM instrument.  "We can't understand what this is all about. We have absolutely no dazzling news to announce!"

According to the Latmos researcher, SAM is working fine and is returning data. But there is "nothing" for the moment in the data that could justify such hype. The first SAM results should be announced during the American Geophysical Union's Fall Meeting , from the 3rd to 7th December 2012 in San Francisco.

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 11/21/2012 04:30 pm
This isn't going to look good for NASA as again it's going to appear to the general public that the agency has made a big fuss about something that turns out to be nothing

If they are going to lay this one on the media then maybe they should think of being more careful what they say around journalists if they don't want it reported in a way that causes them hassle.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Lars_J on 11/21/2012 04:40 pm
Yep. This is looking like another "Methane PR fiasco".
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Robotbeat on 11/21/2012 04:50 pm
Quote
Emily Lakdawalla ‏@elakdawalla

I'm really irritated that people are harshing on Curiosity PI Grotzinger for being excited about his science without giving specifics.
Quote
Emily Lakdawalla ‏@elakdawalla

What do you guys want? For scientists to grant no interviews? For them to be deadpan? To tell you every random idea, most of them wrong?
https://twitter.com/elakdawalla
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: fthurber on 11/21/2012 04:57 pm
This isn't going to look good for NASA as again it's going to appear to the general public that the agency has made a big fuss about something that turns out to be nothing

If they are going to lay this one on the media then maybe they should think of being more careful what they say around journalists if they don't want it reported in a way that causes them hassle.

Hmmm, I am seeing this a little different.  It seems to me that NASA did not make a "big fuss"; rather it was the media who made the big fuss.  NASA has announced nothing on this subject; it was a just an offhand, ambiguous comment by Grotz that got blown out of proportion. That and some phantom, alleged dance routines by Tyson. ;)

This reaction is to be expected; we are starved for details so that the slightest crumb of a rumor becomes food for endless speculation and I will be the first to admit that I also enjoy the speculation.

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 11/21/2012 05:06 pm
This isn't going to look good for NASA as again it's going to appear to the general public that the agency has made a big fuss about something that turns out to be nothing

If they are going to lay this one on the media then maybe they should think of being more careful what they say around journalists if they don't want it reported in a way that causes them hassle.

Hmmm, I am seeing this a little different.  It seems to me that NASA did not make a "big fuss"; rather it was the media who made the big fuss.  NASA has announced nothing on this subject; it was a just an offhand, ambiguous comment by Grotz that got blown out of proportion. That and some phantom, alleged dance routines by Tyson. ;)

I guess JPL deserves some blame because they sort of starve us for details so that the slightest crumb of a rumor becomes food for endless speculation and I will be the first to admit that I also enjoy the speculation.



Yes the media have probably blown it out of proportion. But I am not so sure I regard Grotz's statement as ambiguous, well not the way I read it and I can see how it could of set off a chain of events in the media.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: meekGee on 11/21/2012 05:08 pm
Well the original story said:

Quote
PALCA: ... Right now, SAM is working on a Mars soil sample, and Grotzinger says the results are earth-shaking.

GROTZINGER: This data is going to be one for the history books. It's looking really good.

PALCA: Grotzinger can see the pained look on my face as I wait, hoping he'll tell me what the heck he's found.

GROTZINGER: I know I'm killing you.   (LAUGHTER)

So "earth-shaking" is an indirect quote, but supposedly Grotzinger's words

Make of it what you will...

[The transcript is here: http://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=165513016]

The bottom line: Editing can be everything.  If Grotzinger was given a chance to listen to the final cut of the interview, would he have jumped and said "this is all wrong - you're putting extra meaning into what I said"?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 11/21/2012 05:27 pm
Well the original story said:

Quote
PALCA: ... Right now, SAM is working on a Mars soil sample, and Grotzinger says the results are earth-shaking.

GROTZINGER: This data is going to be one for the history books. It's looking really good.

PALCA: Grotzinger can see the pained look on my face as I wait, hoping he'll tell me what the heck he's found.

GROTZINGER: I know I'm killing you.   (LAUGHTER)

So "earth-shaking" is an indirect quote, but supposedly Grotzinger's words

Make of it what you will...

[The transcript is here: http://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=165513016]

The bottom line: Editing can be everything.  If Grotzinger was given a chance to listen to the final cut of the interview, would he have jumped and said "this is all wrong - you're putting extra meaning into what I said"?

Possibly he would and maybe he should have insisted on hearing the final edit?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: mduncan36 on 11/21/2012 05:45 pm
Well the original story said:

Quote
PALCA: ... Right now, SAM is working on a Mars soil sample, and Grotzinger says the results are earth-shaking.

GROTZINGER: This data is going to be one for the history books. It's looking really good.

PALCA: Grotzinger can see the pained look on my face as I wait, hoping he'll tell me what the heck he's found.

GROTZINGER: I know I'm killing you.   (LAUGHTER)

So "earth-shaking" is an indirect quote, but supposedly Grotzinger's words

Make of it what you will...

[The transcript is here: http://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=165513016]

The bottom line: Editing can be everything.  If Grotzinger was given a chance to listen to the final cut of the interview, would he have jumped and said "this is all wrong - you're putting extra meaning into what I said"?

Possibly he would and maybe he should have insisted on hearing the final edit?

Journalists don't give anyone the chance to say what they are going to write. Remember that part of their job is to generate reader interest. NPR appears to have been very successful in that regard. I'm just going to wait and hear what it is for what it is.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 11/21/2012 07:05 pm
Well the original story said:

Quote
PALCA: ... Right now, SAM is working on a Mars soil sample, and Grotzinger says the results are earth-shaking.

GROTZINGER: This data is going to be one for the history books. It's looking really good.

PALCA: Grotzinger can see the pained look on my face as I wait, hoping he'll tell me what the heck he's found.

GROTZINGER: I know I'm killing you.   (LAUGHTER)

So "earth-shaking" is an indirect quote, but supposedly Grotzinger's words

Make of it what you will...

[The transcript is here: http://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=165513016]

The bottom line: Editing can be everything.  If Grotzinger was given a chance to listen to the final cut of the interview, would he have jumped and said "this is all wrong - you're putting extra meaning into what I said"?

Possibly he would and maybe he should have insisted on hearing the final edit?

Journalists don't give anyone the chance to say what they are going to write. Remember that part of their job is to generate reader interest. NPR appears to have been very successful in that regard. I'm just going to wait and hear what it is for what it is.

Good point. As you say it's probably best that we wait and see what is said.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: rdale on 11/21/2012 07:54 pm
Quote

Good point. As you say it's probably best that we wait and see what is said.

What a novel idea for an UPDATE thread  8)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 11/21/2012 08:09 pm
Well..  how about something different to get back on this update thread...

Animation of Curiosity Rover's First 'Touch and Go'


Published on Nov 21, 2012 by JPLnews

Animation shows NASA's Mars Curiosity rover touching a rock with an instrument on its arm, then stowing the arm and driving on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOgfzWhrRf8
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 11/22/2012 12:34 am
11.21.2012

Spacecraft Monitoring Martian Dust Storm

PASADENA, Calif. -- A Martian dust storm that NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has been tracking since last week has also produced atmospheric changes detectable by rovers on Mars.
Using the orbiter's Mars Color Imager, Bruce Cantor of Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego, began observing the storm on Nov. 10, and subsequently reported it to the team operating NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity. The storm came no closer than about 837 miles (1,347 kilometers) from Opportunity, resulting in only a slight drop in atmospheric clarity over that rover, which does not have a weather station.

Halfway around the planet from Opportunity, the NASA Mars rover Curiosity's weather station has detected atmospheric changes related to the storm. Sensors on the Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS), which was provided for Curiosity by Spain, have measured decreased air pressure and a slight rise in overnight low temperature.

"This is now a regional dust storm. It has covered a fairly extensive region with its dust haze, and it is in a part of the planet where some regional storms in the past have grown into global dust hazes," said Rich Zurek, chief Mars scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. "For the first time since the Viking missions of the 1970s, we are studying a regional dust storm both from orbit and with a weather station on the surface."

Curiosity's equatorial location and the sensors on REMS, together with the daily global coverage provided by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, provide new advantages compared with what Viking offered with its combination of orbiters and landers. The latest weekly Mars weather report from the orbiter's Mars Color Imager is at http://www.msss.com/msss_images/2012/11/21/ .

Each Martian year lasts about two Earth years. Regional dust storms expanded and affected vast areas of Mars in 2001 and 2007, but not between those years nor since 2007.

"One thing we want to learn is why do some Martian dust storms get to this size and stop growing, while others this size keep growing and go global," Zurek said.

From decades of observing Mars, scientists know there is a seasonal pattern to the largest Martian dust-storm events. The dust-storm season began just a few weeks ago, with the start of southern-hemisphere spring.

Starting on Nov. 16, the Mars Climate Sounder instrument on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter detected a warming of the atmosphere at about 16 miles (25 kilometers) above the storm. Since then, the atmosphere in the region has warmed by about 45 degrees Fahrenheit (25 degrees Celsius). This is due to the dust absorbing sunlight at that height, so it indicates the dust is being lofted well above the surface and the winds are starting to create a dust haze over a broad region.

Warmer temperatures are seen not only in the dustier atmosphere in the south, but also in a hot spot near northern polar latitudes due to changes in the atmospheric circulation. Similar changes affect the pressure measured by Curiosity even though the dust haze is still far away.

Besides the research value in better understanding storm behavior, monitoring the storm is also important for Mars rover operations. If the storm were to go global, the Opportunity rover would be affected most. More dust in the air or falling onto its solar panels would reduce the solar-powered rover's energy supply for daily operations. Curiosity is powered by a radioisotope thermoelectric generator, rather than solar cells. The main effects of increased dust in the air at its site would be haze in images and increased air temperature.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1395
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 11/22/2012 03:46 am
What Did Curiosity Find On Mars? | Exclusive Video

Published on Nov 21, 2012 by VideoFromSpace

Mission scientist for the Mars Science Laboratory, Dr. John Grotzinger, talks to SPACE.com about how the instrumentation on the rover made the find that he calls "one for the history books". Results to be announced early December.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64hvqhgbaLw
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Don2 on 11/22/2012 05:52 am
If NASA has any brains, they'll shoot down the rumors about organics if they are not true. There is no point letting this get any traction if there is nothing in it.

It wouldn't surprise me if this science result has something to do with the isotope ratios of the gases evolved on heating. Things like carbonates are going to decompose, and if the isotope ratios in the gases are significantly different from the existing atmosphere then that would probably be a very interesting result. It would tell you something about the past atmospheric composition.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: 8900 on 11/22/2012 10:38 am
I guess the great announcement has something to do with this
(http://cdn.zmescience.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/curiosity-plastic.gif)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 11/23/2012 06:48 pm
Did I lose all my NASA notification emails, or did they stop streaming weekly teleconferences?
Are they thnking about best way to inform us about the new discovery?
Or will they just announce that they maybe found some maybe mineral which maybe means that maybe once there was maybe water on mars?...
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: arachnitect on 11/23/2012 07:05 pm
Did I lose all my NASA notification emails, or did they stop streaming weekly teleconferences?
Are they thnking about best way to inform us about the new discovery?
Or will they just announce that they maybe found some maybe mineral which maybe means that maybe once there was maybe water on mars?...

The latest Teleconference was on Nov. 15th (radiation and wind data)

No Telecon this week due to US Thanksgiving holiday

Some new results will apparently be released at the AGU conference in December. There is wild speculation about the nature of those results.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: fthurber on 11/23/2012 10:03 pm
Did I lose all my NASA notification emails, or did they stop streaming weekly teleconferences?
Are they thnking about best way to inform us about the new discovery?
Or will they just announce that they maybe found some maybe mineral which maybe means that maybe once there was maybe water on mars?...

The latest Teleconference was on Nov. 15th (radiation and wind data)

No Telecon this week due to US Thanksgiving holiday

Some new results will apparently be released at the AGU conference in December. There is wild speculation about the nature of those results.

I have to assume that Grotz is dreading that press conference.  There are sure to be reporters there from the pop press who will hound him about supposed earth-shaking SAM results.   They will try to cross examine him about every word he said.  Ugh.

BTW has anyone else noticed that the larger the new organization, the lamer the questions at these press conferences?  The best questions are asked by Eric Hand of Nature and Emily Lakdawalla of TPS while the dumbed-down question come from the major news orgs....
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Mader Levap on 11/24/2012 09:29 am
I have to assume that Grotz is dreading that press conference.  There are sure to be reporters there from the pop press who will hound him about supposed earth-shaking SAM results.   They will try to cross examine him about every word he said.  Ugh.
He had it coming. Should be more careful with words.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: fthurber on 11/24/2012 02:15 pm
I have to assume that Grotz is dreading that press conference.  There are sure to be reporters there from the pop press who will hound him about supposed earth-shaking SAM results.   They will try to cross examine him about every word he said.  Ugh.
He had it coming. Should be more careful with words.

Personally I cannot blame him.  You have to remember that he is a scientist not a PR professional such as a press secretary.   He has better things to do than carefully craft bland press announcements.  Would you rather listen to a press secretary than a scientist?

Considering that he has a full-time, demanding position chief scientist of MSL, I think he does a great job dealing with the press.


Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: RigelFive on 11/24/2012 02:55 pm
Have no idea what this news will be about... If the rumor given was a hint presented as something that is "for the history books".  Hope it is simply some new evidence that give dating on the Mars terrain (oldest rocks ever sampled in the solar system).  If this news goes astrobiological, precedence says there will be too much controversy.

What is the impact of something dated older than the Earth/Moon???
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: rdale on 11/24/2012 03:06 pm
What is the impact of something dated older than the Earth/Moon???

Big.

However pondering that probably gets a little too far outside of what you can classify as a "MSL Update"  8)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: RigelFive on 11/24/2012 04:12 pm
No no no.  I tried talking about this stuff on one of those non-update threads.  Somebody said the conversation was on this thread.  This news is so big, it gives you a special dispensation to eminate conjecture on update threads... (Builds the suspense)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: meekGee on 11/24/2012 04:47 pm
I have to assume that Grotz is dreading that press conference.  There are sure to be reporters there from the pop press who will hound him about supposed earth-shaking SAM results.   They will try to cross examine him about every word he said.  Ugh.
He had it coming. Should be more careful with words.

If you read the transcript, you see that it is very highly edited, and does thing like associate Grotzinger's "it" with some non-Grotzinger content.

This is also how you make an exciting trailer for a boring movie.

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 11/24/2012 05:50 pm
I have to assume that Grotz is dreading that press conference.  There are sure to be reporters there from the pop press who will hound him about supposed earth-shaking SAM results.   They will try to cross examine him about every word he said.  Ugh.
He had it coming. Should be more careful with words.

If you read the transcript, you see that it is very highly edited, and does thing like associate Grotzinger's "it" with some non-Grotzinger content.

This is also how you make an exciting trailer for a boring movie.



Just hope it isn't too boring!

Not too bad an article by newspaper standards speculating on what could be announced.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/across-the-universe/2012/nov/23/curiosity-rover-life-mars
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: fthurber on 11/25/2012 11:00 pm

Just hope it isn't too boring!


It is probably quite interesting to geologists but boring / incomprehensible to the public.  My bet is on something like carbonates with an unusual C13/C12 ratio.  Maybe PAHs or phyllosilicates. 

As we all know, PAHs are "organic" but not necessarily biological, actually almost certainly not biological in this case.

The clues are skimpy;  all we have are as follows:
1) It was found in loose, wind-borne soil; not a place where complex organics are likely to survive.
2) It was detected by SAM, but SAM has a large array of detectors for various chemicals.
3) It did not show up in the first ChemMin run which means it was part of the amorphous component.  I had assumed that this was volcanic glass, but maybe there is something else mixed in.  Can ChemMin detect carbonates or phyllosicates?
4) Neil deGrasse Tyson was dancing in the halls.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 11/26/2012 01:17 am
3) It did not show up in the first ChemMin run which means it was part of the amorphous component.
I wouldn't assume this. It's quite possible Chemin saw some hints of interesting stuff that wasn't mentioned in the press conference because they didn't have a solid interpretation ("wow that looks like **** but it's right at the detection limit" etc.) Also worth noting they have done many Chemcam and some APXS measurements of the same material, without any comment on the results.
Quote
Can ChemMin detect carbonates or phyllosicates?
Yes. See http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11214-012-9905-1/fulltext.html

As a reminder, MSL instrument description papers are currently open access here: http://link.springer.com/journal/11214/170/1/page/1

However, after re-reading the original NPR transcript, I'm not convinced there is any specific "big news" at all. For the NPR reporter, the "big news" was mainly a hook to hang his story on, and I suspect Grotzinger would have been more circumspect if he actually saw something really big.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: fthurber on 11/26/2012 12:54 pm
3) It did not show up in the first ChemMin run which means it was part of the amorphous component.
I wouldn't assume this. It's quite possible Chemin saw some hints of interesting stuff that wasn't mentioned in the press conference because they didn't have a solid interpretation ("wow that looks like **** but it's right at the detection limit" etc.) Also worth noting they have done many Chemcam and some APXS measurements of the same material, without any comment on the results.
Quote
Can ChemMin detect carbonates or phyllosicates?
Yes. See http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11214-012-9905-1/fulltext.html

As a reminder, MSL instrument description papers are currently open access here: http://link.springer.com/journal/11214/170/1/page/1


Good point; there were indeed multiple runs of ChemMin that I found a bit curious at the time.  APXS also.   Interesting.

Thanks for the ChemMin link; great reading.  As with everything about MSL, the more I look into it, the more amazing it seems.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 11/26/2012 05:00 pm
3) It did not show up in the first ChemMin run which means it was part of the amorphous component.
I wouldn't assume this. It's quite possible Chemin saw some hints of interesting stuff that wasn't mentioned in the press conference because they didn't have a solid interpretation ("wow that looks like **** but it's right at the detection limit" etc.) Also worth noting they have done many Chemcam and some APXS measurements of the same material, without any comment on the results.
Quote
Can ChemMin detect carbonates or phyllosicates?
Yes. See http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11214-012-9905-1/fulltext.html

As a reminder, MSL instrument description papers are currently open access here: http://link.springer.com/journal/11214/170/1/page/1

However, after re-reading the original NPR transcript, I'm not convinced there is any specific "big news" at all. For the NPR reporter, the "big news" was mainly a hook to hang his story on, and I suspect Grotzinger would have been more circumspect if he actually saw something really big.

It doesn't matter if that is the case or not because if nothing much is announced there will be only organisation getting the blame by the public and you can bet it will not be the press.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 11/27/2012 11:24 pm
11.27.2012
Regional Dust Storm Dissipating

PASADENA, Calif. -- A regional dust storm on Mars, tracked from orbit since Nov. 10, appears to be abating rather than going global.
"During the past week, the regional storm weakened and contracted significantly," said Bruce Cantor of Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego. Cantor uses the Mars Color Imager camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter to monitor storms on the Red Planet.

Effects of the storm on global air-pressure patterns have been detected at ground level by the Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS) on NASA's Mars rover Curiosity.

"We are getting lots of good data about this storm," said Mark Richardson of Ashima Research, Pasadena, Calif. He is a co-investigator both on REMS and on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's Mars Climate Sounder instrument, which has been detecting widespread effects of the current storm on atmospheric temperatures.

Researchers anticipate that the unprecedented combination of a near-equatorial weather station at ground level, and daily orbital observations during Mars' dust-storm season, may provide information about why some dust storms grow larger than others.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1397
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: anonymous on 11/28/2012 12:21 pm
According to Mashable, the big Curiosity discovery is a big misunderstanding:

http://mashable.com/2012/11/27/curiosity-rover-discovery-npr/
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Ares67 on 11/28/2012 12:39 pm
According to Mashable, the big Curiosity discovery is a big misunderstanding:

http://mashable.com/2012/11/27/curiosity-rover-discovery-npr/

"A big misunderstanding?"

So, Mr. Grotzinger, next time you should remember:

IN SPACE NO ONE CAN HEAR YOU SCREAM

... but down here at NSF we are all ears - especially regarding alien life forms on Mars!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCyIdRFGQgw

 ;)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Keeval on 11/28/2012 07:26 pm

Apparently several italian news sources are quoting Charles Elachi, director of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (who is currently at a conference at the University Sapienza of Rome) as saying:

 
Quote
that the data is still preliminary, to be verified, but Curiosity may have discovered "organic molecules, not biological."

One of the articles http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.repubblica.it%2Fscienze%2F2012%2F11%2F28%2Fnews%2Fcuriosity_marte_forse_trovati_precursori_vita-47602504%2F%3Fref%3DHRER2-1 (http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.repubblica.it%2Fscienze%2F2012%2F11%2F28%2Fnews%2Fcuriosity_marte_forse_trovati_precursori_vita-47602504%2F%3Fref%3DHRER2-1)

I can't find any other sources for this though.


Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: rdale on 11/28/2012 07:39 pm
English comments made off the record, translated to Italian, and then back to English probably don't have too much backing :)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: meekGee on 11/28/2012 08:21 pm
What could have significance, since this is top-layer sand, is if they find molecules of a type and in a concentration that implies they are currently being produced.   Doesn't have to be biological, but will indicate more processes at play.

Would, could, should - we'll find out next week.  And in the coming couple of years.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Norm38 on 11/29/2012 04:43 pm
I was sent this by a former co-worker.  Looks like NBC News decided to join in on the hype last night.  It's mostly a puff piece, nothing new to report.  But strange they decided to fixate on this after it was already walked back and go the "life on mars?" route.
http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/50002282/#50002282

The JPL guy interviewed made it sound like the announcement most likely would be about the detection of organics.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: fthurber on 11/29/2012 05:45 pm
3) It did not show up in the first ChemMin run which means it was part of the amorphous component.
I wouldn't assume this. It's quite possible Chemin saw some hints of interesting stuff that wasn't mentioned in the press conference because they didn't have a solid interpretation ("wow that looks like **** but it's right at the detection limit" etc.) Also worth noting they have done many Chemcam and some APXS measurements of the same material, without any comment on the results.
Quote
Can ChemMin detect carbonates or phyllosicates?
Yes. See http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11214-012-9905-1/fulltext.html


I am working through the ChemMin and SAM technical specs now and, yes indeed, ChemMin (and SAM) can detect phyllosilicates (clays).  Clays are not well crystallized so, if I am reading it right, their diffraction patterns have broadened peak making detection a little more difficult than fully-crystallized minerals.  Statistical methods might have to be used to match the diffraction pattern of some clays or clay mixes. This might explain the multiple runs with ChemMin and exclusion of any mention of clays from the initial announcement.


A followup with SAM and the APXS might have been needed to nail down the clay identification.

Of course this is just speculation.  It is probably something entirely different such as some sort of evaporate, carbonates, PAHs, etc.

PAH's would certainly be in line with what Dr. Elachi noted about non-biological organics as would racemic organics.


Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 11/29/2012 05:55 pm
I was sent this by a former co-worker.  Looks like NBC News decided to join in on the hype last night.  It's mostly a puff piece, nothing new to report.  But strange they decided to fixate on this after it was already walked back and go the "life on mars?" route.
http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/50002282/#50002282

The JPL guy interviewed made it sound like the announcement most likely would be about the detection of organics.


Not according to this new press release from the JPL.

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/m/news/index.cfm?release=2012-377

Quote
Rumors and speculation that there are major new findings from the mission at this early stage are incorrect. The news conference will be an update about first use of the rover's full array of analytical instruments to investigate a drift of sandy soil. One class of substances Curiosity is checking for is organic compounds -- carbon-containing chemicals that can be ingredients for life. At this point in the mission, the instruments on the rover have not detected any definitive evidence of Martian organics.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: fthurber on 11/29/2012 05:59 pm
Right from JPL:

"At this point in the mission, the instruments on the rover have not detected any definitive evidence of Martian organics."

So much for PAHs...
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 11/29/2012 06:04 pm
Right from JPL:

"At this point in the mission, the instruments on the rover have not detected any definitive evidence of Martian organics."

So much for PAHs...

Yes well so much for all this fuss then.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: stone on 11/29/2012 07:32 pm

Apparently several italian news sources are quoting Charles Elachi, director of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (who is currently at a conference at the University Sapienza of Rome) as saying:

 
Quote
that the data is still preliminary, to be verified, but Curiosity may have discovered "organic molecules, not biological."

One of the articles http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.repubblica.it%2Fscienze%2F2012%2F11%2F28%2Fnews%2Fcuriosity_marte_forse_trovati_precursori_vita-47602504%2F%3Fref%3DHRER2-1 (http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.repubblica.it%2Fscienze%2F2012%2F11%2F28%2Fnews%2Fcuriosity_marte_forse_trovati_precursori_vita-47602504%2F%3Fref%3DHRER2-1)

I can't find any other sources for this though.




Charles Elachi is only a  director of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory so he is not part of the science team. He is a bad source for news. He knows only what anybody can read. So were is the hard facts? The press conference on monday in san francisco will be the first point to go. The AGU session on monday will yield what we want to know.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: StephenB on 11/29/2012 08:11 pm
From a Fox article (http://www.foxnews.com/science/2012/11/29/too-soon-to-declare-life-on-mars-nasa-says/):
Quote
"This is going to be a disappointment," said Chris McKay, a NASA space scientist at Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, Calif. "The press description of the SAM results as 'earthshaking' is, in my view, an unfortunate exaggeration.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Ares67 on 11/29/2012 08:54 pm
Life on Mars... Remember the hype of 1996?  ::)

NASA, with those "Life on Mars" rumors before whatever will be announced in that official press release on Monday... you shot yourself in the foot again!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Hungry4info3 on 11/29/2012 10:17 pm
NASA ... [snip] ... you shot yourself in the foot again!
I was under the impression most of the hype was from outside NASA.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: The Off Topic Sheriff on 11/29/2012 10:39 pm
An off topic alarm went off. Trimmed. Keep on the thread title of updates.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 11/29/2012 11:46 pm
Totally ON-TOPIC:

11.29.2012

Source: Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Update Set In San Francisco About Curiosity Mars Rover

PASADENA, Calif. -- The next news conference about the NASA Mars rover Curiosity will be held at 9 a.m. Monday, Dec. 3, in San Francisco at the Fall Meeting of the American Geophysical Union (AGU).
Rumors and speculation that there are major new findings from the mission at this early stage are incorrect. The news conference will be an update about first use of the rover's full array of analytical instruments to investigate a drift of sandy soil. One class of substances Curiosity is checking for is organic compounds -- carbon-containing chemicals that can be ingredients for life. At this point in the mission, the instruments on the rover have not detected any definitive evidence of Martian organics.

The Mars Science Laboratory Project and its Curiosity rover are less than four months into a two-year prime mission to investigate whether conditions in Mars' Gale Crater may have been favorable for microbial life. Curiosity is exceeding all expectations for a new mission with all of the instruments and measurement systems performing well. This is spectacular for such a complex system, and one that is operated so far away on Mars by people here on planet Earth. The mission already has found an ancient riverbed on the Red Planet, and there is every expectation for remarkable discoveries still to come.

Audio and visuals from the briefing also will be streamed online at: http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl .


http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1398

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 11/30/2012 04:17 am
back to normal status reports:

Curiosity Roves Again

Published on Nov 29, 2012 by JPLnews

After spending six weeks doing science investigations at Rocknest, NASA's Curiosity Mars rover is on the move again to Point Lake and a place to try out the drill.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QApb9l2JAbQ
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 11/30/2012 07:19 am
The MER pages have odometry and sol stats.  Are similar stats being recorded online for Curosity?  I have not seen any.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: iamlucky13 on 11/30/2012 11:59 pm
The MER pages have odometry and sol stats.  Are similar stats being recorded online for Curosity?  I have not seen any.

I sent an email a couple weeks ago suggesting odometry would be a nice addition, along with a few other stats if possible. No response, but we'll see if they find the time to throw in some fun bits like that.

There's a couple threads over on UMSF related to odometry. I hope Chris doesn't mind me linking to them:
http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?showtopic=7457
http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?showtopic=7442&st=75&start=75

Also, if you really, really want a sense of where the rover has traveled so far, you MUST try out the "Explore Curiosity" flash widget on the MSL homepage.

Unfortunately, the terrain is not filled in with detail from the MSL imagery, and robotic arm operations are not included, but the topology is pretty high resolution, and you can go back to Sol 1 and let it play through the drives so far. You can spin around the rover in 3-D and admire the highly detailed model. The suspension even actuates as it rolls over the terrain.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 12/01/2012 12:55 am
Thanks for that, I am glad I am not the only one who misses that data!

I have been using the Google Earth files from UMSF to work out the odometry but they are 1) rough and 2) going to be increasingly tedious as the distance increases.

So far I calculate Curiosity as having averaged about 4 m per sol, compared with 11 m per sol for Oppotunity and 4 m per sol for Spirit (not including the time bogged from May 2009 to end of mission).
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: fthurber on 12/01/2012 11:03 pm
NASA ... [snip] ... you shot yourself in the foot again!
I was under the impression most of the hype was from outside NASA.

Exactly.  NASA was not behind the hype; it was the press and over-eager bloggers.

BTW it looks like there was another SAM run of the wind ripple sand on Sol 114.  Apparently this is to solidify their SAM findings before the AGU (and the press conference) on Monday.  So whatever they found it will be of great interest to planetary geologists but not so much to the jaded public.  Interesting Isotopes or carbonates or clays etc....maybe.

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Galactic Penguin SST on 12/03/2012 04:05 pm
Hmm after so much hype, now no one is watching the ultimate briefing?  ;)

ustream.tv/nasajpl  (http://ustream.tv/nasajpl)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Galactic Penguin SST on 12/03/2012 04:10 pm
Apparently Curiosity found perchlorate....

"We picked the right place; we landed on an ancient riverbed." - Michael Meyer
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: iamlucky13 on 12/03/2012 04:19 pm
Hmm after so much hype, now no one is watching the ultimate briefing?  ;)

ustream.tv/nasajpl  (http://ustream.tv/nasajpl)

I just jumped in a little late. As forecast once the rumors died down, they're excited about running both SAM and ChemMin for the first time, and sharing the results. Some discussion of APXS, too.

They were going for "ordinary" Martian samples for the first samples so they could compare to results from other missions. Their sample looks exactly like what they were going for.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: iamlucky13 on 12/03/2012 04:25 pm
Lots of details being shared. I am not going to be able to keep up.

First screen is the bulk gasses from the first SAM run. Decent amount of water vapor.

Second screen is deuterium to hydrogen ratio. Past measurements from earth suggested seasonal variation of D-H. SAM shows high deuterium ratio compared to earth.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: iamlucky13 on 12/03/2012 04:28 pm
And some talk about possible perchlorates based on the gases evolved. Not confirmed, but they would expect these SAM findings if there were some perchlorates breaking down in the sample.

Some talk about having found simple organic compounds and are trying to confirm they're from the sample, not MSL contamination. I missed the first mention of it.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 12/03/2012 04:28 pm
JPL press release.

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/m/news/index.cfm?release=2012-380
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: iamlucky13 on 12/03/2012 04:34 pm
Grotzinger is tying the results of each instrument together. Again...I couldn't keep up enough to reasonably summarize what he's saying (I have to keep up the illusion that I'm working, too).

I thought it interesting, however, how he's also linking DAN, RAD, and REMS to the work done by APXS, ChemCam, ChemMin, and SAM. These environmental instruments provide the context in which these samples lie...they know for the first time, for example, the radiation exposure of their sample at location it was taken, rather than as global averages, which affects the formation and breakdown of various compounds in the soil.


(EDIT - A couple minor edits for clarification)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: iamlucky13 on 12/03/2012 04:48 pm
Grotzinger closed by saying the process is not going to be sudden discovery, but gradual, careful, systematic collection and analysis of data.

Now moving to questions.

Q: How do we find out if the organics are Martian or not?

A: Grotzinger - Paul will answer, but for starters, there's some uncertainty we tried to eliminate by making sure the instrument is working right, and eliminate contamination. Brought up possibility of also being from meteors, not just from MSL. If confirmed Martian, next question is abiotic or biotic.
A: Paul Mahaffy - Can use the organic check sample if serious concern to compare for residuals that don't show up in the blank (if something shows up in the blank that should not be there, it's contamination). Before that, though, they do several empty runs.


Q (Emily L - Planetary Society) - Can determine if the compounds, especially chlorinated compounds, were in the soil, or formed as a result of sample handling, heating, etc?

A: Paul - Possible, or likely the heating formed the compounds detected
(My addition - would imply they know the elements present, but need to figure out what they came from)


Q: What does the high deuterium ratio and the presence of perchlorates mean?

A: Paul - Seeing not just heavy hydrogen, but also carbon, oxygen, and expecting to find heavy nitrogen, elevated too. Lighter isotopes are lost to space more easily, so this is expected. Biological processes would concentrate lighter isotopes, however, so precise ratio is interesting.

Perchlorates still unconfirmed. Oxygen and chlorine evolved, possible from calcium perchlorate.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: iamlucky13 on 12/03/2012 05:02 pm
Q (Joe Palka, NPR) - Do we think the chlorine came from perchlorate salts when heated?

A (Paul) - Unconfirmed, but likely. Came out at the right time in the heating process.


Q (Rob Reynolds, Al Jazeera) - In laymans terms, what is the most important or unexpected finding so far, and 2nd what does the recent hype say about the level of interest from laymen?

A (Grotzinger) - I guess I'll take that one (audience laughs). For the second part of the Q, I guess we have to be careful what we say. Things that we think are great discoveries, but they aren't that interesting publicly. Interest comes after we have a clear understanding what we found (very, very poor paraphrase on my part)

A (Michael Meyer) - Spectacular that we found we landed on an ancient riverbed.


Q (I missed the exact question)

A (Grotzinger) - Spectacular data return. When you get your first sample, and it's working, you get really excited. When you get second sample, and consistent results, then we're really doing science.


Q - If the organics are from Mars, how do you tell if biotic?

A (Paul) - Carbon isotopes especially. Filter out geologic and meteor ratios (meteors bring material to Mars should show same ratios as meteors studied on earth).

Q - (missed the question)

A (Grotzinger) - Lots of popular focus on water, not a lot on other necessities of life. Chemistry-wise, organics are being found common in the solar system (references Messenger's recent Mercury findings). Now seeing hints of energy bearing compounds (perchlorates).

Q (Kelly Beedy, Sky and Telescope) - Are the methane compounds indigenous. What are implications of 5x D-H ratio compared to earth.

A (Paul) - Probably the methane compounds (methyl chlorine) formed in SAM. Probably not, for example, from UV reactions.

Lighter hydrogen more rapidly escapes to space than deuterium. What will be interesting is looking for REALLY old trapped water (hydrates), if that water has lower D-H ratio, good reference to determine escape rate.


(EDIT - added a few more details that from memory were mentioned on the question about necessities for life)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: iamlucky13 on 12/03/2012 05:13 pm
Q (Dan Simon, CNN) - People love photographs. What have you learned from the photos. Process of getting back to earth, and timeline.

A (Ken Edgett) - Magic of radio. 17 cameras. 4 of them are color. These images go on the website immediately, faster than even I get to see them, unprocessed. Do some processing for important images.

A (Paul) - Adds they use satellites, have bandwidth constraints


Q (no name) - If these are just carbonates, that's not exciting, what else do you look for?

A (Paul) - If we do this on earth, we see huge variety of compounds. On Mars, we're seeing simpler results. We're looking to see what they are. If life is involved, we expected lots of variety in the organics we find.


Q - We see clay and calcium oxide in the results, plus CO2 gas. Could this come from calcium carbonate (limestone)?

A (Paul) - No, the CO2 probably does not come from calcium carbonate. Evolves at too low temperature. Maybe from iron or mag-carbonate


Q (San Fran Chronicle) - Do either SAM or ChemMin detect chirality? If not, is that significant?

A (Paul) - No, not with these compounds. It's for a broad chemical survey. For nitriles, we can do chirality.* Wet chemistry experiments better for that.
(* Really specific detail. I think I heard that right, but don't quote me on it without confirming elsewhere)


Q (Tim Olsen, Earth Mag) - Future stops and sampling?

A (Grotzinger) - (References named future stops.) Will use ChemCam. Undecided on contact operations over the next couple days. Want to keep moving to find a target for first drill ops before the holidays.


 - End of presentation -
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 12/03/2012 05:19 pm
Thanks for doing that.

Sounds both interesting and promising for what results we may get in the future. Glad to see Grotzinger addressed about the press fuss due to his comment from earlier on.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jumpjack on 12/03/2012 05:37 pm
Where could I download the conference from? My connection broke up in the crucial moments of Grotzinger's replies!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 12/03/2012 06:58 pm


 - End of presentation -

Thanks!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 12/03/2012 07:58 pm
Where could I download the conference from? My connection broke up in the crucial moments of Grotzinger's replies!
As usual, the press conference is archived on JPLs ustream channel: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/27478475
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 12/04/2012 01:05 am
NASA | Curiosity Rover Shakes, Bakes, and Tastes Mars with SAM

Published on Dec 3, 2012 by NASAexplorer
NASA's Curiosity rover analyzed its first solid sample of Mars with a variety of instruments, including the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument suite. Developed at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., SAM is a portable chemistry lab tucked inside the Curiosity rover. SAM examines the chemistry of samples it ingests, checking particularly for chemistry relevant to whether an environment can support or could have supported life. Learn more about how SAM processes samples by watching this video!

This video is public domain and can be downloaded at http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a020000/a020100/a020193/index.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXaa4_02Edw
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 12/04/2012 01:30 am
and now for something entirely different !!!

Feature                                                                    Dec. 3, 2012

NASA's Curiosity Rover Wants Your Vote

   TIME magazine has nominated NASA's most technologically advanced rover yet as one of its nearly 40 candidates for the "Person of the Year" designation. Describing the sole robotic nominee as the "best car in the solar system" that captured the attention of millions when it completed a fraught landing sequence with seamless grace, TIME is giving readers a chance to cast their vote for the venerable spacecraft.

Visit the TIME poll to cast your vote before 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 12. The people's choice winner will be announced on Dec. 14.

A real-time ranking of all the nominees, including Curiosity, is available at http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2128881_2129111_2129112,00.html.

For more information about Curiosity and other Mars missions, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/mars .

You can follow the mission on Facebook and Twitter at: http://www.facebook.com/marscuriosity and http://www.twitter.com/marscuriosity .

- end -
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Lee Jay on 12/04/2012 03:05 am
A real-time ranking of all the nominees, including Curiosity, is available at http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2128881_2129111_2129112,00.html (http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2128881_2129111_2129112,00.html).

It warms my heart to see Karl Rove dead last.

The best car in the solar system, huh?  4 cm/s top speed, wasn't it?  Hmmm...I would call it the best accessorized car in the solar system, and certainly I'd give it tops for most unusual power plant and coolest car-carrier delivery truck, but I don't think I'd want to drive it to work.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: stone on 12/04/2012 06:01 am
I like the chloromethane derivates discovered. Curiosity is delivering the exact same results than Viking. Viking sampled a surface-sand and they found chloromethane and dichloromethane. They published that they came to the conclusion that is was from cleaning solvents they used. I think we should rethink that. I think they did the same experiment like curiosity and they got the same results.

If SAM gets a better sample they will find something different. Sand dune sand was choosen, because it was the material to be most likely free of organics.


Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 12/04/2012 10:12 am
I like the chloromethane derivates discovered. Curiosity is delivering the exact same results than Viking. Viking sampled a surface-sand and they found chloromethane and dichloromethane. They published that they came to the conclusion that is was from cleaning solvents they used. I think we should rethink that. I think they did the same experiment like curiosity and they got the same results.

If SAM gets a better sample they will find something different. Sand dune sand was choosen, because it was the material to be most likely free of organics.


It is is not contamination one possible explanation is that perchlorates (detected here and at the Phoenix site) in the soil are reacting with organics to produce chlorinated methane compounds.  There is a chemical decomposition mode for SAM that should detect organics without heating.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: kevin-rf on 12/04/2012 12:26 pm
A real-time ranking of all the nominees, including Curiosity, is available at http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2128881_2129111_2129112,00.html (http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2128881_2129111_2129112,00.html).

It warms my heart to see Karl Rove dead last.

The best car in the solar system, huh?  4 cm/s top speed, wasn't it?  Hmmm...I would call it the best accessorized car in the solar system, and certainly I'd give it tops for most unusual power plant and coolest car-carrier delivery truck, but I don't think I'd want to drive it to work.

You do realize that North Korea's Kim Jong Un is currently in first place.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: notsorandom on 12/04/2012 01:04 pm
A real-time ranking of all the nominees, including Curiosity, is available at http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2128881_2129111_2129112,00.html (http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2128881_2129111_2129112,00.html).

It warms my heart to see Karl Rove dead last.

The best car in the solar system, huh?  4 cm/s top speed, wasn't it?  Hmmm...I would call it the best accessorized car in the solar system, and certainly I'd give it tops for most unusual power plant and coolest car-carrier delivery truck, but I don't think I'd want to drive it to work.

You do realize that North Korea's Kim Jong Un is currently in first place.
With an order of magnitude more positive votes than the next highest. Perhaps a certain Southeast Asian country may be stuffing the ballot box.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: fthurber on 12/04/2012 03:43 pm
Why no discussion of potential iron or mag-carbonates?  I would think that this is fairly significant.  There seems to be a carbonate mystery on Mars; i.e. where is it?  Does this help address that question?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: meekGee on 12/04/2012 04:31 pm
A real-time ranking of all the nominees, including Curiosity, is available at http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2128881_2129111_2129112,00.html (http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2128881_2129111_2129112,00.html).

It warms my heart to see Karl Rove dead last.

The best car in the solar system, huh?  4 cm/s top speed, wasn't it?  Hmmm...I would call it the best accessorized car in the solar system, and certainly I'd give it tops for most unusual power plant and coolest car-carrier delivery truck, but I don't think I'd want to drive it to work.

You do realize that North Korea's Kim Jong Un is currently in first place.
With an order of magnitude more positive votes than the next highest. Perhaps a certain Southeast Asian country may be stuffing the ballot box.

I suggest a Kim Jong Un thread, or even better, a full section.  With unicorns!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: iamlucky13 on 12/04/2012 04:33 pm
I like the chloromethane derivates discovered. Curiosity is delivering the exact same results than Viking. Viking sampled a surface-sand and they found chloromethane and dichloromethane. They published that they came to the conclusion that is was from cleaning solvents they used. I think we should rethink that. I think they did the same experiment like curiosity and they got the same results.

If SAM gets a better sample they will find something different. Sand dune sand was choosen, because it was the material to be most likely free of organics.


It is is not contamination one possible explanation is that perchlorates (detected here and at the Phoenix site) in the soil are reacting with organics to produce chlorinated methane compounds.  There is a chemical decomposition mode for SAM that should detect organics without heating.

FYI, that's what was being referred to in this question from the presentation (I should have written "methane compounds") - perchlorates reacting with the carbon in the sample on heating to produce chloromethanes:

Quote
Q (Emily L - Planetary Society) - Can determine if the compounds, especially chlorinated compounds, were in the soil, or formed as a result of sample handling, heating, etc?

A: Paul - Possible, or likely the heating formed the compounds detected
(My addition - would imply they know the elements present, but need to figure out what they came from)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Danderman on 12/04/2012 04:47 pm
There is now a special thread for discussing scientific results HERE:


http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=30520.0

Discussion of the science in that thread will keep this thread available for updates and news.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: fthurber on 12/04/2012 04:51 pm
I like the chloromethane derivates discovered. Curiosity is delivering the exact same results than Viking. Viking sampled a surface-sand and they found chloromethane and dichloromethane. They published that they came to the conclusion that is was from cleaning solvents they used. I think we should rethink that. I think they did the same experiment like curiosity and they got the same results.

Did all three SAM runs get the same amount of chlorinated methane?  If so, that would seem to argue against earthly contamination as the source of methane, right?  Rather it would seem to argue for some sort of chemical reaction between CO2 or carbonates plus H2O with perchlorates when heated, maybe...
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: stone on 12/05/2012 01:18 am
The MTBSTFA they took with them might be the source for the organics. I can not remember if they showed all three runs separatly, but if they had a good clue where the carbon comes from they would have reported in the science session.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Lobo on 12/05/2012 11:49 pm
It warms my heart to see Karl Rove dead last.


It warms my Heart more that Axelrod didn't even make the list...heheheh
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 12/06/2012 01:09 am
12.05.2012
Source: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Orbiter Spies Where Rover's Cruise Stage Hit Mars

During the 10 minutes before the NASA Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft entered the Martian atmosphere to deliver the rover Curiosity to the surface, the spacecraft shed its cruise stage, which had performed vital functions during the flight from Earth, and then jettisoned two 165-pound (75-kilogram) blocks of tungsten to gain aerodynamic lift.
Cameras on the NASA Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter have imaged impact scars where the tungsten blocks and the broken-apart cruise stage hit about 50 miles (80 kilometers) west of where Curiosity landed on Aug. 5, 2012, PDT (Aug. 6, UTC).

The images from the orbiter's High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera are online at http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA16456 .

Although hundreds of new impact sites have been imaged on Mars, researchers do not get independent information about the initial size, velocity, density, strength, or impact angle of the objects. For the Mars Science Laboratory hardware, such information is known, so study of this impact field will provide information on impact processes and Mars surface and atmospheric properties.

The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has been examining Mars with six science instruments since 2006. Now in an extended mission, the orbiter continues to provide insights about the planet's ancient environments and about how processes such as wind, meteorite impacts and seasonal frosts are continuing to affect the Martian surface today. This mission has returned more data about Mars than all other orbital and surface missions combined.

More than 27,000 images taken by HiRISE are available for viewing on the instrument team's website: http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu . Each observation by this telescopic camera covers several square miles, or square kilometers, and can reveal features as small as a desk.

HiRISE is operated by the University of Arizona, Tucson. The instrument was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colo. The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter project is managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology, also in Pasadena. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, built the


http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1402
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 12/08/2012 03:03 am
Curiosity Rover Report (Dec. 7, 2012): Rover Results at Rocknest

Published on Dec 7, 2012 by JPLnews
NASA's Curiosity Mars rover team wraps up its scientific study at Rocknest.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvrw486cFsI

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 12/12/2012 12:03 am
12.11.2012
Self-Portrait of Curiosity's 'Stunt Double' 

Camera and robotic-arm maneuvers for taking a self-portrait of the NASA Curiosity rover on Mars were checked first, at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., using the main test rover for the Curiosity.

The Vehicle System Test Bed rover is the closest double in existence for Curiosity. The rover team typically uses this test rover at JPL to try new maneuvers before sending commands for those maneuvers to Curiosity. This self-portrait of the Vehicle System Test Bed rover inside JPL's In Situ Instrument Laboratory resulted from doing that pre-testing of the commands for Curiosity's self-portrait, which is online at http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA16457 .

Curiosity used its Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) camera, mounted on a turret at the end of its arm, for the self-portrait. The test rover used an engineering model of MAHLI. The rover's arm, about 7 feet (2.1 meters) long, does not appear in the image. It was positioned out of the shot in the images or portions of images used in the mosaic.

Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego, developed, built and operates MAHLI and the MAHLI engineering model. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project and the mission's Curiosity rover for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. Curiosity and the mission's Vehicle System Test Bed rover were designed and built at JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.
 
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/images/?ImageID=4935

http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA16457
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Norm38 on 12/14/2012 02:48 pm
I found this nice Sol 125 navcam pano over on unmannedspaceflight.com, and I'm surprised no one has been mentioning these images.
http://www.db-prods.net/marsroversimages/Curiosity/2012/Sol125_pano.jpg

Look at how much darker the sky is on the left flank of Mount Sharp than elsewhere.  Is that a dust storm?  I've been really surprised at how dynamic and noticeable the changes in weather have been.  The MER rovers observed weather changes, but I don't recall MER images of dust clouds rolling in like this, cutting visibility in only one region of the sky.

There probably were and I missed them, but weather here does seem more active.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Hungry4info3 on 12/14/2012 04:34 pm
Is that a dust storm?  I've been really surprised at how dynamic and noticeable the changes in weather have been.  The MER rovers observed weather changes, but I don't recall MER images of dust clouds rolling in like this, cutting visibility in only one region of the sky.
I don't believe it's a dust storm. The scattering properties of the air are a lot different than what we're used to on Earth since the Martian air has larger scattering particles in it (dust). The Martian sky is not a pure result of Rayleigh scattering, so, unlike Earth, the sky won't be one brightness all around a certain elevation. There's forward scattering from dust to illuminate the sky in roughly the sun's direction, and backscattering off dust (or reflection if you will) to illuminate the sky in the opposite direction. In the middle, these effects are weaker.

At least that's how I understand it. I could be wrong, and if so, please correct me.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Norm38 on 12/16/2012 09:47 pm
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=29703.0;attach=485042

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00129/mhli/0129MH0075001001E1_DXXX.jpg

Are these gypsum veins running through the cracks in the sandstone?
Or a salt?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 12/19/2012 10:06 pm
12.18.2012
Curiosity Rover Explores 'Yellowknife Bay'

PASADENA, Calif. -- The NASA Mars rover Curiosity this week is driving within a shallow depression called "Yellowknife Bay," providing information to help researchers choose a rock to drill.
Using Curiosity's percussive drill to collect a sample from the interior of a rock, a feat never before attempted on Mars, is the mission's priority for early 2013. After the powdered-rock sample is sieved and portioned by a sample-processing mechanism on the rover's arm, it will be analyzed by instruments inside Curiosity.

Yellowknife Bay is within a different type of terrain from what the rover has traversed since landing inside Mars' Gale Crater on Aug. 5, PDT (Aug. 6, UTC). The terrain Curiosity has entered is one of three types that intersect at a location dubbed "Glenelg," chosen as an interim destination about two weeks after the landing.

Curiosity reached the lip of a 2-foot (half-meter) descent into Yellowknife Bay with a 46-foot (14-meter) drive on Dec. 11. The next day, a drive of about 86 feet (26.1 meters) brought the rover well inside the basin. The team has been employing the Mast Camera (Mastcam) and the laser-wielding Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) for remote-sensing studies of rocks along the way.

On Dec. 14, Curiosity drove about 108 feet (32.8 meters) to reach rock targets of interest called "Costello" and "Flaherty." Researchers used the Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) and Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) at the end of the rover's arm to examine the targets. After finishing those studies, the rover drove again on Dec. 17, traveling about 18 feet (5.6 meters) farther into Yellowknife Bay. That brings the mission's total driving distance to 0.42 mile (677 meters) since Curiosity's landing.

One additional drive is planned this week before the rover team gets a holiday break. Curiosity will continue studying the Martian environment from its holiday location at the end point of that drive within Yellowknife Bay. The mission's plans for most of 2013 center on driving toward the primary science destination, a 3-mile-high (5-kilometer) layered mound called Mount Sharp.

NASA's Mars Science Laboratory Project is using Curiosity during a two-year prime mission to assess whether areas inside Gale Crater ever offered a habitable environment for microbes. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1405
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 12/22/2012 02:56 am
Curiosity Rover Report (Dec. 21, 2012): Curiosity's Martian Holiday

Published on Dec 21, 2012
Curiosity will spend the holidays at a location on Mars dubbed "Grandma's House."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpeK_V5JLCk
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: JohnFornaro on 12/22/2012 02:43 pm
Great video update.

Take away: Discovery driven planning.

Merry Christmas to the Curiosity team.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: fthurber on 12/25/2012 02:01 am

I have a simple, non-technical question, but it is hard to put it into words.

Remember when MER-B (Opportunity) landed in Eagle Crater?  Remember how excited planetary geologists were by the apparent stratigraphy in the crater's rim?

Where is the excitement now?  There are some simply incredible rocks showing up in the images from Glenelg (unmannedspaceflight.com has some of the best).  If you have not seen these, please take a look; they are stunning.  Are geologist jumping up and down, but we simply do not know about it?  I know I would be dancing in the aisles.

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 12/26/2012 12:21 am

I have a simple, non-technical question, but it is hard to put it into words.

Remember when MER-B (Opportunity) landed in Eagle Crater?  Remember how excited planetary geologists were by the apparent stratigraphy in the crater's rim?

Where is the excitement now?  There are some simply incredible rocks showing up in the images from Glenelg (unmannedspaceflight.com has some of the best).  If you have not seen these, please take a look; they are stunning.  Are geologist jumping up and down, but we simply do not know about it?  I know I would be dancing in the aisles.



Conglomerates on Mars?  Vesicular basalts on Mars? Trachytes on Mars?  More beautiful sandstones?  We certainly are jumping up and down! :D
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: fthurber on 12/26/2012 03:51 am

I have a simple, non-technical question, but it is hard to put it into words.

Remember when MER-B (Opportunity) landed in Eagle Crater?  Remember how excited planetary geologists were by the apparent stratigraphy in the crater's rim?

Where is the excitement now?  There are some simply incredible rocks showing up in the images from Glenelg (unmannedspaceflight.com has some of the best).  If you have not seen these, please take a look; they are stunning.  Are geologist jumping up and down, but we simply do not know about it?  I know I would be dancing in the aisles.



Conglomerates on Mars?  Vesicular basalts on Mars? Trachytes on Mars?  More beautiful sandstones?  We certainly are jumping up and down! :D

It is images like this that are getting me up pretty excited:
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00135/mcam/0135ML0823000000E1_DXXX.jpg
Care to speculate on the white material?  Do we dare hope that it is a carbonate?

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 12/26/2012 07:18 am
It is images like this that are getting me up pretty excited:
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00135/mcam/0135ML0823000000E1_DXXX.jpg
Care to speculate on the white material?  Do we dare hope that it is a carbonate?


It looks like some kind of surface crust, so more probably a sulphate or halite, but we can't rule out carbonate.  There are also a lot veins in some areas with translucent white material which could be either sulphate or carbonate.  http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?rawid=0132MH0163000000R0_DXXX&s=132
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 12/26/2012 11:18 am
First part of the Year In Review features.

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2012/12/yir2012-mars-exploration-dominates-year-redefinition/

By Chris Gebhardt.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 12/28/2012 12:29 am
12.27.2012

NASA Encourages Public To Explore Its Curiosity With New Rover-Themed Badge On Foursquare

WASHINGTON -- NASA and the mobile application Foursquare have teamed up to help the public unlock its scientific curiosity with a new rover-themed Curiosity Explorer badge.
Users of the Foursquare social media platform can earn the badge by following NASA and checking in at a NASA visitor center or venue categorized as a science museum or planetarium. Upon earning the badge, users will see a special message on Foursquare:

"Get out your rock-vaporizing laser! You've explored your scientific curiosities just like NASA's Curiosity rover on Mars. Stay curious and keep exploring. You never know what you'll find."

The launch of the badge follows the October check-in on Mars by NASA's Curiosity rover, which marked the first check-in on another planet. Foursquare users can keep up with Curiosity as the rover checks in at key locations and posts photos and tips, all while exploring the Red Planet.

After landing in Gale Crater in August, Curiosity began a 23-month mission that includes some of Mars' most intriguing science destinations. The mission's main science destination will be Mount Sharp, a mountain about 3 miles (5 kilometers) tall. First, Curiosity is investigating targets on flatter ground near the mountain, seeking clues in the rocks and soil that would indicate whether Mars ever was capable of supporting microbial life. It also is taking pictures of the trip, beaming them back to Earth for all to share.

NASA has been on Foursquare since 2010 through a strategic partnership with the platform. This partnership, launched with astronaut Doug Wheelock's first-ever check-in from the International Space Station, has allowed users to connect with NASA, and enabled them to explore the universe and rediscover Earth.

The partnership launched the now-expired NASA Explorer badge for Foursquare users, which encouraged them to explore NASA-related locations across the country. It also included the launch of a NASA Foursquare page, where the agency continues to provide official tips and information about the nation's space program.

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) manages the Mars Science Laboratory mission and its Curiosity rover for the agency's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The rover was designed, developed and assembled at JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif.

To follow the Mars Curiosity rover and NASA on Foursquare, visit: http://www.foursquare.com/MarsCuriosity and http://www.foursquare.com/NASA


http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1406
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: stone on 12/28/2012 08:52 am
It is images like this that are getting me up pretty excited:
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00135/mcam/0135ML0823000000E1_DXXX.jpg
Care to speculate on the white material?  Do we dare hope that it is a carbonate?


It looks like some kind of surface crust, so more probably a sulphate or halite, but we can't rule out carbonate.  There are also a lot veins in some areas with translucent white material which could be either sulphate or carbonate.  http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?rawid=0132MH0163000000R0_DXXX&s=132


There is good data for the evaporites here on earth. First the less soluable sulfates of calcium and magnesium precipitate, followed by the halides of magnesium and calcium. If the water evaporates 100% the halides of sodium and potassium.

On Mars the situation could be more similar to Atacama desert. There the salt is mostl deposited from the atmosphere and it is dominated by nitrates. Mars might have larger deposits of perchlorates instead of the nitrates. A layer of a few centimeters of perchlorates might have larger implications on the timescale when the last time water was present.

A chemcam LIBS spectrum will show what it is. The Chemmin (Salt crystalls give good signals in the x-ray.) might even the better alternative, but they will be afraid that the salt crust liquifies in the rover and kills the instrument.

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: meekGee on 12/28/2012 05:30 pm
I grumpily wish that PR-only updates would go into a PR-only thread.

PR campaigns are important, but they are not really updates, since nothing new really happened (on Mars).    grump grump grump.   "Rover checks into four-square" my foot wth is the world coming to.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 12/29/2012 12:50 am
I grumpily wish that PR-only updates would go into a PR-only thread.

PR campaigns are important, but they are not really updates, since nothing new really happened (on Mars).    grump grump grump.   "Rover checks into four-square" my foot wth is the world coming to.

I will only post updates from the MSL main page (unless something extraordinary is posted in some accredited webpage).

I honestly don't consider foursquare that important, but I'm thinking of the greater audience out there.

My main goal is the promotion of & interest in space for the greater population. I found this site in my net searches - hopefully others will too.

Anyhow...it's been a great year for MSL and the teams, and so very much looking forward to the new discoveries in 2013.

FORWARD!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 12/29/2012 04:53 am
There is good data for the evaporites here on earth. First the less soluable sulfates of calcium and magnesium precipitate, followed by the halides of magnesium and calcium. If the water evaporates 100% the halides of sodium and potassium.

Generally yes, however a lot depends on both starting composition and the evolutionary pathway the bines follow.

Quote
On Mars the situation could be more similar to Atacama desert. There the salt is mostl deposited from the atmosphere and it is dominated by nitrates. Mars might have larger deposits of perchlorates instead of the nitrates. A layer of a few centimeters of perchlorates might have larger implications on the timescale when the last time water was present.

The salts of the Atacama have complex sources.  The nitrates are atmospheric in origin, while the iodates are from marine salts.  The most common salts are halite, gypsum, anhydrite, thenerdite, and calcite, these come from a combination of runoff, dust deposition, and groundwater discharge.

Quote
A chemcam LIBS spectrum will show what it is. The Chemmin (Salt crystalls give good signals in the x-ray.) might even the better alternative, but they will be afraid that the salt crust liquifies in the rover and kills the instrument.

Indeed, but only XRD will determine the mineral, as sometimes different minerals will have the same chemical composition.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: meekGee on 12/29/2012 04:59 am
I grumpily wish that PR-only updates would go into a PR-only thread.

PR campaigns are important, but they are not really updates, since nothing new really happened (on Mars).    grump grump grump.   "Rover checks into four-square" my foot wth is the world coming to.

I will only post updates from the MSL main page (unless something extraordinary is posted in some accredited webpage).

I honestly don't consider foursquare that important, but I'm thinking of the greater audience out there.

My main goal is the promotion of & interest in space for the greater population. I found this site in my net searches - hopefully others will too.

Anyhow...it's been a great year for MSL and the teams, and so very much looking forward to the new discoveries in 2013.

FORWARD!

I'll live...  and thanks for posting them...   MSL is one exciting mission.  I'm  in total awe of the analysis capability it has, such a large step forward when compared with MERs.  I'm crossing my fingers that it endures.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: fthurber on 12/31/2012 01:32 pm
Remember also that it uses an RTU for power rather than solar so is not susceptible to power loss from dust on the panels, unlike MER.
Actually, getting dust on the RTG radiator does significantly lower its efficiency.

Also if there is substantial dust on the lander then eventually the wind eddies could blow it into undesirable places compared to what you would accumulate over several years with the MERs.

The prime example was dust disabling the MER-B Mini-TES.  At least MALHI has a dust cover but ChemCAM does not.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 01/01/2013 05:00 am
Curiosity's New Year Greeting for Times Square

Published on Dec 31, 2012
JPLNews

New Year's Eve revelers watching giant screens in New York's Times Square saw a special Happy New Year greeting from Mars, which was 206 million miles away as of Dec. 31, 2012. The video is silent and formatted to fit the Times Square screens.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pk7J68MhOoQ
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 01/04/2013 11:54 pm
01.04.2013

Curiosity Rover Explores 'Yellowknife Bay'


PASADENA, Calif. - After imaging during the holidays, NASA's Mars rover Curiosity resumed driving Jan. 3 and pulled within arm's reach of a sinuous rock feature called "Snake River."
Snake River is a thin curving line of darker rock cutting through flatter rocks and jutting above sand. Curiosity's science team plans to get a closer look at it before proceeding to other nearby rocks.

"It's one piece of the puzzle," said the mission's project scientist, John Grotzinger of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. "It has a crosscutting relationship to the surrounding rock and appears to have formed after the deposition of the layer that it transects."

The drive during the mission's 147th Martian day, or sol, on the Red Planet took Curiosity about 10 feet (3 meters) northwestward and brought the mission's total driving distance to 2,303 feet (702 meters). The rover is within a shallow depression called "Yellowknife Bay," which is a flatter and lighter-toned type of terrain from what the mission crossed during its first four months inside Gale Crater.

During a holiday break for the rover team, Curiosity stayed at a location within Yellowknife Bay from which the rover took images of its surroundings. The team is evaluating possible first targets for use of Curiosity's hammering drill in coming weeks. The drill will collect powdered samples from the interior of rocks for analysis by instruments inside the rover.

"We had no surprises over the holidays," said the mission's project manager, Richard Cook of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena. "Now, Curiosity is back on the move. The area the rover is in looks good for our first drilling target."

NASA's Mars Science Laboratory Project is using Curiosity to assess whether areas inside Gale Crater ever offered a habitable environment for microbes. JPL, a division of Caltech, manages the project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1407
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 01/05/2013 04:48 am
Curiosity rover studies rocks and a 'flower' on Mars

By By Alan Boyle,

MSNBChttp://photoblog.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/03/16329185-curiosity-rover-studies-rocks-and-a-flower-on-mars?lite


Quote
I initially suspected that the flower was a tiny shred of plastic from the rover itself. Such a shred popped up in October. At that time, experts at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory surmised that the plastic may have been a bit of wrapping that was knocked loose from the Mars Science Laboratory's descent stage during the spacecraft's August landing. The plastic was thought to have fallen on top of the rover, and then dropped to the ground weeks later.

That's what led me to go with the plastic-scrap hypothesis. However, some of the folks commenting on the pictures noted that the object seemed to be embedded in the rock — which would argue against my hypothesis. So I put in an inquiry with Guy Webster, who serves as JPL's main spokesman for NASA's Mars missions.

A couple of hours later, Webster emailed me the verdict: "That appears to be part of the rock, not debris from the spacecraft."

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: kevin-rf on 01/05/2013 01:56 pm
Reminds me of a gysum flower.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: wjbarnett on 01/05/2013 04:21 pm
Reminds me of a gysum flower.
That's exactly what I was thinking too!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: aero on 01/05/2013 04:51 pm
Some pictures of Gypsum flowers.

https://www.google.com/search?q=gypsum+flower&hl=en&tbo=u&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ei=1mXoUO6pD9OQqwGar4FY&sqi=2&ved=0CDIQsAQ&biw=1536&bih=708 (https://www.google.com/search?q=gypsum+flower&hl=en&tbo=u&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ei=1mXoUO6pD9OQqwGar4FY&sqi=2&ved=0CDIQsAQ&biw=1536&bih=708)

for comparison.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 01/08/2013 12:50 am
NASA's Big Mars Rover Makes First Use of its Brush

Image advisory: 2013-009                                                                     Jan. 7, 2013

The full version of this story with accompanying images is at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-009&cid=release_2013-009

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has completed first-time use of a brush it carries to sweep dust off rocks.

Nearing the end of a series of first-time uses of the rover's tools, the mission has cleared dust away from a targeted patch on a flat Martian rock using the Dust Removal Tool.

The tool is a motorized, wire-bristle brush designed to prepare selected rock surfaces for enhanced inspection by the rover's science instruments. It is built into the turret at the end of the rover's arm. In particular, the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer and the Mars Hand Lens Imager, which share the turret with the brush and the rover's hammering drill, can gain information after dust removal that would not be accessible from a dust-blanketed rock.

Choosing an appropriate target was crucial for the first-time use of the Dust Removal Tool. The chosen target, called "Ekwir_1," is on a rock in the "Yellowknife Bay" area of Mars' Gale Crater. The rover team is also evaluating rocks in that area as potential targets for first use of the rover's hammering drill in coming weeks.

Images of the brushed area on Ekwir are online at http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA16565 and http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA16566 .

"We wanted to be sure we had an optimal target for the first use," said Diana Trujillo of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., the mission's activity lead for the Dust Removal Tool. "We need to place the instrument within less than half an inch of the target without putting the hardware at risk. We needed a flat target, one that wasn't rough, one that was covered with dust. The results certainly look good."

Honeybee Robotics, New York, N.Y., built the Dust Removal Tool for Curiosity, as well as tools for two previous Mars rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, which included wire brushes plus rock-grinding mechanisms.

NASA's Mars Science Laboratory project is using Curiosity to investigate whether the study area within Gale Crater has offered environmental conditions favorable for microbial life. JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Science Laboratory mission for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, Washington. For more information about the mission, visit http://www.nasa.gov/msl , http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl .

Follow the mission on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/marscuriosity and on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/marscuriosity .

Guy Webster 818-354-6278
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
[email protected]

- end -
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: kevin-rf on 01/08/2013 01:07 am
Mental note, read caption before looking at picture, I thought I was looking at a dinosaur egg...
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 01/10/2013 04:34 pm
Curiosity Rover Report (Jan. 10, 2013): Giving Mars the Brush-off

Published on Jan 10, 2013
JPLNews
NASA's Curiosity rover dusts off a rock on Mars for the first time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVE1LaV5iMI
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 01/14/2013 06:57 pm
MEDIA ADVISORY: M13-016

NASA HOSTS JAN. 15 TELECONFERENCE ON CURIOSITY ROVER PROGRESS

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA will host a media teleconference at 10 a.m.
PST (1 p.m. EST) Tuesday, Jan. 15, to provide an update about the
Curiosity rover's mission to Mars' Gale Crater.

The Mars Science Laboratory Project and its Curiosity rover are five
months into a two-year prime mission to investigate whether
conditions may have been favorable for microbial life.

For teleconference dial-in information, reporters must send their
name, media affiliation and telephone number to Elena Mejia at
[email protected] or call NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Media Relations Office at 818-354-5011.

Audio and visuals of the event will be streamed live online at:

http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio

and

http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl

Visuals will be available at the start of the event at:

http://go.nasa.gov/curiositytelecon

For information about NASA's Curiosity mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/msl

and

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl

   
-end-
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jacqmans on 01/15/2013 06:16 pm
RELEASE: 13-022

NASA MARS ROVER PREPARING TO DRILL INTO FIRST MARTIAN ROCK

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA's Mars rover Curiosity is driving toward a
flat rock with pale veins that may hold clues to a wet history on the
Red Planet. If the rock meets rover engineers' approval when
Curiosity rolls up to it in coming days, it will become the first to
be drilled for a sample during the Mars Science Laboratory mission.

The size of a car, Curiosity is inside Mars' Gale Crater investigating
whether the planet ever offered an environment favorable for
microbial life. Curiosity landed in the crater five months ago to
begin its two-year prime mission.

"Drilling into a rock to collect a sample will be this mission's most
challenging activity since the landing. It has never been done on
Mars," said Mars Science Laboratory project manager Richard Cook of
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, Calif. "The drill
hardware interacts energetically with Martian material we don't
control. We won't be surprised if some steps in the process don't go
exactly as planned the first time through."

Curiosity first will gather powdered samples from inside the rock and
use those to scrub the drill. Then the rover will drill and ingest
more samples from this rock, which it will analyze for information
about its mineral and chemical composition.

The chosen rock is in an area where Curiosity's Mast Camera (Mastcam)
and other cameras have revealed diverse unexpected features,
including veins, nodules, cross-bedded layering, a lustrous pebble
embedded in sandstone, and possibly some holes in the ground.
The rock chosen for drilling is called "John Klein" in tribute to
former Mars Science Laboratory deputy project manager John W. Klein,
who died in 2011.

"John's leadership skill played a crucial role in making Curiosity a
reality," said Cook.

The target is on flat-lying bedrock within a shallow depression called
"Yellowknife Bay." The terrain in this area differs from that of the
landing site, a dry streambed about a third of a mile (about 500
meters) to the west. Curiosity's science team decided to look there
for a first drilling target because orbital observations showed
fractured ground that cools more slowly each night than nearby
terrain types do.

"The orbital signal drew us here, but what we found when we arrived
has been a great surprise," said Mars Science Laboratory project
scientist John Grotzinger, of the California Institute of Technology
in Pasadena. "This area had a different type of wet environment than
the streambed where we landed, maybe a few different types of wet
environments."

One line of evidence comes from inspection of light-toned veins with
Curiosity's laser-pulsing Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) instrument,
which found elevated levels of calcium, sulfur and hydrogen.

"These veins are likely composed of hydrated calcium sulfate, such as
bassinite or gypsum," said ChemCam team member Nicolas Mangold of the
Laboratoire de Planetologie et Geodynamique de Nantes in France. "On
Earth, forming veins like these requires water circulating in
fractures."

Researchers have used the rover's Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) to
examine sedimentary rocks in the area. Some are sandstone, with
grains up to about peppercorn size. One grain has an interesting
gleam and bud-like shape that have brought it Internet buzz as a
"Martian flower." Other rocks nearby are siltstone, with grains finer
than powdered sugar. These differ significantly from pebbly
conglomerate rocks in the landing area.

"All of these are sedimentary rocks, telling us Mars had environments
actively depositing material here," said MAHLI deputy principal
investigator Aileen Yingst of the Planetary Science Institute in
Tucson, Ariz. "The different grain sizes tell us about different
transport conditions."

JPL manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project for NASA's Science
Mission Directorate in Washington.
To see an image of the rock, visit:

http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA16567

For more information about the mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/msl

Follow the mission on Facebook and Twitter at:

http://www.facebook.com/marscuriosity


and


http://www.twitter.com/marscuriosity

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 01/16/2013 12:39 am
Mars Rover Curiosity's Team to Receive Space Foundation Award

01.15.13

PASADENA, Calif. -- The NASA mission that had the nation holding its breath as it tested an ingenious but never-before-used landing technique, and continues to amaze with new discoveries about Mars has been selected as the 2013 recipient of the Space Foundation's John L. "Jack" Swigert, Jr., Award for Space Exploration.

NASA's Mars Science Laboratory project is using the rover Curiosity to investigate whether the study area within Gale Crater has offered environmental conditions favorable for microbial life.

"We are recognizing the NASA Mars Science Laboratory mission team for its aggressive and technologically advanced exploration of another planet," said Space Foundation Chief Executive Officer Elliot Pulham. "This incredible mission will yield valuable science about conditions on Mars and enable critical technologies for future missions."

The award is given annually to the person or organization that has made the most significant accomplishment in advancing the exploration of space during the previous year. It will be presented April 8 during the opening ceremony of the 29th National Space Symposium at The Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colo.

The John L. "Jack" Swigert, Jr., Award for Space Exploration honors NASA Apollo astronaut Jack Swigert. The Space Foundation, founded in 1983 in part to honor Swigert's memory, created the Swigert Award in 2004 in tribute to his lasting legacy of space exploration. Previous recipients include NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander Team, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, the California Institute of Technology, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA's Mars Exploration Rover team from JPL, President George W. Bush, the LCROSS mission and, in 2012, NASA's Kepler Mission.

JPL, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, manages the Mars Science Laboratory for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, Washington. For more information about the mission, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl . More information about the Swigert Award is online at:

http://www.spacefoundation.org/media/press-releases/space-foundation-honors-nasa-mars-science-laboratory-mission-team-john-l-jack .
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 01/18/2013 06:09 pm
Curiosity Rover Report (Jan. 18, 2013):
Curiosity Finds Calcium-Rich Deposits

Published on Jan 18, 2013
NASA's Curiosity rover finds calcium deposits on Mars similar to those seen on Earth when water circulates in cracks and rock fractures.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5pnfpRiwi8

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: JohnFornaro on 01/18/2013 07:07 pm
Keep those reports coming Catdir.  They are excellent.  Putting the still images together to simulate motion is a great idea.  I noticed that there are not round pebbles like you'd find in a creek bed here.  Some of the rocks in the images did have slightly rounded corners.  No skipping stones tho.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 01/18/2013 08:40 pm
The last telecon has a lot more detail http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/28512078

This weeks planetary society hangout with Emily Lakdawalla and MSL team member Dr. Joel Hurowitz is also good http://www.planetary.org/blogs/casey-dreier/2013/20130117-planetary-society-hangout-curiosity-drilling.html
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 01/19/2013 02:19 am
01.18.2013

Ms. Curiosity Goes to Washington

PASADENA, Calif. - It's an all-American, once-every-four-years tradition: the inauguration of a president. On Monday, Jan. 21, the Red Planet will join the traditional red-white-and-blue pageantry when a life-size model of NASA's Mars rover Curiosity appears in the inaugural parade after President Barack Obama takes the oath of office.
The rover model will be accompanied by four members of the team from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory that safely landed Curiosity on the Martian surface last August. The four JPLers representing Curiosity and the Mars Science Laboratory, the spacecraft that transported the rover to the Red Planet, are:

Richard Cook-project manager
Jennifer Trosper-mission manager
Allen Chen--Flight Dynamics and Operations Lead for the entry, descent, and landing team
Bobak Ferdowsi-flight director
In addition to the JPL team, current and former NASA astronauts will appear in the parade, along with a model of Orion, the multi-purpose capsule that will take astronauts farther into space than ever before.

A full schedule of NASA-related events for Inauguration Day and the weekend leading up to it is online at: http://www.nasa.gov/news/inauguration.html .



http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1412
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 01/20/2013 03:51 am
NASA Preps for Inaugural Parade

Published on Jan 19, 2013
Video of preparations at the Joint Base Anacostia Bolling in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 19 for the two NASA floats scheduled to appear in Monday's Presidential Inaugural Parade. The floats will feature full-scale models of NASA's Orion, the multi-purpose capsule that will take our astronauts farther into space than ever, and the Curiosity rover now on Mars.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6o7s-fVykfs
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 01/25/2013 02:21 am
01.24.2013
Mars Rover Curiosity Uses Arm Camera At Night

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has for the first time used the camera on its arm to take photos at night, illuminated by white lights and ultraviolet lights on the instrument.
Scientists used the rover's Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) instrument for a close-up nighttime look at a rock target called "Sayunei," in an area where Curiosity's front-left wheel had scuffed the rock to provide fresh, dust-free materials to examine. The site is near where the rover team plans to begin using Curiosity to drill into a rock in coming weeks. The images of the rock Sayunei and of MAHLI's calibration target were taken on Jan. 22 (PST) and received on Earth Jan. 23.

The MAHLI, an adjustable-focus color camera, includes its own LED (light-emitting diode) illumination sources. Images of Sayunei taken with white-LED illumination and with illumination by ultraviolet LEDs are available online at:
PIA16711 and
PIA16712 .

"The purpose of acquiring observations under ultraviolet illumination was to look for fluorescent minerals," said MAHLI Principal Investigator Ken Edgett of Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego. "These data just arrived this morning. The science team is still assessing the observations. If something looked green, yellow, orange or red under the ultraviolet illumination, that'd be a more clear-cut indicator of fluorescence."

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1416
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 01/28/2013 11:31 pm
01.28.2013

Curiosity Maneuver Prepares for Drilling

PASADENA, Calif. - NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has placed its drill onto a series of four locations on a Martian rock and pressed down on it with the rover's arm, in preparation for using the drill in coming days.
The rover carried out this "pre-load" testing on Mars yesterday (Jan. 27). The tests enable engineers to check whether the amount of force applied to the hardware matches predictions for what would result from the commanded motions.

The next step is an overnight pre-load test, to gain assurance that the large temperature change from day to night at the rover's location does not add excessively to stress on the arm while it is pressing on the drill. At Curiosity's work site in Gale Crater, air temperature plunges from about 32 degrees Fahrenheit (zero degrees Celsius) in the afternoon to minus 85 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 65 degrees Celsius) overnight. Over this temperature swing, this large rover's arm, chassis and mobility system grow and shrink by about a tenth of an inch (about 2.4 millimeters), a little more than the thickness of a U.S. quarter-dollar coin.

The rover team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., sent the rover commands yesterday to begin the overnight pre-load test today (Monday).

"We don't plan on leaving the drill in a rock overnight once we start drilling, but in case that happens, it is important to know what to expect in terms of stress on the hardware," said JPL's Daniel Limonadi, the lead systems engineer for Curiosity's surface sampling and science system. "This test is done at lower pre-load values than we plan to use during drilling, to let us learn about the temperature effects without putting the hardware at risk."

Remaining preparatory steps will take at least the rest of this week. Some of these steps are hardware checks. Others will evaluate characteristics of the rock material at the selected drilling site on a patch of flat, veined rock called "John Klein."

Limonadi said, "We are proceeding with caution in the approach to Curiosity's first drilling. This is challenging. It will be the first time any robot has drilled into a rock to collect a sample on Mars."

An activity called the "drill-on-rock checkout" will use the hammering action of Curiosity's drill briefly, without rotation of the drill bit, for assurance that the back-and-forth percussion mechanism and associated control system are properly tuned for hitting a rock.

A subsequent activity called "mini-drill" is designed to produce a small ring of tailings -- powder resulting from drilling -- on the surface of the rock while penetrating less than eight-tenths of an inch (2 centimeters). This activity will not go deep enough to push rock powder into the drill's sample-gathering chamber. Limonadi said, "The purpose is to see whether the tailings are behaving the way we expect. Do they look like dry powder? That's what we want to confirm."

The rover team's activities this week are affected by the difference between Mars time and Earth time. To compensate for this, the team develops commands based on rover activities from two sols earlier. So, for example, the mini-drill activity cannot occur sooner than two sols after the drill-on-rock checkout.

Each Martian sol lasts about 40 minutes longer than a 24-hour Earth day. By mid-February, the afternoon at Gale Crater, when Curiosity transmits information about results from the sol, will again be falling early enough in the California day for the rover team to plan each sol based on the previous sol's results.

NASA's Mars Science Laboratory Project is using Curiosity to assess whether areas inside Gale Crater ever offered a habitable environment for microbes. JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1419
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 02/05/2013 02:22 am
02.04.2013
Source: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Weekend Test on Mars Was Preparation
 to Drill a Rock


PASADENA, Calif. - The bit of the rock-sampling drill on NASA's Mars rover Curiosity left its mark on a Martian rock this weekend during brief testing of the tool's percussive action.
The successful activity, called a "drill-on-rock checkout" by the rover team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, is part of a series of tests to prepare for the first drilling in history to collect a sample of rock material on Mars.

An image of the bit mark on the rock target called "John Klein" is available online at http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA16717 .

Another preparatory test, called "mini drill," will precede the full drilling. The mini drill test will use both the rotary and percussive actions of the drill to generate a ring of rock powder around a hole. This will allow for evaluation of the material to see if it behaves as a dry powder suitable for processing by the rover's sample handling mechanisms.

During a two-year prime mission, researchers are using Curiosity's 10 science instruments to assess whether the study area in Gale Crater on Mars ever has offered environmental conditions favorable for microbial life.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1421
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 02/08/2013 01:40 am
02.07.2013

Preparatory Drill Test Performed on Mars

PASADENA, Calif. - The drill on NASA's Mars rover Curiosity used both percussion and rotation to bore about 0.8 inch (2 centimeters) into a rock on Mars and generate cuttings for evaluation in advance of the rover's first sample-collection drilling.
Completion of this "mini drill" test in preparation for full drilling was confirmed in data from Mars received late Wednesday at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. If the drill cuttings on the ground around the fresh hole pass visual evaluation as suitable for processing by the rover's sample handling mechanisms, the rover team plans to proceed with commanding the first full drilling in coming days.

An image of the hole and surrounding cuttings produced by the mini drill test is online at http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA16760 . (see below)

The test was performed on a patch of flat, vein-bearing rock called "John Klein." The locations of earlier percussion-only testing and planned sample-collection drilling are also on John Klein. Pre-drilling observations of this rock yielded indications of one or more episodes of wet environmental conditions. The team plans to use Curiosity's laboratory instruments to analyze sample powder from inside the rock to learn more about the site's environmental history.

The planned full drilling will be the first rock drilling on Mars to collect a sample of material for analysis.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1422

and:

02.07.2013
Preparatory Test of Drilling on Mars Generates Rock Powder

In an activity called the "mini drill test," NASA's Mars rover Curiosity used its drill to generate this ring of powdered rock for inspection in advance of the rover's first full drilling. Curiosity performed the mini drill test and used its Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) camera to record this image of the resulting hole and cuttings during the 180th Martian day, or sol, of the rover's work on Mars (Feb. 6, 2013).

The hole is 0.63 inch (1.6 centimeters) in diameter and about 0.8 (2 centimeters) deep. The location is on a patch of flat rock called "John Klein." If the cuttings are judged to be suitable for processing by the rover's sample handling mechanisms, the mission's first full drilling is planned for a nearby spot on John Klein. The full drilling will be the first rock drilling on Mars to collect a sample of material for analysis.

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
 
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/images/?ImageID=5068
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jacqmans on 02/09/2013 04:16 pm
RELEASE: 13-044

NASA CURIOSITY ROVER COLLECTS FIRST MARTIAN BEDROCK SAMPLE

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA's Curiosity rover has, for the first time,
used a drill carried at the end of its robotic arm to bore into a
flat, veiny rock on Mars and collect a sample from its interior. This
is the first time any robot has drilled into a rock to collect a
sample on Mars.

The fresh hole, about 0.63 inch (1.6 centimeters) wide and 2.5 inches
(6.4 centimeters) deep in a patch of fine-grained sedimentary
bedrock, can be seen in images and other data Curiosity beamed to
Earth Saturday. The rock is believed to hold evidence about long-gone
wet environments. In pursuit of that evidence, the rover will use its
laboratory instruments to analyze rock powder collected by the drill.


"The most advanced planetary robot ever designed now is a fully
operating analytical laboratory on Mars," said John Grunsfeld, NASA
associate administrator for the agency's Science Mission Directorate.
"This is the biggest milestone accomplishment for the Curiosity team
since the sky-crane landing last August, another proud day for
America."

For the next several days, ground controllers will command the rover's
arm to carry out a series of steps to process the sample, ultimately
delivering portions to the instruments inside.

"We commanded the first full-depth drilling, and we believe we have
collected sufficient material from the rock to meet our objectives of
hardware cleaning and sample drop-off," said Avi Okon, drill
cognizant engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL),
Pasadena.

Rock powder generated during drilling travels up flutes on the bit.
The bit assembly has chambers to hold the powder until it can be
transferred to the sample-handling mechanisms of the rover's
Collection and Handling for In-Situ Martian Rock Analysis (CHIMRA)
device.

Before the rock powder is analyzed, some will be used to scour traces
of material that may have been deposited onto the hardware while the
rover still was on Earth, despite thorough cleaning before launch.

"We'll take the powder we acquired and swish it around to scrub the
internal surfaces of the drill bit assembly," said JPL's Scott
McCloskey, drill systems engineer. "Then we'll use the arm to
transfer the powder out of the drill into the scoop, which will be
our first chance to see the acquired sample."

"Building a tool to interact forcefully with unpredictable rocks on
Mars required an ambitious development and testing program," said
JPL's Louise Jandura, chief engineer for Curiosity's sample
system."To get to the point of making this hole in a rock on Mars, we
made eight drills and bored more than 1,200 holes in 20 types of rock
on Earth."

Inside the sample-handling device, the powder will be vibrated once or
twice over a sieve that screens out any particles larger than
six-thousandths of an inch (150 microns) across. Small portions of
the sieved sample will fall through ports on the rover deck into the
Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) instrument and the Sample Analysis
at Mars (SAM) instrument. These instruments then will begin the
much-anticipated detailed analysis.

The rock Curiosity drilled is called "John Klein" in memory of a Mars
Science Laboratory deputy project manager who died in 2011. Drilling
for a sample is the last new activity for NASA's Mars Science
Laboratory Project, which is using the car-size Curiosity rover to
investigate whether an area within Mars' Gale Crater has ever offered
an environment favorable for life.

JPL manages the project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in
Washington.

For more about the mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/msl

You can follow the mission on Facebook and Twitter at:

http://www.facebook.com/marscuriosity

and

http://www.twitter.com/marscuriosity

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 02/09/2013 05:56 pm
Quote
See that mysterious silver object in the picture above? That photograph was taken on the surface of Mars, and yet it sure doesn't look like a red rock. On January 30th, NASA's Curiosity rover snapped shots of the Martian landscape with each of its two MastCam cameras with this mystery object in the shot. NASA doesn't seem to have commented on the horn-like item yet, but theories currently include a meteorite that landed on the planet, or a piece of ore exposed by erosion of some sort.

http://www.theverge.com/2013/2/9/3969648/curiosity-rover-spots-strange-hunk-of-metal-on-mars
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Robotbeat on 02/09/2013 10:41 pm
Looks just like a meteorite to me. Mars is littered with them. The MER rovers have found lots of them:
http://geology.com/articles/mars-meteorites/
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: spectre9 on 02/10/2013 01:10 am
I love that before and after gif.

Must have been quite some vibration, you can see quite a few small pebbles were moved around.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: happyflower on 02/10/2013 07:01 am
Quote
See that mysterious silver object in the picture above? That photograph was taken on the surface of Mars, and yet it sure doesn't look like a red rock. On January 30th, NASA's Curiosity rover snapped shots of the Martian landscape with each of its two MastCam cameras with this mystery object in the shot. NASA doesn't seem to have commented on the horn-like item yet, but theories currently include a meteorite that landed on the planet, or a piece of ore exposed by erosion of some sort.

http://www.theverge.com/2013/2/9/3969648/curiosity-rover-spots-strange-hunk-of-metal-on-mars

Wouldnt this little piece of metal or whatever it is be worth to go back and study? It just seems so different. Different is good for science isnt it?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: stone on 02/10/2013 07:29 am
For a geologist the one stone which is not like all the others is bad choice. If you understand what it is and all the history you know nothing about the geology of the area you are in. So if you understood what the geological setting is you are in then you look for the strange stones.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 02/12/2013 01:08 am
02.11.2013

Mars Rock Takes Unusual Form


On Mars, as on Earth, sometimes things can take on an unusual appearance. A case in point is a shiny-looking rock seen in a recent image from NASA's Curiosity Mars rover.
Some casual observers might see a resemblance to a car door handle, hood ornament or some other type of metallic object. To Ronald Sletten of the University of Washington, Seattle, a collaborator on Curiosity's science team, the object is an interesting study in how wind and the natural elements cause erosion and other effects on various types of rocks.

Find out what likely caused the shiny appearance of the Martian rock, and see some examples of similar phenomena found on Earth. A PDF of the images and explanatory text is available: http://1.usa.gov/WFuZRm

(also saved as PDF attachment below)

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1424
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: JohnFornaro on 02/12/2013 01:26 pm
For a geologist the one stone which is not like all the others is bad choice.

That certainly is the case for geology.  What we really want to see is a knapped flint.  Oh well.

Geology is not all there is, and sometimes different is good There had to be an understandable process by which that "different" something got there.

The ventifact is somewhat depressing.  It means that that tenuous wind has been blowing for a long, long, time.  Is there a growing consensus that Mars is dead?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 02/17/2013 05:23 am
Curiosity Rover Report (February 15, 2013): Curiosity Drills on Mars

Published on Feb 15, 2013
JPLNews
NASA's Curiosity drills for first sample from inside a rock on Mars

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoGGdEpso84
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jacqmans on 02/20/2013 04:08 pm
MEDIA ADVISORY: M13-034

NASA HOSTS TELECONFERENCE TODAY ABOUT CURIOSITY ROVER

WASHINGTON -- NASA will host a media teleconference at 3 p.m. EST
(noon PST) today, Feb. 20, to provide an update on the Mars rover
Curiosity mission. This morning, Curiosity engineers confirmed the
rover had collected the first-ever sample from inside a rock on Mars.


The Mars Science Laboratory project and its Curiosity rover are
investigating whether conditions on Mars ever have been favorable for
microbial life.

For teleconference dial-in information, reporters must send their
name, media affiliation and telephone number to Elena Mejia at
[email protected] or call NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Media Relations Office at 818-354-5011.

Audio and visuals of the event will be streamed live online at:

http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio

and

http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl

Visuals will be available at the start of the teleconference at:

http://go.nasa.gov/curiositytelecon

For information about NASA's Curiosity mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/msl

and

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: John44 on 02/20/2013 08:41 pm
NASA Teleconference - Update on the Curiosity Rovers - February 20
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8085
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 02/20/2013 11:19 pm
RELEASE : 13-059
Feb. 20, 2013
 
NASA Mars Rover Confirms First Drilled Martian Rock Sample
 
 
PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has relayed new images that confirm it has successfully obtained the first sample ever collected from the interior of a rock on another planet. No rover has ever drilled into a rock beyond Earth and collected a sample from its interior.

Transfer of the powdered-rock sample into an open scoop was visible for the first time in images received Wednesday at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, Calif.

"Seeing the powder from the drill in the scoop allows us to verify for the first time the drill collected a sample as it bore into the rock," said JPL's Scott McCloskey, drill systems engineer for Curiosity. "Many of us have been working toward this day for years. Getting final confirmation of successful drilling is incredibly gratifying. For the sampling team, this is the equivalent of the landing team going crazy after the successful touchdown."

The drill on Curiosity's robotic arm took in the powder as it bored a 2.5-inch (6.4-centimeter) hole into a target on flat Martian bedrock on Feb. 8. The rover team plans to have Curiosity sieve the sample and deliver portions of it to analytical instruments inside the rover.
The scoop now holding the precious sample is part of Curiosity's Collection and Handling for In-Situ Martian Rock Analysis (CHIMRA) device. During the next steps of processing, the powder will be enclosed inside CHIMRA and shaken once or twice over a sieve that screens out particles larger than 0.006 inch (150 microns) across.

Small portions of the sieved sample later will be delivered through inlet ports on top of the rover deck into the Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) instrument and Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument.

In response to information gained during testing at JPL, the processing and delivery plan has been adjusted to reduce use of mechanical vibration. The 150-micron screen in one of the two test versions of CHIMRA became partially detached after extensive use, although it remained usable. The team has added precautions for use of Curiosity's sampling system while continuing to study the cause and ramifications of the separation.

The sample comes from a fine-grained, veiny sedimentary rock called "John Klein," named in memory of a Mars Science Laboratory deputy project manager who died in 2011. The rock was selected for the first sample drilling because it may hold evidence of wet environmental conditions long ago. The rover's laboratory analysis of the powder may provide information about those conditions.

NASA's Mars Science Laboratory Project is using the Curiosity rover with its 10 science instruments to investigate whether an area within Mars' Gale Crater ever has offered an environment favorable for microbial life. JPL manages the project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington.

An image of the drill's rock powder held in the scoop is online at:

http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA16729


For more about the mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/msl


You can follow the mission on Facebook and Twitter at:

http://www.facebook.com/marscuriosity


and


http://www.twitter.com/marscuriosity

 
- end -
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 02/22/2013 09:47 am
Curiosity Rover Report (Feb. 21, 2013): Curiosity Collects First Rock Sample on Mars

Published on Feb 21, 2013
Curiosity rover obtains the first sample ever collected from the interior of a rock on another planet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFfRhXxEeGk
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bubbinski on 02/26/2013 01:59 am
Curiosity has now delivered the gray soil sample drilled from the rock into the CheMin and SAM instruments:

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1430

There's a planetary science conference next month in Texas, will there be findings by then?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bubbinski on 03/01/2013 01:36 am
Mars Curiosity switched over to its B side computer due to corrupted flash memory:

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-078

Working on getting back to normal science ops in a few days.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Robotbeat on 03/01/2013 04:02 pm
Mars Curiosity switched over to its B side computer due to corrupted flash memory:

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-078

Working on getting back to normal science ops in a few days.
I can just image half of Curiosity's face drooping down (then letter coming back).
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 03/04/2013 05:16 pm
Any chance this was caused by a stray Gamma Ray hit?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: AnalogMan on 03/04/2013 05:53 pm
Any chance this was caused by a stray Gamma Ray hit?

http://www.space.com/20034-mars-rover-curiosity-computer-glitch.html
March 1, 2013

The computer problem is related to a glitch in flash memory on the A-side computer caused by corrupted memory files, Cook said. Scientists are still looking into the root cause the corrupted memory, but it's possible the memory files were damaged by high-energy space particles called cosmic rays, which are always a danger beyond the protective atmosphere of Earth.

"The hardware that we fly is radiation tolerant," Cook told SPACE.com, "but there's a limit to how hardened it can be. You can still get high-energy particles that can cause the memory to be corrupted. It certainly is a possibility and that's what we're looking into."
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Robotbeat on 03/04/2013 08:34 pm
GCR still cause data corruption and flipped bits on Earth as well. Earth's protection is finite. That's part of the reason for ECC memory in servers. The problem is worse at high altitudes.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: notsorandom on 03/05/2013 12:44 am
Curiosity Rover's Recovery on Track
PASADENA, Calif. - NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has transitioned from precautionary "safe mode" to active status on the path of recovery from a memory glitch last week. Resumption of full operations is anticipated by next week.

http://go.nasa.gov/Vws8Lb
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 03/07/2013 09:47 pm

March 07, 2013
 
MEDIA ADVISORY : M13-045
 
 
NASA TV Briefing Discusses Curiosity Rover Analysis of Mars Rock
 
 
WASHINGTON -- NASA will hold a news conference at 1 p.m. EDT, Tuesday, March 12, to discuss the Curiosity rover's analysis of the first sample of rock powder ever collected on Mars.

The briefing will be held in the James E. Webb Auditorium at NASA Headquarters at 300 E St. SW in Washington. It will be broadcast live on NASA Television and streamed on the agency's website.

The participants will be:
-- Michael Meyer, lead scientist, Mars Exploration Program, NASA Headquarters, Washington
-- John Grotzinger, Curiosity project scientist, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, Calif.
-- David Blake, principal investigator for Curiosity's Chemistry and Mineralogy investigation, NASA's Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.
-- Paul Mahaffy, principal investigator for Curiosity's Sample Analysis at Mars investigation, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

Media representatives may ask questions from participating NASA centers or by telephone. To participate by phone, reporters must contact Dwayne Brown at 202-358-1726 or [email protected] by noon, March 12.

During a two-year prime mission, researchers are using Curiosity's 10 science instruments to assess whether the Gale Crater area on Mars ever offered environmental conditions favorable for microbial life.

For NASA TV streaming video, scheduling and downlink information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv


The event will also be streamed live on Ustream at:

http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl


More information about Curiosity is online at:

http://www.nasa.gov/msl


and
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/


Follow Curiosity on Facebook and Twitter at:

http://www.facebook.com/marscuriosity

and

http://www.twitter.com/marscuriosity


 
- end -
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: iamlucky13 on 03/08/2013 12:44 am
It sounds then like they had analyzed the sample before it went into safe mode. Looking forward to a good run by ChemMin and SAM and some basic results.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bubbinski on 03/08/2013 02:19 am
It was just a couple weeks ago they got the rock drilled and sampled.  Now they're calling a press conference from NASA HQ.  What did they find? 

I'm looking forward to Tuesday. 
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 03/08/2013 04:49 am
It was just a couple weeks ago they got the rock drilled and sampled.  Now they're calling a press conference from NASA HQ.  What did they find? 

I'm looking forward to Tuesday. 

So am I.  It does not take long to do an XRD and XRF analysis of a sample (the terrestial version of ChemMin does it in less than an hour), and the results are generally straight forward to interpret.  It's not like the mass spectrometer...
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: stone on 03/09/2013 09:00 pm
This is a press conference which was said to happen on a regular basis. This is the last one before the conjunction. Why do people expect anything?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 03/09/2013 09:42 pm
This is a press conference which was said to happen on a regular basis. This is the last one before the conjunction. Why do people expect anything?
With the safing and switch to B side, Curiosity also just suffered it's most significant anomaly to date. That would enough to warrant a press conference all by itself, although the presenters for this one tells us we'll get some science too.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 03/10/2013 04:32 am
This is a press conference which was said to happen on a regular basis. This is the last one before the conjunction. Why do people expect anything?

Because the announcement said they would be discussing results.  I don't expect anything out of the ordinary.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: stone on 03/10/2013 08:51 am
I don't expect anything out of the ordinary.

If you look what Craig at spaceref is talking about he gives the impression that NASA announced a historic discovery. This is what I hate with the journalists, making up a story based on nothing.

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Eosterwine on 03/10/2013 04:16 pm
I don't expect anything out of the ordinary.

If you look what Craig at spaceref is talking about he gives the impression that NASA announced a historic discovery. This is what I hate with the journalists, making up a story based on nothing.



I completely disagree. 

Even the recent revelation that many of the rocks of Glenelg had been formed through multiple aqueous processes over different time spans only received the standard teleconference - I actually think that discovery is far more important a find than that which Opportunity made early in it's mission of flowing water on Mars, and that got the full NASA HQ treatment.  Why not wait and announce a press Q&A at the planetary science conference thats happening a few days later?

Dragging these scientists all the way across the country to NASA HQ in Washington seems a bit odd for something routine or "nothing".
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: stone on 03/10/2013 05:00 pm
Dragging these scientists all the way across the country to NASA HQ in Washington

It is only John Grotzinger, and David Blake. The others are from headquarters. Passadena would have meant travel for the other two.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: AJA on 03/10/2013 05:27 pm
Getting back to the engineering for a bit...

From http://go.nasa.gov/Vws8Lb

Quote
"...Also, we need to go through a series of steps with the B-side, such as informing the computer about the state of the rover -- the position of the arm, the position of the mast, that kind of information."

This is intriguing me. Obviously, there's no external means to determine the position of the arm etc. (I AM ruling out the possibility of reconstructing the positions from the pictures that were beamed back before the rover went into safe mode, and any potential for the orbiters to suddenly provide spy satellite quality images)

Now, given that there's no external means of position determination, the rover has to get this information from onboard instrumentation. If the B side is up and running, shouldn't it automatically read these parameters? I mean there's got to be a subroutine that does this, because the rover's semi-autonomous. Furthermore, when the rover goes into safe mode, doesn't it bring the arm and mast into a least risk position as it does (so the state would be pre-defined and known -- unless of course, this step didn't happen)?

Or do they imply that they've got to copy the relevant information from the A-side? Because that might be problematic...
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Jim on 03/10/2013 06:37 pm
Safe mode would not move the arm
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: spectre9 on 03/10/2013 08:06 pm
One of the most robust computers ever made didn't just drop dead.

I think there's something else to this.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 03/10/2013 08:23 pm
This is intriguing me. Obviously, there's no external means to determine the position of the arm etc. (I AM ruling out the possibility of reconstructing the positions from the pictures that were beamed back before the rover went into safe mode)
Why are you excluding this? Imaging is a pretty important part of monitoring and verifying the position of the arm.
Quote
Now, given that there's no external means of position determination, the rover has to get this information from onboard instrumentation. If the B side is up and running, shouldn't it automatically read these parameters?
My understanding (going from memory of stuff that was discussed when the arm was first commission) is that the arm obviously does have sensors that report the position of the various joints etc., but for really accurate positioning they need to be calibrated. This can't be done perfectly before flight, because of gravity, temperature and the loads it experience in launch and landing. If parameters for this were on the A side, they might need to be re-uplinked or re-created for the B side. This is mostly speculation, but the main point is that the arm is complicated, so it shouldn't really be surprising that re-initializing requires the ground in the loop.
Quote
Furthermore, when the rover goes into safe mode, doesn't it bring the arm and mast into a least risk position as it does
As Jim says, no chance of this. The first rule of safe mode is to do no harm. If something bad enough to trigger safe mode happens, the rover is not going to be moving the arm around.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 03/10/2013 08:25 pm
One of the most robust computers ever made didn't just drop dead.
Correct, it didn't drop dead. Based on the information we have, it experienced what appears to be an error in flash memory. This is not terribly unexpected.
Quote
I think there's something else to this.
Such as? It's hard to see the point of this sort of vague innuendo...
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: spectre9 on 03/10/2013 09:05 pm
I just don't get it.

How does a flash memory chip corrupt itself after only slight use?

Is radiation that damaging to these chips?

Sorry if my "vague innuendo" offends you hop. You've jumped all over me before. There no rule of the internet that says you should be nice but it certainly helps.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: AJA on 03/11/2013 04:05 am
Why are you excluding this? Imaging is a pretty important part of monitoring and verifying the position of the arm.
You answered this yourself
Quote
... for really accurate positioning they need to be calibrated.

Moreover, the arm might have moved since the last self-shot was taken. And the conditions (temperature etc. - to account for any expansion/contraction) have almost certainly changed.

Quote
...This can't be done perfectly before flight, because of gravity, temperature and the loads it experience in launch and landing. If parameters for this were on the A side, they might need to be re-uplinked or re-created for the B side. This is mostly speculation, but the main point is that the arm is complicated, so it shouldn't really be surprising that re-initializing requires the ground in the loop.

My point is that Curiosity is the best source for all this data! Regardless of the variety, number, or scope of the parameters. It seems an awfully roundabout manner to have to read this data, send it to the ground, and then them run a calibration routine and send it back up.

Quote
The first rule of safe mode is to do no harm. If something bad enough to trigger safe mode happens, the rover is not going to be moving the arm around.
Yeah, my first instinct led me to assume that nothing would be touched, and everything would be left as you were; but then, the rover isn't limited to a binary state of activity. If you remember, one of the things they were checking for when they did that overnight stress test on the arm, having it pressed down against the rock surface, was to determine if  thermal contraction could cause red-line stresses on the arm, in case the rover it was to suffer a lock up while the drill-head inside rock.

I was just thinking that the protocols for safe-mode might be different depending on the exact problem faced, as well as what the rover was doing when it occurred. Sure, worst case scenario would be touch nothing - and save power and comms. But if she knows she's healthier than that worst case, MSL might decide to hunker down and try and safeguard the science instrumentation from unnecessary exposure.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: JohnFornaro on 03/11/2013 12:14 pm
This is intriguing me. Obviously, there's no external means to determine the position of the arm etc. (I AM ruling out the possibility of reconstructing the positions from the pictures that were beamed back before the rover went into safe mode)
Why are you excluding this? Imaging is a pretty important part of monitoring and verifying the position of the arm.

He seems to be more excluding the reconstruction of the arm position from photographic history from the category "external" means to determine the position of the arm.  I took "external" to mean, say, Melvin the Martian taking pix of the arm as a verification.

Quote from: AJA
Furthermore, when the rover goes into safe mode, doesn't it bring the arm and mast into a least risk position as it does...

Quote from: Hop
As Jim says, no chance of this. The first rule of safe mode is to do no harm. If something bad enough to trigger safe mode happens, the rover is not going to be moving the arm around.

I was thinking along Aja's lines of thought here; that if the command to go into "safe mode" were to be issued, that the rover would retract stuff, like extended arms, so as to protect itself.  If a sandstorm should come up, the rover wouldn't leave its arm extended.

I just don't get it.

How does a flash memory chip corrupt itself after only slight use?

Is radiation that damaging to these chips?

They don't get it either, apparently.  So all of this calibration and what have you is a means of figuring out what went wrong.

Quote from: Aja
But if she knows she's healthier than that worst case, MSL might decide to hunker down and try and safeguard the science instrumentation from unnecessary exposure.

That's what I would have thought too.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 03/11/2013 07:46 pm
You answered this yourself
Quote
... for really accurate positioning they need to be calibrated.

Moreover, the arm might have moved since the last self-shot was taken. And the conditions (temperature etc. - to account for any expansion/contraction) have almost certainly changed.
1) Imaging is capable of giving very accurate position information. At the end of the arms reach, both mastcams have sub millimeter / pixel resolution.
2) They can take new images, once they get the cameras activated...
I have no idea if imaging is required for the current process or not, just saying that you shouldn't necessarily dismiss the idea out of hand.
Quote
My point is that Curiosity is the best source for all this data! Regardless of the variety, number, or scope of the parameters. It seems an awfully roundabout manner to have to read this data, send it to the ground, and then them run a calibration routine and send it back up.
My point was that regardless of you think it should work, it's a fact that the initial arm checkout and activation was a slow process with the ground in the loop. It is definitely not the case that they just sent a "calibrate the arm" command and everything was ready to go. Curiosity has the data, but humans have the brains. As I said before, I don't know if the current recovery process is analogous to the initial activation, but it really shouldn't be surprising that it requires the ground in the loop.

The "we have to tell the rover where the arm is" statement is almost certainly a simplification of a much more complicated engineering process.

It's normal for the process of coming bringing a complicated spacecraft out of safe mode and getting all the systems back up and running to take days or weeks. This is also the first safing of Curiosity on Mars, so they will be going slow and may run into unexpected hitches.
Quote
I was just thinking that the protocols for safe-mode might be different depending on the exact problem faced, as well as what the rover was doing when it occurred.
The point of safe mode is to stay alive and in communication until the ground can figure out the problem. Adding complexity to this raises obvious risks, especially when you are relying on a system that is malfunctioning to diagnose it's own malfunctions. You do *not* want to have a bug in your safe mode code put the vehicle in an unexpected state.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bubbinski on 03/12/2013 04:00 am
They're able to store data in much of the flash memory on side A:

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1437

Looking forward to tomorrow!  Press conference at 10 am Pacific/11 am Mountain.  I'll try to keep up as best I can.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Galactic Penguin SST on 03/12/2013 04:01 pm
They're able to store data in much of the flash memory on side A:

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1437

Looking forward to tomorrow!  Press conference at 10 am Pacific/11 am Mountain.  I'll try to keep up as best I can.

Press conference now underway.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Galactic Penguin SST on 03/12/2013 04:06 pm
Oooh Curiosity found clay minerals (phyllosillicates) at "Yellowknife Bay" (or more explicitly on the bed rock target known as "John Klein")! That almost certainly means the rock was in a fresh water environment a long time ago. Yummy yummy yummy......  8)

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/multimedia/pia16830.html (http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/multimedia/pia16830.html)

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/news/msl20130312.html (http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/news/msl20130312.html)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Norm38 on 03/12/2013 04:53 pm
CNN is reporting right now that NASA is holding a press conference on the analysis of the first powdered rock sample, and that "Mars may once have supported life".  What did I miss?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Danderman on 03/12/2013 05:16 pm
Did the analysis provide an isotope breakdown of the carbon that was found?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: John44 on 03/12/2013 05:38 pm
NASA News Conference on Curiosity Rover Mars Rock Analysis - March 12
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8126
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: JohnFornaro on 03/12/2013 06:06 pm
A fundamental question for this mission is whether Mars could have supported a habitable environment," said Michael Meyer, lead scientist for NASA's Mars Exploration Program at the agency's headquarters in Washington. "From what we know now, the answer is yes."  (http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/news/msl20130312.html)

Realizing that "could have" doesn't mean "did" at all, I ask:  On the basis of this one sample, is it safe to say, catagorically, that Mars "could have" supported a habitable environment, in certain areas?

Followup question:  Where would those "certain areas" be?

Closing question:  What is the next piece of data that would change "could have" to "did"?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 03/12/2013 06:38 pm
Did the analysis provide an isotope breakdown of the carbon that was found?
The only isotope ratio mentioned was deuterium/hydrogen, which was  lower than rocknest. They didn't really elaborate, but this is what you'd expect if the water was from a time before so much of the H had a chance to escape.

As usual, the entire press conference is available on JPLs ustream
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/29927128 and the JPL version of the press release links all the graphics
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: iamlucky13 on 03/12/2013 07:45 pm
Getting back to the engineering for a bit...

From http://go.nasa.gov/Vws8Lb

Quote
"...Also, we need to go through a series of steps with the B-side, such as informing the computer about the state of the rover -- the position of the arm, the position of the mast, that kind of information."

This is intriguing me. Obviously, there's no external means to determine the position of the arm etc. (I AM ruling out the possibility of reconstructing the positions from the pictures that were beamed back before the rover went into safe mode, and any potential for the orbiters to suddenly provide spy satellite quality images)

Now, given that there's no external means of position determination, the rover has to get this information from onboard instrumentation. If the B side is up and running, shouldn't it automatically read these parameters? I mean there's got to be a subroutine that does this, because the rover's semi-autonomous. Furthermore, when the rover goes into safe mode, doesn't it bring the arm and mast into a least risk position as it does (so the state would be pre-defined and known -- unless of course, this step didn't happen)?

Or do they imply that they've got to copy the relevant information from the A-side? Because that might be problematic...

It sounds like they're going through a cautious, multi-step recovery process along the lines of:

1.) Figure out what's working
2.) Enable side B and transfer basic functions to it
3.) Test function of B side
4.) Load operational parameters (such as arm position)
5.) Test rover operation

They didn't say how they recover the operational parameters. Presumably their first option is to read them from the side B memory, but if they had a memory fault, they want to be sure the parameters are accurate. The next fallback is probably to use the last known parameters, which they almost certainly keep track of back on earth either by the rover reporting them back to earth as the means of confirming each instruction was completed properly, or by reconstructing them from instructions that were confirmed in a simpler manner. They might also verify position from the cameras.

They may or may not be able to read the position of the arm directly. Position is usually measured by electronic encoders (basic concept is usually counting very finely etched marks on a scale and adding them up), but most encoders do not read absolute position...the controller has to add up travel to determine position since they last synched to a known location like the MAHLI calibration target, so that position would be a stored value as I refer to above.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bubbinski on 03/13/2013 02:24 am
Does this discovery make it more likely that Gale Crater will be the landing site for the next rover and/or Martian Sample Return mission?

Also: can the powder around the drill holes Curiosity's made so far be collected on a later sample return mission?  Are there any plans for that?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 03/13/2013 03:18 am
Does this discovery make it more likely that Gale Crater will be the landing site for the next rover and/or Martian Sample Return mission?

Also: can the powder around the drill holes Curiosity's made so far be collected on a later sample return mission?  Are there any plans for that?

Put it this way, I don't think it does Gale Crater's chances any harm!  It was already fairly high.

I suspect any MSR mission would collect new samples.  The power could have down away by then, or being contaminated.  Also researchers will prefer core to powder.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 03/13/2013 05:02 am
Also: can the powder around the drill holes Curiosity's made so far be collected on a later sample return mission?  Are there any plans for that?
No. The samples are dumped in a compartment inside the rover which isn't accessible from the outside. You wouldn't want to return those anyway, since they would be all mixed up and have been heated  (for SAM samples) and possibly contaminated by MSL or the modern Mars environment anyway.

There was a sample cache in the plan at one point, but it was de-scoped. I believe Blackstar posted some informative stuff about that a while back in one of the MSL threads.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 03/13/2013 08:50 am
Does this discovery make it more likely that Gale Crater will be the landing site for the next rover and/or Martian Sample Return mission?

Also: can the powder around the drill holes Curiosity's made so far be collected on a later sample return mission?  Are there any plans for that?

I would add does this make it more likely that this will be where the EXOMars rover will be sent as well?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 03/13/2013 10:58 pm
Does this discovery make it more likely that Gale Crater will be the landing site for the next rover and/or Martian Sample Return mission?

Also: can the powder around the drill holes Curiosity's made so far be collected on a later sample return mission?  Are there any plans for that?

I would add does this make it more likely that this will be where the EXOMars rover will be sent as well?

I think that would be overkill.  I imagine the ExoMars rover would go somewhere else interesting - Nilli Fossae perhaps.  That way we could have two well-dcomented sites to follow up with a sample return mission.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: fthurber on 03/14/2013 04:03 pm

Mawrth Vallis would be my preferred location...lots of different types of clays without too much roving.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 03/15/2013 10:21 pm
03.15.2013
Source: Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Moon, Mars Science Conference Events to be Streamed

NASA's Mars Curiosity and lunar GRAIL missions, managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., will be among those discussed during the 44th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in Houston on March 18 to 22.
Science briefings for Curiosity and GRAIL (Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory) will be streamed live by JPL on Ustream, as follows:

--Mars Curiosity: Monday, March 18, 10 a.m. PDT (1 p.m. EDT), online at http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl .

--GRAIL and NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter: Tuesday, March 19, 10 a.m. PDT (1 p.m. EDT), online at: http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl2 .

The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter is managed by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

The briefings, along with others from the conference, will also be streamed by the conference organizer, the Lunar and Planetary Institute of Houston, at: http://www.livestream.com/lpsc2013 . The institute is managed by the Universities Space Research Association, a national, nonprofit consortium of universities chartered at NASA's request in 1969 by the National Academy of Sciences.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1445
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 03/15/2013 10:40 pm
Image Advisory: 2013-097                                                                    March. 15, 2013

Panorama From NASA Mars Rover Shows Mount Sharp



The full version of this story with accompanying images is at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-097&cid=release_2013-097

PASADENA, Calif. -- Rising above the present location of NASA's Mars rover Curiosity, higher than any mountain in the 48 contiguous states of the United States, Mount Sharp is featured in new imagery from the rover.

A pair of mosaics assembled from dozens of telephoto images shows Mount Sharp in dramatic detail. The component images were taken by the 100-millimeter-focal-length telephoto lens camera mounted on the right side of Curiosity's remote sensing mast, during the 45th Martian day of the rover's mission on Mars (Sept. 20, 2012).

This layered mound, also called Aeolis Mons, in the center of Gale Crater rises more than 3 miles (5 kilometers) above the crater floor location of Curiosity. Lower slopes of Mount Sharp remain a destination for the mission, though the rover will first spend many more weeks around a location called "Yellowknife Bay," where it has found evidence of a past environment favorable for microbial life.

A version of the mosaic that has been white-balanced to show the terrain as if under Earthlike lighting, which makes the sky look overly blue, is at http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA16768 . White-balanced versions help scientists recognize rock materials based on their terrestrial experience. The Martian sky would look like more of a butterscotch color to the human eye. A version of the mosaic with raw color, as a typical smart-phone camera would show the scene, is at http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA16769 .

In both versions, the sky has been filled out by extrapolating color and brightness information from the portions of the sky that were captured in images of the terrain.

NASA's Mars Science Laboratory project is using Curiosity and the rover's 10 science instruments to investigate environmental history within Gale Crater, a location where the project has found that conditions were long ago favorable for microbial life.

Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego, built and operates the Mast Camera (Mastcam) instrument. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Science Laboratory mission for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, Washington, and built the rover.

For more information about the mission, visit http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl .

Follow the mission on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/marscuriosity and on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/marscuriosity .

Guy Webster 818-354-6278
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
[email protected]


- end -
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jacqmans on 03/18/2013 04:57 pm
News release: 2013-099                                                                    March. 18, 2013

Curiosity Mars Rover Sees Trend in Water Presence

The full version of this story with accompanying images is at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-099&cid=release_2013-099

THE WOODLANDS, Texas - NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has seen evidence of water-bearing minerals in rocks near where it had already found clay minerals inside a drilled rock.

Last week, the rover's science team announced that analysis of powder from a drilled mudstone rock on Mars indicates past environmental conditions that were favorable for microbial life. Additional findings presented today (March 18) at a news briefing at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in The Woodlands, Texas, suggest those conditions extended beyond the site of the drilling.

Using infrared-imaging capability of a camera on the rover and an instrument that shoots neutrons into the ground to probe for hydrogen, researchers have found more hydration of minerals near the clay-bearing rock than at locations Curiosity visited earlier.

The rover's Mast Camera (Mastcam) can also serve as a mineral-detecting and hydration-detecting tool, reported Jim Bell of Arizona State University, Tempe. "Some iron-bearing rocks and minerals can be detected and mapped using the Mastcam's near-infrared filters."

Ratios of brightness in different Mastcam near-infrared wavelengths can indicate the presence of some hydrated minerals. The technique was used to check rocks in the "Yellowknife Bay" area where Curiosity's drill last month collected the first powder from the interior of a rock on Mars. Some rocks in Yellowknife Bay are crisscrossed with bright veins.

"With Mastcam, we see elevated hydration signals in the narrow veins that cut many of the rocks in this area," said Melissa Rice of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena. "These bright veins contain hydrated minerals that are different from the clay minerals in the surrounding rock matrix."

The Russian-made Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN) instrument on Curiosity detects hydrogen beneath the rover. At the rover's very dry study area on Mars, the detected hydrogen is mainly in water molecules bound into minerals. "We definitely see signal variation along the traverse from the landing point to Yellowknife Bay," said DAN Deputy Principal Investigator Maxim Litvak of the Space Research Institute, Moscow. "More water is detected at Yellowknife Bay than earlier on the route. Even within Yellowknife Bay, we see significant variation."

Findings presented today from the Canadian-made Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) on Curiosity's arm indicate that the wet environmental processes that produced clay at Yellowknife Bay did so without much change in the overall mix of chemical elements present. The elemental composition of the outcrop Curiosity drilled into matches the composition of basalt. For example, it has basalt-like proportions of silicon, aluminum, magnesium and iron. Basalt is the most common rock type on Mars. It is igneous, but it is also thought to be the parent material for sedimentary rocks Curiosity has examined.

"The elemental composition of rocks in Yellowknife Bay wasn't changed much by mineral alteration," said Curiosity science team member Mariek Schmidt of Brock University, Saint Catharines, Ontario, Canada.

A dust coating on rocks had made the composition detected by APXS not quite a match for basalt until Curiosity used a brush to sweep the dust away. After that, APXS saw less sulfur.

"By removing the dust, we've got a better reading that pushes the classification toward basaltic composition," Schmidt said. The sedimentary rocks at Yellowknife Bay likely formed when original basaltic rocks were broken into fragments, transported, re-deposited as sedimentary particles, and mineralogically altered by exposure to water.

NASA's Mars Science Laboratory Project is using Curiosity to investigate whether an area within Mars' Gale Crater has ever offered an environment favorable for microbial life. Curiosity, carrying 10 science instruments, landed seven months ago to begin its two-year prime mission. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., manages the project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington.

For more about the mission, visit: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/msl , http://marsprogram.jpl.nasa.gov/msl and http://www.nasa.gov/msl .

You can follow the mission on Facebook and Twitter at: http://www.facebook.com/marscuriosity and http://www.twitter.com/marscuriosity .


Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 03/18/2013 08:30 pm
Quote
A new glitch on NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has forced the vehicle to stay in safe mode longer than planned, stalling science operations for another couple of days, scientists said today (March 18).

http://www.space.com/20273-curiosity-mars-rover-safe-mode.html
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 03/19/2013 12:42 am
For anyone who missed the LPSC press briefing associated with the PR jacqmans posted above, you can watch it here:
http://www.livestream.com/lpsc2013/video?clipId=pla_5f897671-5a33-43d2-991f-d6b0e2a3a340

Or on the JPL ustream channel: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/30076916
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: mlindner on 03/19/2013 06:04 am
For anyone who missed the LPSC press briefing associated with the PR jacqmans posted above, you can watch it here:
http://www.livestream.com/lpsc2013/video?clipId=pla_5f897671-5a33-43d2-991f-d6b0e2a3a340

Or on the JPL ustream channel: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/30076916

Is there any version that isn't heavily blurred? It looks like they were using out of focus cameras. (Also it's not just the low resolution, as viewing the video at original resolution it is still blurry.)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 03/19/2013 07:52 am

Mawrth Vallis would be my preferred location...lots of different types of clays without too much roving.

Could be good - I still have hopes for Nili Fossae and the possibility of methane seeps.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 03/20/2013 01:21 am
Is there any version that isn't heavily blurred?
It might appear on NASA or JPLs youtube channel, but I don't imagine that would be much different. The visuals from that presentation are available at http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1446
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 03/22/2013 01:02 am
03.20.2013

Sun in the Way Will Affect Mars Missions in April

PASADENA, Calif. - The positions of the planets next month will mean diminished communications between Earth and NASA's spacecraft at Mars.

Mars will be passing almost directly behind the sun, from Earth's perspective. The sun can easily disrupt radio transmissions between the two planets during that near-alignment. To prevent an impaired command from reaching an orbiter or rover, mission controllers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., are preparing to suspend sending any commands to spacecraft at Mars for weeks in April. Transmissions from Mars to Earth will also be reduced.

The travels of Earth and Mars around the sun set up this arrangement, called a Mars solar conjunction, about once every 26 months.

"This is our sixth conjunction for Odyssey," said Chris Potts of JPL, mission manager for NASA's Mars Odyssey, which has been orbiting Mars since 2001. "We have plenty of useful experience dealing with them, though each conjunction is a little different."

The Mars solar conjunctions that occur once about every 26 months are not identical to each other. They can differ in exactly how close to directly behind the sun Mars gets, and they can differ in how active the sun is. The sun's activity, in terms of sunspots and solar flares, varies on a 22-year cycle.

This year, the apparent angle between Mars and the sun (if you could see Mars against the glare of the sun--but don't try, because it's dangerous to the eyes) will slim to 0.4 degree on April 17. The sun is in a more active period of solar flares for its current cycle, compared to the 2011 conjunction, but this cycle has been relatively mild.

"The biggest difference for this 2013 conjunction is having Curiosity on Mars," Potts said. Odyssey and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter relay almost all data coming from Curiosity and the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity, as well as conducting the orbiters' own science observations.

Transmissions from Earth to the orbiters will be suspended while Mars and the sun are two degrees or less apart in the sky, from April 9 to 26, with restricted commanding during additional days before and after. Both orbiters will continue science observations on a reduced basis compared to usual operations. Both will receive and record data from the rovers. Odyssey will continue transmissions Earthward throughout April, although engineers anticipate some data dropouts, and the recorded data will be retransmitted later.

The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter will go into a record-only mode on April 4. "For the entire conjunction period, we'll just be storing data on board," said Deputy Mission Manager Reid Thomas of JPL. He anticipates that the orbiter could have about 40 gigabits of data from its own science instruments and about 12 gigabits of data from Curiosity accumulated for sending to Earth around May 1.

NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity is approaching its fifth solar conjunction. Its team will send no commands between April 9 and April 26. The rover will continue science activities using a long-term set of commands to be sent beforehand.

"We are doing extra science planning work this month to develop almost three weeks of activity sequences for Opportunity to execute throughout conjunction," said Opportunity Mission Manager Alfonso Herrera of JPL. The activities during the conjunction period will not include any driving.

Curiosity, the newest asset on Mars, can also continue making science observations from the location where it will spend the conjunction period. Curiosity's controllers plan to suspend commanding from April 4 to May 1.

"We will maintain visibility of rover status two ways," said Torsten Zorn of JPL, conjunction planning leader for the mission's engineering operations team. "First, Curiosity will be sending daily beeps directly to Earth. Our second line of visibility is in the Odyssey relays."

JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology, manages the projects operating both NASA Mars orbiters and both Mars rovers for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1449
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bubbinski on 03/23/2013 04:26 am
New raw images are up for sol 215 and sol 221-222!  Good to see them back.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 03/25/2013 11:46 pm
03.25.2013

Curiosity Resumes Science Investigations

PASADENA, Calif. - NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has resumed science investigations after recovery from a computer glitch that prompted the engineers to switch the rover to a redundant main computer on Feb. 28.
The rover has been monitoring the weather since March 21 and delivered a new portion of powdered-rock sample for laboratory analysis on March 23, among other activities.

"We are back to full science operations," said Curiosity Deputy Project Manager Jim Erickson of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.

The powder delivered on Saturday came from the rover's first full drilling into a rock to collect a sample. The new portion went into the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument inside the rover, which began analyzing this material and had previously analyzed other portions from the same drilling. SAM can analyze samples in several different ways, so multiple portions from the same drilling are useful.

The Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS) is recording weather variables. The Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD) is checking the natural radiation environment at the rover's location inside Gale Crater.

Like many spacecraft, Curiosity carries a pair of main computers, redundant to each other, to have a backup available if one fails. Each of the computers, A-side and B-side, also has other redundant subsystems linked to just that computer. Curiosity is now operating on its B-side, as it did during part of the flight from Earth to Mars. The A-side was most recently used starting a few weeks before landing and continuing until Feb. 28, when engineers commanded a switch to the B-side in response to a memory glitch on the A-side. The A-side now is available as a backup if needed.

One aspect of ramping-up activities after switching to the B-side computer has been to check the six engineering cameras that are hard-linked to that computer. The rover's science instruments, including five science cameras, can each be operated by either the A-side or B-side computer, whichever is active. However, each of Curiosity's 12 engineering cameras is linked to just one of the computers. The engineering cameras are the Navigation Camera (Navcam), the Front Hazard-Avoidance Camera (Front Hazcam) and Rear Hazard-Avoidance Camera (Rear Hazcam). Each of those three named cameras has four cameras on it: two stereo pairs of cameras, with one pair linked to each computer. Only the pairs linked to the active computer can be used, and the A-side computer was active from before landing, in August, until Feb. 28.

"This was the first use of the B-side engineering cameras since April 2012, on the way to Mars," said JPL's Justin Maki, team lead for these cameras. "Now we've used them on Mars for the first time, and they've all checked out OK."

Engineers quickly diagnosed a software issue that prompted Curiosity to put itself into a precautionary standby "safe mode" on March 16, and they know how to prevent it from happening again. The rover stayed on its B-side while it was in safe mode and subsequently as science activities resumed.

Upcoming activities include preparations for a moratorium on transmitting commands to Curiosity from April 4 to May 1, while Mars will be passing nearly directly behind the sun from Earth's perspective. The moratorium is a precaution against possible interference by the sun corrupting a command sent to the rover.

NASA's Mars Science Laboratory project is using Curiosity and the rover's 10 science instruments to investigate the environmental history within Gale Crater, a location where the project has found that conditions were long ago favorable for microbial life. JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington.



http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1456
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: mlindner on 03/26/2013 02:18 am
Upcoming activities include preparations for a moratorium on transmitting commands to Curiosity from April 4 to May 1, while Mars will be passing nearly directly behind the sun from Earth's perspective. The moratorium is a precaution against possible interference by the sun corrupting a command sent to the rover.

I'm not sure of the reasoning for this. Their communication should be encrypted and checksummed. There should be no way a command should be able to be corrupted unless there was a hardware failure on the rover itself.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 03/26/2013 03:37 am
I'm not sure of the reasoning for this. Their communication should be encrypted and checksummed. There should be no way a command should be able to be corrupted unless there was a hardware failure on the rover itself.
I think it's a very big simplification for general audiences.

Checksum would prevent the rover from trying to execute corrupted commands, but there would still impacts. What ever was supposed to be uplinked doesn't get there, and the rover has to do something else instead. That "something else" has to be planned and tested, so at some error rate it's more efficient to just make the "something else" plan A and not bother trying to uplink at all. Downlink is limited in conjunction too, so science activities would have to be limited anyway.

That said, I recall reading elsewhere that the main reason they don't command is actually that they don't want to try to recover from anomalies when com is limited and unpredictable.  If the rover is sitting doing something very simple, it's unlikely to run into problems. If you start a drive under ratty com, hit a problem and go into safe mode, you may not be able to get telemetry to diagnose or uplink to recover. Many failures can result in falling back to low gain antennas, which would further complicate things.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: MP99 on 03/26/2013 10:12 pm
Upcoming activities include preparations for a moratorium on transmitting commands to Curiosity from April 4 to May 1, while Mars will be passing nearly directly behind the sun from Earth's perspective. The moratorium is a precaution against possible interference by the sun corrupting a command sent to the rover.

I'm not sure of the reasoning for this. Their communication should be encrypted and checksummed. There should be no way a command should be able to be corrupted unless there was a hardware failure on the rover itself.

Quote
"In theory, there should be no difference between theory and practice, but in practice, there is." (William T. Harbaugh)

If communication will be difficult, regardless whether some might get through and be checksum'd OK, it seems safer to wait it out.

DSN is a valuable resource, so I suspect it's more worthwhile to use it for something else during the "blackout".

cheers, Martin
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: mlindner on 03/27/2013 01:54 am
Upcoming activities include preparations for a moratorium on transmitting commands to Curiosity from April 4 to May 1, while Mars will be passing nearly directly behind the sun from Earth's perspective. The moratorium is a precaution against possible interference by the sun corrupting a command sent to the rover.

I'm not sure of the reasoning for this. Their communication should be encrypted and checksummed. There should be no way a command should be able to be corrupted unless there was a hardware failure on the rover itself.

Quote
"In theory, there should be no difference between theory and practice, but in practice, there is." (William T. Harbaugh)

If communication will be difficult, regardless whether some might get through and be checksum'd OK, it seems safer to wait it out.

DSN is a valuable resource, so I suspect it's more worthwhile to use it for something else during the "blackout".

cheers, Martin

That quote applies more in the real world. Inside of a computer the system is designed to be idealistic, its the only way you can guarantee code runs. Once you get the bits in from the radio it's either it fails checksum or it succeeds (assuming it doesn't fail decryption). If it succeeds then you can be 100% certain (as long as you have computers voting to avoid radiation effects) that what you got is what was sent from Earth. (Disclaimer: I'm a (soon to be) embedded software engineer. I've written checksumming code for cubesat communications.)

But we're getting off topic. This is an update thread. So I'll stop talking about this any longer here.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: JohnFornaro on 03/27/2013 12:02 pm
DSN is a valuable resource, so I suspect it's more worthwhile to use it for something else during the "blackout".

Have they scheduled the bandwidth for another use?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Targeteer on 03/31/2013 08:00 pm
The Science Channel (SCI) has a show titled "NASA Mission to Mars" that discusses Curiousity's mission.  It originally aired 19 Mar and re-aired today when I caught it on the schedule.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: fthurber on 04/01/2013 03:39 pm
I saw this last week and I was a little dismayed at how beat up the wheels were just from short roving here on earth.  There were dents and even holes in the wheels; this does not bode well for long term roving on Mars...
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: mlindner on 04/01/2013 04:05 pm
I saw this last week and I was a little dismayed at how beat up the wheels were just from short roving here on earth.  There were dents and even holes in the wheels; this does not bode well for long term roving on Mars...

1/3rd the gravity, 1/3rd the force.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: douglas100 on 04/02/2013 02:16 pm
I saw this last week and I was a little dismayed at how beat up the wheels were just from short roving here on earth.  There were dents and even holes in the wheels; this does not bode well for long term roving on Mars...

Don't worry about it. Opportunity's been going over nine years and its wheels are still turning.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 04/02/2013 07:40 pm
Don't worry about it. Opportunity's been going over nine years and its wheels are still turning.
MER wheels aren't really a useful comparison, they are a different design and not subject to the same loads. However, the team have repeatedly stated that dings, dents and even holes in the wheels are expected and not a sign of problems.

edit:
oops, writing "are" instead of "aren't" also isn't useful :(
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 04/04/2013 12:57 am
News release: 2013-121                                                                    April. 3, 2013

Used Parachute on Mars Flaps in the Wind



The full version of this story with accompanying images is at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-121&cid=release_2013-121

PASADENA, Calif. - Photos from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter show how the parachute that helped NASA's Curiosity rover land on Mars last summer has subsequently changed its shape on the ground.

The images were obtained by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

Seven images taken by HiRISE between Aug. 12, 2012, and Jan. 13, 2013, show the used parachute shifting its shape at least twice in response to wind.

The images in the sequence of photos are available online at http://uahirise.org/releases/msl-chute.php and at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/spaceimages/details.php?id=PIA16813 .

Researchers have used HiRISE to study many types of changes on Mars. Its first image of Curiosity's parachute, not included in this series, caught the spacecraft suspended from the chute during descent through the Martian atmosphere.

HiRISE is operated by the University of Arizona, Tucson. The instrument was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colo. The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project and Curiosity are managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

For more information about the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, which has been studying Mars from orbit since 2006, visit http://www.nasa.gov/mro .

Guy Webster 818-354-6278
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
[email protected]


- end -


>>>Click on picture below to start the motion <<<
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: iamlucky13 on 04/05/2013 12:23 am
DSN is a valuable resource, so I suspect it's more worthwhile to use it for something else during the "blackout".

Have they scheduled the bandwidth for another use?

They seldom have trouble finding multiple tasks to keep the DSN antennas (3 sites, each with 4 or more antennas) quite busy. The real challenge is scheduling everything so everyone can get their data without interrupting each other.

Currently though, the big 70m dish at the Goldstone, California site, is offline have one of its main bearings serviced. I would not be surprised if the start of this major maintenance work was deliberately chosen to coincide with the Mars conjunction, since the spacecraft there account for a lot of the DSN bandwidth allocation.

http://deepspace.jpl.nasa.gov/dsn/features/70metermaintenance.html

Quote
As with any large, rotating structure that has operated almost 24 hours per day, seven days per week for over 40 years, we eventually have to replace major elements," said Wayne Sible, the network's deputy project manager at JPL.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 04/05/2013 01:23 am
News release: 2013-121                                                                    April. 3, 2013

Used Parachute on Mars Flaps in the Wind

very cool to see!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 04/08/2013 07:47 pm
News release: 2013-127                                                                    April. 8, 2013

Remaining Martian Atmosphere Still Dynamic



The full version of this story with accompanying images is at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-127&cid=release_2013-127

VIENNA -- Mars has lost much of its original atmosphere, but what's left remains quite active, recent findings from NASA's Mars rover Curiosity indicate. Rover team members reported diverse findings today at the European Geosciences Union 2013 General Assembly, in Vienna.

Evidence has strengthened this month that Mars lost much of its original atmosphere by a process of gas escaping from the top of the atmosphere.

Curiosity's Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument analyzed an atmosphere sample last week using a process that concentrates selected gases. The results provided the most precise measurements ever made of isotopes of argon in the Martian atmosphere. Isotopes are variants of the same element with different atomic weights. "We found arguably the clearest and most robust signature of atmospheric loss on Mars," said Sushil Atreya, a SAM co-investigator at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

SAM found that the Martian atmosphere has about four times as much of a lighter stable isotope (argon-36) compared to a heavier one (argon-38). This removes previous uncertainty about the ratio in the Martian atmosphere from 1976 measurements from NASA's Viking project and from small volumes of argon extracted from Martian meteorites. The ratio is much lower than the solar system's original ratio, as estimated from argon-isotope measurements of the sun and Jupiter. This points to a process at Mars that favored preferential loss of the lighter isotope over the heavier one.

Curiosity measures several variables in today's Martian atmosphere with the Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS), provided by Spain. While daily air temperature has climbed steadily since the measurements began eight months ago and is not strongly tied to the rover's location, humidity has differed significantly at different places along the rover's route. These are the first systematic measurements of humidity on Mars.

Trails of dust devils have not been seen inside Gale Crater, but REMS sensors detected many whirlwind patterns during the first hundred Martian days of the mission, though not as many as detected in the same length of time by earlier missions. "A whirlwind is a very quick event that happens in a few seconds and should be verified by a combination of pressure, temperature and wind oscillations and, in some cases, a decrease is ultraviolet radiation," said REMS Principal Investigator Javier Gómez-Elvira of the Centro de Astrobiología, Madrid.

Dust distributed by the wind has been examined by Curiosity's laser-firing Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) instrument. Initial laser pulses on each target hit dust. The laser's energy removes the dust to expose underlying material, but those initial pulses also provide information about the dust.

"We knew that Mars is red because of iron oxides in the dust," said ChemCam Deputy Principal Investigator Sylvestre Maurice of the Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie in Toulouse, France. "ChemCam reveals a complex chemical composition of the dust that includes hydrogen, which could be in the form of hydroxyl groups or water molecules."

Possible interchange of water molecules between the atmosphere and the ground is studied by a combination of instruments on the rover, including the Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN), provided by Russia under the leadership of DAN Principal Investigator Igor Mitrofanov.

For the rest of April, Curiosity will carry out daily activities for which commands were sent in March, using DAN, REMS and the Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD). No new commands are being sent during a four-week period while Mars is passing nearly behind the sun, from Earth's perspective. This geometry occurs about every 26 months and is called Mars solar conjunction.

"After conjunction, Curiosity will be drilling into another rock where the rover is now, but that target has not yet been selected. The science team will discuss this over the conjunction period." said Mars Science Laboratory Project Scientist John Grotzinger, of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena.

NASA's Mars Science Laboratory Project is using Curiosity to investigate the environmental history within Gale Crater, a location where the project has found that conditions were long ago favorable for microbial life. Curiosity, carrying 10 science instruments, landed in August 2012 to begin its two-year prime mission. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, manages the project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington.

For more about the mission, visit: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/msl , http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl . You can follow the mission on Facebook and Twitter at: http://www.facebook.com/marscuriosity and http://www.twitter.com/marscuriosity .

Guy Webster 818-354-6278
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
[email protected]


- end -
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: JayP on 04/09/2013 02:13 am
I saw this last week and I was a little dismayed at how beat up the wheels were just from short roving here on earth.  There were dents and even holes in the wheels; this does not bode well for long term roving on Mars...

Those wheels have been rolling around in that sandbox for litterly years of testing. They probably have more mileage already than the flight vehicle will get in it's lifetime.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: R7 on 04/09/2013 01:07 pm
I saw this last week and I was a little dismayed at how beat up the wheels were just from short roving here on earth.  There were dents and even holes in the wheels; this does not bode well for long term roving on Mars...

Err the holes are manufactured. They imprint "JPL" in Morse code and are used to measure distances. (http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1329) May also help clear sand from the rim inner surface.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: JayP on 04/09/2013 02:00 pm
I saw this last week and I was a little dismayed at how beat up the wheels were just from short roving here on earth.  There were dents and even holes in the wheels; this does not bode well for long term roving on Mars...

Err the holes are manufactured. They imprint "JPL" in Morse code and are used to measure distances. (http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1329) May also help clear sand from the rim inner surface.

Those are not the holes he was talking about. The Science Channel program showed clips of the test rover at JPL. It's wheels have numeros dents and tears from lots of use.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: R7 on 04/09/2013 02:49 pm
Those are not the holes he was talking about. The Science Channel program showed clips of the test rover at JPL. It's wheels have numeros dents and tears from lots of use.

Oh, thought he referred to the image on the last page, my bad sorry  :)

Is the clip available somewhere online?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 04/12/2013 07:56 pm
Curiosity Rover Report (April 12, 2013): Mars' Bygone Atmosphere

Published on Apr 12, 2013
NASA's Curiosity finds that the Red Planet doesn't have the same atmosphere it used to.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8OUL9QYNpI
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bubbinski on 05/04/2013 03:31 am
Raw images are now updated.  Images in from sol 263.  They're uploading new flight software before returning to full science.  As I understand it they're going to drill another rock sample before going to Mount Sharp.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 05/04/2013 05:45 am
Raw images are now updated.  Images in from sol 263.  They're uploading new flight software before returning to full science.  As I understand it they're going to drill another rock sample before going to Mount Sharp.

So that's another month being spent at Glenelg.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jacqmans on 05/09/2013 10:12 pm

RELEASE: 13-136

NASA CURIOSITY ROVER TEAM SELECTS SECOND DRILLING TARGET ON MARS

PASADENA, Calif. -- The team operating NASA's Curiosity Mars rover on
Mars has selected a second target rock for drilling and sampling. The
rover will set course to the drilling location in coming days.

This second drilling target, called "Cumberland," lies about nine feet
(2.75 meters) west of the rock where Curiosity's drill first touched
Martian stone in February. Curiosity took the first rock sample ever
collected on Mars from that rock, called "John Klein." The rover
found evidence of an ancient environment favorable for microbial
life. Both rocks are flat, with pale veins and a bumpy surface. They
are embedded in a layer of rock on the floor of a shallow depression
called "Yellowknife Bay."

This second drilling is intended to confirm results from the first
drilling, which indicated the chemistry of the first powdered sample
from John Klein was much less oxidizing than that of a soil sample
the rover scooped up before it began drilling.

"We know there is some cross-contamination from the previous sample
each time," said Dawn Sumner, a long-term planner for Curiosity's
science team at the University of California at Davis. "For the
Cumberland sample, we expect to have most of that cross-contamination
come from a similar rock, rather than from very different soil."

Although Cumberland and John Klein are very similar, Cumberland
appears to have more of the erosion-resistant granules that cause the
surface bumps. The bumps are concretions, or clumps of minerals,
which formed when water soaked the rock long ago. Analysis of a
sample containing more material from these concretions could provide
information about the variability within the rock layer that includes
both John Klein and Cumberland.

Mission engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in
Pasadena, Calif., recently finished upgrading Curiosity's operating
software following a four-week break. The rover continued monitoring
the Martian atmosphere during the break but the team did not send any
new commands because Mars and the sun were positioned in such a way
the sun could have blocked or corrupted commands sent from Earth.

Curiosity is about nine months into a two-year prime mission since
landing inside Gale Crater on Mars. After the second rock drilling in
Yellowknife Bay and a few other investigations nearby, the rover will
drive toward the base of Mount Sharp, a 3-mile (5-kilometer) tall
layered mountain inside the crater.

JPL manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project, of which Curiosity is
the centerpiece, for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in
Washington.

For more information about the mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/msl

To follow the mission on Facebook and Twitter, visit:

http://www.facebook.com/marscuriosity

and

http://www.twitter.com/marscuriosity
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 05/09/2013 11:04 pm
Curiosity Rover Report (May 9, 2013):

Published on May 9, 2013
JPLNews
Curiosity gets new software and new capabilities for the long trek to Mt. Sharp.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ft5gJbqdzfY
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 05/10/2013 07:23 pm

May 9, 2013
 
RELEASE : 13-134
 
 
NASA Wins Prestigious Aerospace Industry Awards
 
 
WASHINGTON -- Two prominent aerospace industry organizations are recognizing the contributions of NASA, especially the achievements of the team that landed NASA's Curiosity rover on Mars in August, with coveted awards.

The National Aeronautic Association (NAA) will present its Robert J. Collier Trophy to the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Team of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, Calif., at an event in Arlington, Va., Thursday night. At an event in Washington on Wednesday, the team received the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Foundation Award.

AIAA also conferred its highest recognition, the title of honorary fellow, on William Gerstenmaier, NASA's associate administrator for human exploration and operations and presented NASA's Associate Administrator for Science, astronaut John Grunsfeld, with its AIAA National Capitol Section Barry Goldwater Educator Award. AIAA recognized two other NASA employees as fellows: Ray G. Clinton of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., and Laurence D. Leavitt of NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va.

"It's wonderful to see NASA's people and their accomplishments recognized by the aerospace community," NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said. "In particular, the Curiosity landing was the hardest NASA mission ever attempted in the history of robotic planetary exploration. These prestigious awards are a testament to the dedication and hard work of the entire worldwide team."

The NAA established the Collier Trophy in 1911 and presents it yearly to recognize the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America. The AIAA awards recognize the most influential and inspiring individuals in aerospace, whose outstanding contributions merit the highest accolades. Past honorees have included Orville Wright, Neil Armstrong, the team that designed the space shuttle and the astronauts who carried out the first Hubble Space Telescope repair mission in 1993.

The NAA's Collier citation notes the MSL team's "extraordinary achievements of successfully landing Curiosity on Mars, advancing the nation's technological and engineering capabilities, and significantly improving humanity's understanding of ancient Martian habitable environments."

More than 7,000 people in at least 33 U.S. states and 11 other countries have worked on the Mars Science Laboratory mission. Curiosity, the laboratory's centerpiece, carries 10 science instruments to investigate the environmental history inside Gale Crater on Mars. In March, rover scientists announced an analysis of a rock sample collected there shows Mars could have supported living microbes in an ancient freshwater environment. Curiosity's mission is expected to last at least two years.

"The prestigious Collier Trophy is a wonderful recognition for Curiosity, a phenomenal engineering and science achievement that has captured the hearts and minds of children and adults across America and around the globe," said Charles Elachi, director of JPL. "It's an honor to do missions like this one on behalf of NASA and the nation."

Two other teams from JPL that manage NASA spacecraft, the Dawn mission to the asteroid belt and the Voyager mission to interstellar space, were finalists for the 2012 Collier Trophy.

JPL designed, developed and assembled the rover and manages its mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington.

For more information about the Collier Trophy, visit:

http://www.naa.aero/html/awards/index.cfm?cmsid=62


For more information about the AIAA awards, visit:

http://bit.ly/12j3ey0


For more about the Mars Science Laboratory mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/msl


For information on other NASA missions and programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov

 
- end -
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Lar on 05/11/2013 03:23 am
Those wheels have been rolling around in that sandbox for litterly years of testing.

Litterly? Sandbox? :)

I see what you did there.

Happy about the awards but why Gerst? The teams deserve the fellowships
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 05/16/2013 11:03 pm
Curiosity Rover Report (May 16, 2013):

 Rover Readies for Second Drilling

Published on May 16, 2013
Curiosity prepares for a second drilling and a tutorial on the complicated choreography to get the drill sample to her instruments.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVwuOByJ5zw
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 05/17/2013 08:25 pm
News release: 2013-167                                                                   May 17, 2013

Mars Rover Opportunity Examines Clay Clues in Rock



The full version of this story with accompanying images is at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-167&cid=release_2013-167

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA's senior Mars rover, Opportunity, is driving to a new study area after a dramatic finish to 20 months on "Cape York" with examination of a rock intensely altered by water.

The fractured rock, called "Esperance," provides evidence about a wet ancient environment possibly favorable for life. The mission's principal investigator, Steve Squyres of Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., said, "Esperance was so important, we committed several weeks to getting this one measurement of it, even though we knew the clock was ticking."

The mission's engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., had set this week as a deadline for starting a drive toward "Solander Point," where the team plans to keep Opportunity working during its next Martian winter.

"What's so special about Esperance is that there was enough water not only for reactions that produced clay minerals, but also enough to flush out ions set loose by those reactions, so that Opportunity can clearly see the alteration," said Scott McLennan of the State University of New York, Stony Brook, a long-term planner for Opportunity's science team.

This rock's composition is unlike any other Opportunity has investigated during nine years on Mars -- higher in aluminum and silica, lower in calcium and iron.

The next destination, Solander Point, and the area Opportunity is leaving, Cape York, both are segments of the rim of Endeavour Crater, which spans 14 miles (22 kilometers) across. The planned driving route to Solander Point is about 1.4 miles (2.2 kilometers). Cape York has been Opportunity's home since the rover arrived at the western edge of Endeavour in mid-2011 after a two-year trek from a smaller crater.

"Based on our current solar-array dust models, we intend to reach an area of 15 degrees northerly tilt before Opportunity's sixth Martian winter," said JPL's Scott Lever, mission manager. "Solander Point gives us that tilt and may allow us to move around quite a bit for winter science observations."

Northerly tilt increases output from the rover's solar panels during southern-hemisphere winter. Daily sunshine for Opportunity will reach winter minimum in February 2014. The rover needs to be on a favorable slope well before then.

The first drive away from Esperance covered 81.7 feet (24.9 meters) on May 14. Three days earlier, Opportunity finished exposing a patch of the rock's interior with the rock abrasion tool. The team used a camera and spectrometer on the robotic arm to examine Esperance.

The team identified Esperance while exploring a portion of Cape York where the Compact Reconnaissance Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter had detected a clay mineral. Clays typically form in wet environments that are not harshly acidic. For years, Opportunity had been finding evidence for ancient wet environments that were very acidic. The CRISM findings prompted the rover team to investigate the area where clay had been detected from orbit. There, they found an outcrop called "Whitewater Lake," containing a small amount of clay from alteration by exposure to water.

"There appears to have been extensive, but weak, alteration of Whitewater Lake, but intense alteration of Esperance along fractures that provided conduits for fluid flow," Squyres said. "Water that moved through fractures during this rock's history would have provided more favorable conditions for biology than any other wet environment recorded in rocks Opportunity has seen."

NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Project launched Opportunity to Mars on July 7, 2003, about a month after its twin rover, Spirit. Both were sent for three-month prime missions to study the history of wet environments on ancient Mars and continued working in extended missions. Spirit ceased operations in 2010.

JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Exploration Rover Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. For more about Opportunity, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/rovers and http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov . You can follow the project on Twitter and on Facebook at: http://twitter.com/MarsRovers and http://www.facebook.com/mars.rovers .

Guy Webster 818-354-6278
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
[email protected]

Dwayne Brown 202-358-1726
NASA Headquarters, Washington
[email protected]


- end -
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Lar on 05/17/2013 08:41 pm
Curiosity Rover Report (May 16, 2013):

 Rover Readies for Second Drilling

Published on May 16, 2013
Curiosity prepares for a second drilling and a tutorial on the complicated choreography to get the drill sample to her instruments.


A tutorial? Who is getting a tutorial? Anyone know how to clarify that? I didn't think one typically trained robots unless they're neural network based.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 05/19/2013 12:30 am
Curiosity Rover Report (May 16, 2013):

 Rover Readies for Second Drilling

Published on May 16, 2013
Curiosity prepares for a second drilling and a tutorial on the complicated choreography to get the drill sample to her instruments.


A tutorial? Who is getting a tutorial? Anyone know how to clarify that? I didn't think one typically trained robots unless they're neural network based.

My guess would be to execute a pre-determined choreography on drilling into a rock, only that it's a location where there is no rock (or there is a rock but they don't execute a drilling).
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 05/20/2013 04:10 am
Curiosity Rover Report (May 16, 2013):

 Rover Readies for Second Drilling

Published on May 16, 2013
Curiosity prepares for a second drilling and a tutorial on the complicated choreography to get the drill sample to her instruments.


A tutorial? Who is getting a tutorial? Anyone know how to clarify that? I didn't think one typically trained robots unless they're neural network based.

It's part of the anthropomorphism that seems to drive representation of these machines.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 05/20/2013 11:02 pm
NASA Mars Rover Curiosity Drills Second Rock Target
05.20.2013

PASADENA, Calif. - NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has used the drill on its robotic arm to collect a powdered sample from the interior of a rock called "Cumberland."
Plans call for delivering portions of the sample in coming days to laboratory instruments inside the rover. This is only the second time that a sample has been collected from inside a rock on Mars. The first was Curiosity's drilling at a target called "John Klein" three months ago. Cumberland resembles John Klein and lies about nine feet (2.75 meters) farther west. Both are within a shallow depression called "Yellowknife Bay."

The hole that Curiosity drilled into Cumberland on May 19 is about 0.6 inch (1.6 centimeters) in diameter and about 2.6 inches (6.6 centimeters) deep.

The science team expects to use analysis of material from Cumberland to check findings from John Klein. Preliminary findings from analysis of John Klein rock powder by Curiosity's onboard laboratory instruments indicate that the location long ago had environmental conditions favorable for microbial life. The favorable conditions included the key elemental ingredients for life, an energy gradient that could be exploited by microbes, and water that was not harshly acidic or briny.


http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1475
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 05/20/2013 11:10 pm
Curiosity Drills Into Mars Again - First Image | Video

Published on May 20, 2013
The Mars Science Laboratory has completed its second drill into the surface of the Red Planet. The drilling target was nicknamed 'Cumberland'.

Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / Original Music by Mark Peterson,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7PzJTYm1Qs
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: meekGee on 05/21/2013 05:10 pm
Curiosity Rover Report (May 16, 2013):

 Rover Readies for Second Drilling

Published on May 16, 2013
Curiosity prepares for a second drilling and a tutorial on the complicated choreography to get the drill sample to her instruments.


A tutorial? Who is getting a tutorial? Anyone know how to clarify that? I didn't think one typically trained robots unless they're neural network based.

The "and" is not used well...

The latest curiosity update report ALSO included a tutorial on how samples are moved from place to place by the rover.  It was actually very interesting....

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: dsmillman on 05/27/2013 04:58 pm
NASA Discusses Curiosity Radiation Findings

May 27, 2013

Trent J. Perrotto
Headquarters, Washington                               
202-358-1100
[email protected]

MEDIA ADVISORY: M13-085

NASA DISCUSSES CURIOSITY RADIATION FINDINGS

WASHINGTON -- NASA will host a media teleconference at 2:30 p.m. EDT Thursday, May 30, to present new findings from the Mars Science Laboratory Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD) aboard the rover Curiosity.

The journal Science has embargoed details until 2 p.m. May 30.

The briefing participants are:

-- Donald M. Hassler, RAD principal investigator and program director, Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), San Antonio
-- Cary Zeitlin, principal scientist, SwRI
-- Eddie Semones, spaceflight radiation health officer, NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston
-- Chris Moore, deputy director of advanced exploration systems, NASA Headquarters, Washington

For dial-in information, media representatives should e-mail their name, affiliation and telephone number to Trent Perrotto at [email protected] by noon May 30.

SwRI and Christian Albrechts University in Kiel, Germany, built RAD with funding from NASA's Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate and Germany's national aerospace research center, Deutsches Zentrum fC<r Luft- und Raumfahrt. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project. NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington manages the Mars Exploration Program.

Visuals will be posted at the start of the teleconference on NASA's Mars Science Laboratory website at:

http://go.nasa.gov/curiositytelecon

Audio of the teleconference will be streamed live on NASA's website
at:

http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio

   
-end-
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 05/27/2013 11:18 pm
NASA Discusses Curiosity Radiation Findings

May 27, 2013

Trent J. Perrotto
Headquarters, Washington                               
202-358-1100
[email protected]

MEDIA ADVISORY: M13-085

NASA DISCUSSES CURIOSITY RADIATION FINDINGS

WASHINGTON -- NASA will host a media teleconference at 2:30 p.m. EDT Thursday, May 30, to present new findings from the Mars Science Laboratory Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD) aboard the rover Curiosity.

The journal Science has embargoed details until 2 p.m. May 30....

Yay!  We are finally getting a paper on the sciene, the first one I think.  By this stage more than a dozen had been published on the MERs.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 05/29/2013 06:56 pm
Curiosity's 9-Month 'Dance' On Mars Time-Lapsed By Tech Geek | Video

Published on May 29, 2013
Professional programmer Karl Sanford wrote a program to compile images from Sol 0 (August 8th, 2012) through Sol 281 (May 21st, 2013) from the Mars Science Laboratory website.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkmDM376-nE
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 05/30/2013 09:46 pm
News release: 2013-183                                                                   May 30, 2013

Data From NASA Rover's Voyage to Mars Aids Planning



The full version of this story with accompanying images is at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-183&cid=release_2013-183

PASADENA, Calif. -- Measurements taken by NASA's Mars Science Laboratory mission as it delivered the Curiosity rover to Mars in 2012 are providing NASA the information it needs to design systems to protect human explorers from radiation exposure on deep-space expeditions in the future.

Curiosity's Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD) is the first instrument to measure the radiation environment during a Mars cruise mission from inside a spacecraft that is similar to potential human exploration spacecraft. The findings reduce uncertainty about the effectiveness of radiation shielding and provide vital information to space mission designers who will need to build in protection for spacecraft occupants in the future.

"As this nation strives to reach an asteroid and Mars in our lifetimes, we're working to solve every puzzle nature poses to keep astronauts safe so they can explore the unknown and return home," said William Gerstenmaier, NASA's associate administrator for human exploration and operations in Washington. "We learn more about the human body's ability to adapt to space every day aboard the International Space Station. As we build the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System rocket to carry and shelter us in deep space, we'll continue to make the advances we need in life sciences to reduce risks for our explorers. Curiosity's RAD instrument is giving us critical data we need so that we humans, like the rover, can dare mighty things to reach the Red Planet."

The findings, which are published in the May 31 edition of the journal Science, indicate radiation exposure for human explorers could exceed NASA's career limit for astronauts if current propulsion systems are used.

Two forms of radiation pose potential health risks to astronauts in deep space. One is galactic cosmic rays (GCRs), particles caused by supernova explosions and other high-energy events outside the solar system. The other is solar energetic particles (SEPs) associated with solar flares and coronal mass ejections from the sun.

Radiation exposure is measured in units of Sievert (Sv) or milliSievert (one one-thousandth Sv). Long-term population studies have shown exposure to radiation increases a person's lifetime cancer risk. Exposure to a dose of 1 Sv, accumulated over time, is associated with a five percent increase in risk for developing fatal cancer.

NASA has established a three percent increased risk of fatal cancer as an acceptable career limit for its astronauts currently operating in low-Earth orbit. The RAD data showed the Curiosity rover was exposed to an average of 1.8 milliSieverts of GCR per day on its journey to Mars. Only about three percent of the radiation dose was associated with solar particles because of a relatively quiet solar cycle and the shielding provided by the spacecraft.

The RAD data will help inform current discussions in the United States' medical community, which is working to establish exposure limits for deep-space explorers in the future.

"In terms of accumulated dose, it's like getting a whole-body CT scan once every five or six days," said Cary Zeitlin, a principal scientist at the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) in San Antonio and lead author of the paper on the findings. "Understanding the radiation environment inside a spacecraft carrying humans to Mars or other deep space destinations is critical for planning future crewed missions."

Current spacecraft shield much more effectively against SEPs than GCRs. To protect against the comparatively low energy of typical SEPs, astronauts might need to move into havens with extra shielding on a spacecraft or on the Martian surface, or employ other countermeasures. GCRs tend to be highly energetic, highly penetrating particles that are not stopped by the modest shielding provided by a typical spacecraft.

"Scientists need to validate theories and models with actual measurements, which RAD is now providing," said Donald M. Hassler, a program director at SwRI and principal investigator of the RAD investigation. "These measurements will be used to better understand how radiation travels through deep space and how it is affected and changed by the spacecraft structure itself. The spacecraft protects somewhat against lower energy particles, but others can propagate through the structure unchanged or break down into secondary particles."

After Curiosity landed on Mars in August, the RAD instrument continued operating, measuring the radiation environment on the planet's surface. RAD data collected during Curiosity's science mission will continue to inform plans to protect astronauts as NASA designs future missions to Mars in the coming decades.

SwRI, together with Christian Albrechts University in Kiel, Germany, built RAD with funding from NASA's Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate and Germany's national aerospace research center, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt.

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project and the project's Curiosity rover. The NASA Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington manages the Mars Exploration Program.

For more information about the mission, visit: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/msl , http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl . To follow the mission on Facebook and Twitter visit: http://www.facebook.com/marscuriosity and http://www.twitter.com/marscuriosity .

For more information about NASA human spaceflight and exploration, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/exploration .

Guy Webster 818-354-6278
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
[email protected]

Trent Perrotto 202-358-1100
NASA Headquarters, Washington
[email protected]

Deb Schmid 210-522-2254
Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio
[email protected]


- end -
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 05/30/2013 09:50 pm
News feature: 2013-181                                                                   May 30, 2013

Pebbly Rocks Testify to Old Streambed on Mars



The full version of this story with accompanying images is at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-181&cid=release_2013-181

PASADENA, Calif. - Detailed analysis and review have borne out researchers' initial interpretation of pebble-containing slabs that NASA's Mars rover Curiosity investigated last year: They are part of an ancient streambed.

The rocks are the first ever found on Mars that contain streambed gravels. The sizes and shapes of the gravels embedded in these conglomerate rocks -- from the size of sand particles to the size of golf balls -- enabled researchers to calculate the depth and speed of the water that once flowed at this location.

"We completed more rigorous quantification of the outcrops to characterize the size distribution and roundness of the pebbles and sand that make up these conglomerates," said Rebecca Williams of the Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, Ariz., lead author of a report about them in the journal Science this week. "We ended up with a calculation in the same range as our initial estimate last fall. At a minimum, the stream was flowing at a speed equivalent to a walking pace -- a meter, or three feet, per second -- and it was ankle-deep to hip-deep."

Three pavement-like rocks examined with the telephoto capability of Curiosity's Mast Camera (Mastcam) during the rover's first 40 days on Mars are the basis for the new report. One, "Goulburn," is immediately adjacent to the rover's "Bradbury Landing" touchdown site. The other two, "Link" and "Hottah," are about 165 and 330 feet (50 and 100 meters) to the southeast. Researchers also used the rover's laser-shooting Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) instrument to investigate the Link rock.

"These conglomerates look amazingly like streambed deposits on Earth," Williams said. "Most people are familiar with rounded river pebbles. Maybe you've picked up a smoothed, round rock to skip across the water. Seeing something so familiar on another world is exciting and also gratifying."

The larger pebbles are not distributed evenly in the conglomerate rocks. In Hottah, researchers detected alternating pebble-rich layers and sand layers. This is common in streambed deposits on Earth and provides additional evidence for stream flow on Mars. In addition, many of the pebbles are touching each other, a sign that they rolled along the bed of a stream.

"Our analysis of the amount of rounding of the pebbles provided further information," said Sanjeev Gupta of Imperial College, London, a co-author of the new report. "The rounding indicates sustained flow. It occurs as pebbles hit each other multiple times. This wasn't a one-off flow. It was sustained, certainly more than weeks or months, though we can't say exactly how long."

The stream carried the gravels at least a few miles, or kilometers, the researchers estimated.

The atmosphere of modern Mars is too thin to make a sustained stream flow of water possible, though the planet holds large quantities of water ice. Several types of evidence have indicated that ancient Mars had diverse environments with liquid water. However, none but these rocks found by Curiosity could provide the type of stream flow information published this week. Curiosity's images of conglomerate rocks indicate that atmospheric conditions at Gale Crater once enabled the flow of liquid water on the Martian surface.

During a two-year prime mission, researchers are using Curiosity's 10 science instruments to assess the environmental history in Gale Crater on Mars, where the rover has found evidence of ancient environmental conditions favorable for microbial life.

More information about Curiosity is online at: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/msl , http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/ .

You can follow the mission on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/marscuriosity and on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/marscuriosity .

Guy Webster 818-354-6278
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
[email protected]

2013-181


- end -
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 06/03/2013 11:34 pm
News release: 2013-185                                                                   Jun. 3, 2013

NASA to Host June 5 Teleconference on Curiosity Mars Rover



The full version of this story with accompanying images is at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-185&cid=release_2013-185

PASADENA, Calif. - NASA will host a media teleconference at 11:30 a.m. PDT (2:30 p.m. EDT), Wednesday, June 5 to provide an update about the Mars Science Laboratory mission and activities of the Curiosity rover.

The briefing participants will be:

-- Jim Erickson, Mars Science Laboratory project manager, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
-- Joy Crisp, Mars Science Laboratory deputy project scientist, JPL
-- Joe Melko, Mars Science Laboratory sampling activity lead, JPL

The NASA Mars rover Curiosity is approximately 10 months into a two-year prime mission to investigate the environmental history of an area inside Mars' Gale Crater, where it has already found evidence of ancient environmental conditions favorable for microbial life.

Audio and visuals of the event will be streamed live online at: http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio and http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl .

Visuals will be posted at the start of the event at: http://go.nasa.gov/curiositytelecon .

For information about NASA's Curiosity mission, visit: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/msl , http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl .

Guy Webster/Elena Mejia 818-354-5011
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
[email protected] / [email protected]

Dwayne Brown 202-358-1726
NASA Headquarters, Washington
[email protected]


- end -
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 06/04/2013 04:18 am
Probably preliminary results of the second drilling location
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: JohnFornaro on 06/04/2013 12:57 pm
Pebbles, huh?

Quote from: Rebecca Williams
We ended up with a calculation in the same range as our initial estimate last fall. At a minimum, the stream was flowing at a speed equivalent to a walking pace -- a meter, or three feet, per second -- and it was ankle-deep to hip-deep.

The pebbles in the article are not nearly as rounded as the pebbles here in Mechum's river.

So how long does it take, in that reduced gravity, for those martian pebbles to get as rounded as they are?

A hundred thousand years?  A million years?

How long did the water flow?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 06/04/2013 11:21 pm
Pebbles, huh?

Quote from: Rebecca Williams
We ended up with a calculation in the same range as our initial estimate last fall. At a minimum, the stream was flowing at a speed equivalent to a walking pace -- a meter, or three feet, per second -- and it was ankle-deep to hip-deep.

The pebbles in the article are not nearly as rounded as the pebbles here in Mechum's river.

So how long does it take, in that reduced gravity, for those martian pebbles to get as rounded as they are?

A hundred thousand years?  A million years?

How long did the water flow?

That a difficult question.  As a geologist would define them, those pebbles are subrounded to rounded.  This is reasonable considering the travel distance and the igenous rocks that they are composed of, which are generally quite hard.

The maximum likely travel distance is of the order of 40 km or so, from up on the rim. 

The pebbles are unlikely to be recyled, they have been trasnported from bedrock to where they are now, rather than reworking of older pebbles.

Pebble beds are typically deposited in high energy flow events lasting minutes to hours.  During these events they may move a few m to several km, tending on veolcity and duration. Thus many flow events will be needed to shift the pebbles from their source to where they are now.  On terrestrial fans such flows might happen once of twice a season, to once every few thousand years in hyper arid environments. 

How long it takes on Mars is anybody's guess.  I would suspect that the deposits seen here would respresent episodic processes over a few thousand to a few million years.  Which isn't long.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Targeteer on 06/05/2013 06:30 pm
telecon about to begin
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 06/05/2013 07:15 pm
Curiosity Mars Rover Drilling Into Its Second Rocks

Published on Jun 5, 2013
This sequence of images from the Front Hazard-Avoidance Camera on NASA's Mars rover Curiosity shows the rover drilling into a rock target "Cumberland" on May 19, 2013.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6jf82YfupU
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: John44 on 06/05/2013 08:05 pm
NASA Teleconference on Curiosity Mars Rover - June 5
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8307
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 06/05/2013 10:32 pm
News release: 2013-187                                                                   Jun. 5, 2013

NASA's Curiosity Mars Rover Nears Turning Point



The full version of this story with accompanying images is at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-187&cid=release_2013-187

Mars Science Laboratory Mission Status Report

PASADENA, Calif. - NASA's Mars Science Laboratory mission is approaching its biggest turning point since landing its rover, Curiosity, inside Mars' Gale Crater last summer.

Curiosity is finishing investigations in an area smaller than a football field where it has been working for six months, and it will soon shift to a distance-driving mode headed for an area about 5 miles (8 kilometers) away, at the base Mount Sharp.

In May, the mission drilled a second rock target for sample material and delivered portions of that rock powder into laboratory instruments in one week, about one-fourth as much time as needed at the first drilled rock.

"We're hitting full stride," said Mars Science Laboratory Project Manager Jim Erickson of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. "We needed a more deliberate pace for all the first-time activities by Curiosity since landing, but we won't have many more of those."

No additional rock drilling or soil scooping is planned in the "Glenelg" area that Curiosity entered last fall as the mission's first destination after landing. To reach Glenelg, the rover drove east about a third of a mile (500 meters) from the landing site. To reach the next destination, Mount Sharp, Curiosity will drive toward the southwest for many months.

"We don't know when we'll get to Mount Sharp," Erickson said. "This truly is a mission of exploration, so just because our end goal is Mount Sharp doesn't mean we're not going to investigate interesting features along the way."

Images of Mount Sharp taken from orbit and images Curiosity has taken from a distance reveal many layers where scientists anticipate finding evidence about how the ancient Martian environment changed and evolved.

While completing major first-time activities since landing, the mission has also already accomplished its main science objective. Analysis of rock powder from the first drilled rock target, "John Klein," provided evidence that an ancient environment in Gale Crater had favorable conditions for microbial life: the essential elemental ingredients, energy and ponded water that was neither too acidic nor too briny.

The rover team chose a similar rock, "Cumberland," as the second drilling target to provide a check for the findings at John Klein. Scientists are analyzing laboratory-instrument results from portions of the Cumberland sample. One new capability being used is to drive away while still holding rock powder in Curiosity's sample-handling device to supply additional material to instruments later if desired by the science team.

For the drill campaign at Cumberland, steps that each took a day or more at John Klein could be combined into a single day's sequence of commands. "We used the experience and lessons from our first drilling campaign, as well as new cached sample capabilities, to do the second drill campaign far more efficiently," said sampling activity lead Joe Melko of JPL. "In addition, we increased use of the rover's autonomous self-protection. This allowed more activities to be strung together before the ground team had to check in on the rover."

The science team has chosen three targets for brief observations before Curiosity leaves the Glenelg area: the boundary between bedrock areas of mudstone and sandstone, a layered outcrop called "Shaler" and a pitted outcrop called "Point Lake."

JPL's Joy Crisp, deputy project scientist for Curiosity, said "Shaler might be a river deposit. Point Lake might be volcanic or sedimentary. A closer look at them could give us better understanding of how the rocks we sampled with the drill fit into the history of how the environment changed."

JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. For more about the mission, visit: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/msl , http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl .

You can follow the mission on Facebook and Twitter at: http://www.facebook.com/marscuriosity and http://www.twitter.com/marscuriosity .

Guy Webster 818-354-6278
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
[email protected]


- end -
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 06/06/2013 03:23 am
Still no data then.... :(
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 06/06/2013 06:14 pm
Advisory: 2013-192                                                                   Jun. 6, 2013

NASA to Host June 7 Mars Rover Opportunity Teleconference



The full version of this story with accompanying images is at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-192&cid=release_2013-192

PASADENA, Calif. - NASA will hold a media teleconference at 9 a.m. PDT (noon EDT) on Friday, June 7, to provide an update about the long-lived Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity. The 10th anniversary of this rover's launch is next month.

The briefing participants will be:

-- John Callas, project manager for Opportunity, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
-- Steve Squyres, principal investigator for Opportunity, Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y.
-- Ray Arvidson, deputy principal investigator for Opportunity, Washington University, St. Louis, Mo.

Audio and visuals of the event will be streamed live online at: http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio and http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl2 .

Visuals will be posted at the start of the event at: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mer/telecon/20130607.html .

For information about NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Project and the twin rovers Spirit and Opportunity, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/rovers and http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov .

Guy Webster/Elena Mejia 818-354-5011
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
[email protected] / [email protected]

Dwayne Brown 202-358-1726
NASA Headquarters, Washington
[email protected]


- end -
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 06/07/2013 06:33 pm
Curiosity Rover Report (June 7, 2013): Rover Ready to Switch Gears

Published on Jun 7, 2013
NASA's Curiosity rover switches to long-distance driving mode as she heads to Mount Sharp.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GH56wMh3FZg

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: John44 on 06/07/2013 06:36 pm
NASA Mars Rover News - June 7
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8313
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 06/14/2013 03:21 am
Curiosity Rover Report (June 13, 2013): Curiosity's Cameras

Published on Jun 13, 2013
Curiosity is at Point Lake on Mars and will snap pictures to send home. Find out more about the rover's 17 cameras, including why some shoot in color and others others take black-and-white images.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2rwWECbEHg
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 06/19/2013 06:50 pm
Image Advisory: 2013-205                                                                  June 19, 2013

Billion-Pixel View of Mars Comes From Curiosity Rover



The full version of this story with accompanying images is at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-205&cid=release_2013-205

PASADENA, Calif. -- A billion-pixel view from the surface of Mars, from NASA's Mars rover Curiosity, offers armchair explorers a way to examine one part of the Red Planet in great detail.

The first NASA-produced view from the surface of Mars larger than one billion pixels stitches together nearly 900 exposures taken by cameras onboard Curiosity and shows details of the landscape along the rover's route.

The 1.3-billion-pixel image is available for perusal with pan and zoom tools at: http://mars.nasa.gov/bp1/ .

The full-circle scene surrounds the site where Curiosity collected its first scoops of dusty sand at a windblown patch called "Rocknest," and extends to Mount Sharp on the horizon.

"It gives a sense of place and really shows off the cameras' capabilities," said Bob Deen of the Multi-Mission Image Processing Laboratory at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. "You can see the context and also zoom in to see very fine details."

Deen assembled the product using 850 frames from the telephoto camera of Curiosity's Mast Camera instrument, supplemented with 21 frames from the Mastcam's wider-angle camera and 25 black-and-white frames -- mostly of the rover itself -- from the Navigation Camera. The images were taken on several different Mars days between Oct. 5 and Nov. 16, 2012. Raw single-frame images received from Curiosity are promptly posted on a public website at: http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/ . Mars fans worldwide have used those images to assemble mosaic views, including at least one gigapixel scene.

The new mosaic from NASA shows illumination effects from variations in the time of day for pieces of the mosaic. It also shows variations in the clarity of the atmosphere due to variable dustiness during the month while the images were acquired.

NASA's Mars Science Laboratory project is using Curiosity and the rover's 10 science instruments to investigate the environmental history within Gale Crater, a location where the project has found that conditions were long ago favorable for microbial life.

Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego, built and operates Curiosity's Mastcam. JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington and built the Navigation Camera and the rover.

More information about the mission is online at: http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/ .

You can follow the mission on Facebook and Twitter at: http://www.facebook.com/marscuriosity and http://www.twitter.com/marscuriosity .

For more information about the Multi-Mission Image Processing Laboratory, see: http://www-mipl.jpl.nasa.gov/mipex.html .

Guy Webster 818-354-6278
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
[email protected]

- end -

Below is a reduced version of panorama from NASA's Mars rover Curiosity with 1.3 billion pixels in the full-resolution version. It shows Curiosity at the "Rocknest" site where the rover scooped up samples of windblown dust and sand. Curiosity used three cameras to take the component images on several different days between Oct. 5 and Nov. 16, 2012. Viewers can explore this image with pan and zoom controls at http://mars.nasa.gov/bp1/.

Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

Full size image can be found here:
http://mars.nasa.gov/multimedia/interactives/billionpixel/
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: spectre9 on 07/03/2013 04:59 am
Trying to figure out where the updates are it seems like Facebook and Twitter are getting the info while the main jpl page and youtube are dormant.

https://twitter.com/marscuriosity

https://www.facebook.com/MarsCuriosity

Curiosity has been visiting Point Lake and is now at Shaler.

The raw images site is going so slow it might be quicker to direct download from Mars  :D

Here's a few shots from Shaler I've picked out. Enjoy  8)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 07/03/2013 05:44 am
Trying to figure out where the updates are it seems like Facebook and Twitter are getting the info while the main jpl page and youtube are dormant.

https://twitter.com/marscuriosity

https://www.facebook.com/MarsCuriosity

Curiosity has been visiting Point Lake and is now at Shaler.

The raw images site is going so slow it might be quicker to direct download from Mars  :D

Here's a few shots from Shaler I've picked out. Enjoy  8)

Cross bedded sandstone....
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: mlindner on 07/03/2013 06:02 am
Trying to figure out where the updates are it seems like Facebook and Twitter are getting the info while the main jpl page and youtube are dormant.

https://twitter.com/marscuriosity

https://www.facebook.com/MarsCuriosity

Curiosity has been visiting Point Lake and is now at Shaler.

The raw images site is going so slow it might be quicker to direct download from Mars  :D

Here's a few shots from Shaler I've picked out. Enjoy  8)

Cross bedded sandstone....

For us non-geologists, whats the significance of "cross bedded sandstone?"
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jebbo on 07/03/2013 11:35 am
For us non-geologists, whats the significance of "cross bedded sandstone?"

The deposition mechanism: was it aeolian (wind) or fluvial (water)?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 07/04/2013 11:31 pm

Cross bedded sandstone....

For us non-geologists, whats the significance of "cross bedded sandstone?"

Jebbo is right, cross-bedding forms when sand is deposited in a specific velocity regime.  From it we can infer things like flow velocity, grainsize, depositional environment, and transport direction.  They are very important palaeoenvironmental indicators.  With a bit more work we can determine whether they were deposited by wind or water, and by what sort of bedform (which type of bar or dune).
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bubbinski on 07/06/2013 05:03 am
"ROAD TRIP!"

Curiosity's started her drive to Mt. Sharp.  This could take 6 mos. to a year to do.  If it takes an earth year to get there from this day, then she'd get there about 90 days before a big comet approaches Mars.  Lots of spectacular views possible.  Looking forward to her arrival, and seeing those daily raw images showing the drive will be very interesting, at least to me.

A link to an announcement from the USGS Astrogeology page:

http://astrogeology.usgs.gov/news?id=news/sol-326-update-on-curiosity-from-usgs-scientist-ken-herkenhoff-road-trip
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 07/07/2013 10:06 pm
At the rate taken since landing Curiosity will be at the foothills of Mt Sharp in about a decade...
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: spectre9 on 07/07/2013 10:48 pm
At the rate taken since landing Curiosity will be at the foothills of Mt Sharp in about a decade...

Not quite. Looking at the pics it does seem like they have a bit of a boring drive through a flat rocky area.

Perhaps it was worth investigating the interesting features near the landing site.

This drive seems to be progressing well. No thick sand. I suspect JPL don't want to release an official update until they've clocked some miles so they can't be accused of having gone nowhere in a whole year.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 07/08/2013 04:31 am
At the rate taken since landing Curiosity will be at the foothills of Mt Sharp in about a decade...

Not quite. Looking at the pics it does seem like they have a bit of a boring drive through a flat rocky area.

Not much was expected on the road to Gelnelg (although anyone from Adelaide could have told them differently ;) ).  I am sure they will see lots of potentially interesting things cand have to cose between driving on, brief stop to do contact science and ChemCam work, or a more detailed site investigation.

Quote
Perhaps it was worth investigating the interesting features near the landing site.

I think so, although to date we only have had one paper (although lots of abstracts)

Quote
This drive seems to be progressing well. No thick sand. I suspect JPL don't want to release an official update until they've clocked some miles so they can't be accused of having gone nowhere in a whole year.

I don't think they have got very far as yet.  One drive of just under 18 m on Sol 324. http://curiosityrover.com/tracking/drivelog.html

I don't think sand will be an issue until they get close to the foothills of Mt Sharp, then there is the barchan belt to negotiate.  This will be quite interesting as satellite imagery indicates that these are near 10 m high and that their surfaces are actiively moving.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: notsorandom on 07/08/2013 01:02 pm
Getting to Mt. Sharp or not lets remember that MSL has already accomplished all of its mission goals. Everything else at this point is a bonus, and I am sure that there are many more interesting things that will be discovered before it reaches the mountain.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: JohnFornaro on 07/08/2013 01:25 pm
Getting to Mt. Sharp or not lets remember that MSL has already accomplished all of its mission goals. Everything else at this point is a bonus, and I am sure that there are many more interesting things that will be discovered before it reaches the mountain.

One of those goals was to search for "signs of possible life".  I haven't heard an official announcement that this goal had been met.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Jim on 07/08/2013 01:41 pm
Yes,  the process of searching has been successful.  That was the goal.  The results of the search is a different matter
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: pippin on 07/08/2013 02:09 pm
You can't credibly set a goal of actually finding something of which you don't know whether it's there.
The whole "signs of life on Mars" story (at least in general publications) is already on the brink of fudging up stories just because people WANT to hear that signs of life have been found (although all the evidence found so far strongly suggest there has been none because on earth it's so ubiquitous that you will immediately find it's signs wherever you look and that probably wouldn't change for hundreds of millions of years even if it completely died now).

Your goal can be whether life is or has been possible and to search whether or not there are signs for it and whatever you find is the result and if the result is conclusive (in whatever direction) and procedurally OK, then that's a success.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: JohnFornaro on 07/08/2013 02:57 pm
Yes,  the process of searching has been successful.  That was the goal.  The results of the search is a different matter

Mission accomplished?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ugordan on 07/08/2013 03:00 pm
One of those goals was to search for "signs of possible life".

I thought it was to search for signs of past habitability?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 07/08/2013 08:00 pm
I thought it was to search for signs of past habitability?
Indeed it is. From the mission fact sheet: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/fact_sheets/mars-science-laboratory.pdf
Quote
The overarching science goal of the mission is to assess whether the landing area has ever had or still has environmental conditions favorable to microbial life, both its habitability and its preservation.
(my bold)
Every time questions about life come up in the press conferences, the team go out of their way to emphasize that that the mission is about habitability not past or present life detection.

They did announce that preliminary results from the John Klein mudstone showed it was a relatively habitable environment at some point in the past. Considering that they expected to have to drive many km to even get to that kind of environment, it's seems difficult to argue that they are behind on their goals.

Based on MER experience, we should expect the pace of drives to pick up significantly once they get into the swing of things.

Of course, it's a science driven mission, so there will undoubtedly be stops and detours along the way.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: spectre9 on 07/08/2013 11:36 pm
An update!!!  :o

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-215
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: JohnFornaro on 07/09/2013 01:40 am
Yes,  the process of searching has been successful.  That was the goal.  The results of the search is a different matter

Mission accomplished?

... the rover found evidence for an ancient wet environment that had conditions favorable for microbial life. This means the mission already accomplished its main science objective.  (http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-215)

Looks like me and Jim are both right!

YPMV  (Your Parsing Might Vary)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: RigelFive on 07/09/2013 06:17 am
An update!!!  :o

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-215
Hmmmmph!

If it takes a nuclear powered rover ONE EARTH YEAR to reach its target by creeping along the surface of Mars... wouldst reason not provide for another rover sent from Earth to just intrinsically arrive at said target in less time?   Perhaps next time, a multi rover mission would be a smidge cheaper, faster, harder, stronger, et cetera, et cetera, in order to reach said target?

Also, when the MSL rover actually arrives at Mount Sharp, will the habitability of Mars suddenly become apparent?  So then like, all of the manned Mars missions will then land at Mount Sharp?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: spectre9 on 07/09/2013 07:04 am
It's all about the landing zone.

They didn't want to be flying the skycrane near the mountain.

This photo was uploaded a while back showing how far Curiosity has to travel.

I thought they were going through the black sand but it looks like they are charting their way around it.

The main science objective for this mission has already been met. They didn't have to sift through all the layers of Mt Sharp to find what they were looking for.

Now everything is a bonus. Perhaps they will now be able to ascertain at what times and for how long Mars was habitable.

The next Mars lander (Insight) will have a whole new set of science objectives. It's not a rover and it's designed to look farther underneath the surface than Curiosity can with it's short drill and laser.

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 07/09/2013 11:25 am
Yesterday the rover drove almost 40 m http://curiosityrover.com/tracking/drivelog.html
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: JohnFornaro on 07/09/2013 01:07 pm
Also, when the MSL rover actually arrives at Mount Sharp, will the habitability of Mars suddenly become apparent?

We now know that "the rover found evidence for an ancient wet environment that had conditions favorable for microbial life".

The mission has "already accomplished its main science objective".  By this metric, the mission is already a complete success.  This is the only metric that matters.  You know that.

What we have now are the bonus science objectives, literally at no extra cost.

You should also know that general questions about the "why" of this mission, beyond the demonstrated current success, are not appreciated.  Once the experts decide what they want to do next, you will be informed.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: JohnFornaro on 07/10/2013 01:27 pm
Waitamartianminute!  Everything from now on "is a bonus"?!  Does that mean that LIKE we, the taxpayers of the United States can finally use the MSL rover to perform a paucity of science objectives?

Which raises an interesting point:  Is a martian minute the same as some two Earth minutes?

Seriously, to me, there is a very strong argument for practice.  The vehicle is up there; all is not known about weather, geography, driving and communication issues.  These techniques can be honed, as they should be, over time.  It would be a mistake if they only let one person run the rover, and not broaden the operating experience of the team; there is plenty of time for them to put up info on their website regarding that.

There is another very strong point which completely accepts the long journey to their next destination.  There's plenty of time, at least, to find a fossil.  Or a bug.  The chances of finding the former seem slim, but the chances of finding the latter seem fat.  At least on the surface of the planet, the search for macro evidence of life, past or present, can take place, as long as it is incidental to the continuing main scientific approach.

Remember, the mission has "already accomplished its main science objective"; that is, the rover has "found evidence for an ancient wet environment that had conditions favorable for microbial life".   There was no  possible way to find "evidence for an ancient wet environment that had conditions favorable for microbial life", other than to ground truth this fact.  At $2.6B, this one fact is an obvious bargain, as anyone can see.

The taxpayer can be forgiven for not having correctly parsed the wording of the limitations of the stated mission objectives all those years ago, when the funding of the mission was being discussed. 

If you, R5, thought that this mission was about the search for a second genesis of life on Mars, unfortunately, you would have been completely wrong.  That hypothetical search has nothing to do with this mission.

The mission is a complete success, and every scientific fact that they next discover is a bonus.

YPMV.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: spectre9 on 07/11/2013 12:44 am
JPL employs as many people as they possibly can to operate Curiosity.

It's very much a team effort deciding what to look at with what instruments and for how long.

They might have been able to meet the primary science objective in one area but if they can find more evidence of habitable environments in the layers of Mt Sharp that would be a good thing to do.

The instrumentation of Curiosity clearly goes way beyond that of the MER rovers. There's so much more science that can be done but being authorized for an extended mission usually comes with a smaller budget.

Perhaps JPL will only be keeping those scientists predisposed to fossil hunting and optimistic about finding life on Mars  ;)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 07/11/2013 02:46 am
We now know that "the rover found evidence for an ancient wet environment that had conditions favorable for microbial life".

The mission has "already accomplished its main science objective".  By this metric, the mission is already a complete success.  This is the only metric that matters.  You know that.
Both you and RigelFive continue to "flat out not get it"

The overall theme of the MSL science investigation is past and present habitability. This guided the selection of the instruments and landing site, and continues to guide the science investigations. It doesn't mean that as soon as you spot a potentially habitable environment, you check that box off and that objective is done.

The mission is about building as complete a picture as possible. Quoting  Mars Science Laboratory Mission and Science Investigation (http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11214-012-9892-2/fulltext.html)

Quote
The Mars Science Laboratory Mission will explore and quantitatively assess the habitability and environmental history of the Gale crater field site (landing ellipse, adjacent lower portion of Mount Sharp). As described in the 2004 Announcement of Opportunity solicitation, the mission has the primary objective of placing a mobile science laboratory on the surface of Mars to assess the biological potential of the landing site, characterize the geology of the landing region, investigate planetary processes that influence habitability, and characterize the broad spectrum of surface radiation.
(my bold)

So yes, the results in Glenelg is a great start, but it's only a start. We are very far from having a coherent picture of habitability at Gale.

There are also specific mission success criteria. However these are not given in terms of specific results (if we knew the results, there would be no reason to send the mission), but rather in terms of number of samples analyzed, distance driven etc. These have certainly not all been completed.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: JohnFornaro on 07/11/2013 01:16 pm
We now know that "the rover found evidence for an ancient wet environment that had conditions favorable for microbial life".

The mission has "already accomplished its main science objective".  By this metric, the mission is already a complete success.  This is the only metric that matters.  You know that.

Both you and RigelFive continue to "flat out not get it" ...

Parse away, kemosabe.

Quote from: Hop
The overall theme of the MSL science investigation is past and present habitability...

The mission is about building as complete a picture as possible. ...

There are also specific mission success criteria.

The mission has "already accomplished its main science objective".  Overall themes, and "completing" pictures are bonus elements.  You should not have a problem with that.

The mission is already a success.  Sheesh.

Up thread, some are complaining about the pace of the coming year's travel.  After all, Lewis and Clark traveled much faster.  Of course, speed is not the point of the continuing work up there, and you know that.

I made two salient points about that, but you chose to parse them out of your acknowledged awareness.

They simply must practice operating the machine, and ensuring that it doesn't get stuck, etc.  You may not agree, but they should take their time and get the operations correct in their attempt to "complete" as much of the habitability picture as they can.

Secondly, it would be foolish for anyone to expect that they'd find a macroscopic "Melvin", even a fossilized one, upon landing and traveling such a short distance.  Who knows, over the coming year, if such a discovery will be made?

We all know that the mission parameters do not explicitly state that there would be an organized search for macroscopic life; this would be a bonus in the best of worlds.  It would be shocking, however, to the taxpayer community, for them to publicly admit that they would ignore such a fortuitous find.  Some of us believe this is a glass half full sort of thing.

Apparently, Mars hsd had an atmo, and running water in the past, after all.  Therefore, it appears already that Mars had a past habitability:  That's what  the phrase, we have "found evidence for an ancient wet environment that had conditions favorable for microbial life" means.

The mission has already been a complete success, because it has met its main scientific objectives.  Period.  The rest of the work is a bonus.  You don't like the time frame and the number of people involved?  Don't talk to me about that.  They're the experts.

It still seems that Mars is a dead planet, today.  Mr. Musk's ideas of possible colonization seem more feasible to me, assuming a dead planet.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 07/12/2013 01:16 am
Curiosity Rover Report (July 11, 2013): Trek to Mount Sharp Begins

Published on Jul 11, 2013
NASA's Mars rover Curiosity heads on the long journey to the mission's main destination, Mount Sharp.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vluaivJqo9w
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: JohnFornaro on 07/12/2013 01:26 pm
The video is interesting, and something is indeed learned.  The student in that particular classroom only learns what the teacher wants to present.

The teaching is by no means Socratic. 

I'll ask a few questions anyhow:

1) It would be helpful to see a terrain map correlated with the photograph.  Notice how the photos don't have blind spots, but the terrain map is a swiss cheese map.

2) Some discussion and information on the mapping algorithms would be interesting to a few people.  Fo' example: 

There are two images coming into the camera.  How are they scaled? How are the edges found, then converted into x,y,z coordinates into the CAD system?  What is the format of the CAD database?  Is it available in ASCII format for homegrown experimentation?  Can us children try some of this at home, with our Lego rovers?  How?  What topography data is publicly available?

3) Etc.

Outside of the ivory tower, the sneering is understandable, because it is now completely clear that the mission will not look for macroscopic or microscopic life, whether living or dead.  They will literally drive over a sea shell, particularly a sea shell the size of a diatom.

Now that the mission has "already accomplished its main science objective", they are "free" to focus on their carefully planned transit and the associated chemical analyses.  They will make regular reports on this, particularly when they fire off the laser at a target.

Of course, during the public scrutiny and so-called informed consent of the taxpayer at the beginnings of this mission, it was always made very clear that the mission was only about assessing "the biological potential of the landing site, characterize the geology of the landing region, investigate planetary processes that influence habitability, and characterize the broad spectrum of surface radiation".

We knew that all along.  Every last congress critter would tell you that.  It's always been just about the "potential".
 
They never, ever said or implied that we were looking for life on Mars.  It's a dead planet with potential.  We're starting to get that now.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 07/12/2013 01:44 pm
Remember this is an update thread.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: JohnFornaro on 07/12/2013 02:48 pm
Point taken.

I started a splinter thread here:

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=32357.msg1073695#msg1073695
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 07/13/2013 03:56 am
Curiosity has just driven just under another 28 m.  The next drive (tomorrow or day after?) should take the rover over the km mark. http://curiosityrover.com/tracking/drivelog.html

In the past week they have driven 127 metres.  As they operators gain confidence and experience this rate should go up.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: JohnFornaro on 07/13/2013 12:21 pm
As the operators gain confidence and experience this rate should go up.

Good.

Practice makes perfect.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 07/13/2013 06:54 pm
In the past week they have driven 127 metres.  As they operators gain confidence and experience this rate should go up.
In the last update, it was mentioned that they will start using auto-nav soon, which should allow them to do 100+ meter drives. Directed drives can only go as far as they have good navcam data, which is around 40 meters.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 07/13/2013 10:26 pm
In the past week they have driven 127 metres.  As they operators gain confidence and experience this rate should go up.
In the last update, it was mentioned that they will start using auto-nav soon, which should allow them to do 100+ meter drives. Directed drives can only go as far as they have good navcam data, which is around 40 meters.


Yep, the distances match that. 

To cover the 10 km to the base of Mount Sharp and still have time for a for some stops they will need to be doing that fairly soon. Especially as when they get to the dunes they will need to go back to directed driving again.  After that it is the foothills, more slow going and probably lots to see we have not seen before.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 07/18/2013 02:32 am
07.16.2013
Curiosity Mars Rover Passes Kilometer of Driving

PASADENA, Calif. - The latest drive by NASA's Curiosity Mars rover brought the total distance that the rover has driven on Mars to more than 1 kilometer. One kilometer is about 0.62 mile.
The drive covered about 38 meters (125 feet) and brought the mission's odometry to about 1.029 kilometers (3,376 feet). The drive was completed in the early afternoon of the rover's 335th Martian day, or sol, of work on Mars (July 17). It continued progress in a multi-month trek begun this month toward a mountain destination.

"When I saw that the drive had gone well and passed the kilometer mark, I was really pleased and proud," said rover driver Frank Hartman of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. "Hopefully, this is just the first of many kilometers to come."

Yesterday was is halfway through the mission's prime mission of one Martian year. Two weeks ago, Curiosity finished investigating science targets in the Glenelg area, about half a kilometer (500 yards) east of where the one-ton rover landed on Aug. 5, 2012, PDT (Aug. 6, Universal Time). The mission's next major destination is at the lower layers of Mount Sharp, about 8 kilometers (5 miles) southwest of Glenelg.

Mount Sharp, in the middle of Gale Crater, exposes many layers where scientists anticipate finding evidence about how the ancient Martian environment changed and evolved. At targets in the Glenelg area, the rover already accomplished the mission's main science objective by finding evidence for an ancient wet environment that had conditions favorable for microbial life.


http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1492
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 07/19/2013 02:51 am
Reports Detail Mars Rover Clues to Atmosphere's Past

07.18.2013

PASADENA, Calif. - A pair of new papers report measurements of the Martian atmosphere's composition by NASA's Curiosity rover, providing evidence about loss of much of Mars' original atmosphere.
Curiosity's Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) suite of laboratory instruments inside the rover has measured the abundances of different gases and different isotopes in several samples of Martian atmosphere. Isotopes are variants of the same chemical element with different atomic weights due to having different numbers of neutrons, such as the most common carbon isotope, carbon-12, and a heavier stable isotope, carbon-13.

SAM checked ratios of heavier to lighter isotopes of carbon and oxygen in the carbon dioxide that makes up most of the planet's atmosphere. Heavy isotopes of carbon and oxygen are both enriched in today's thin Martian atmosphere compared with the proportions in the raw material that formed Mars, as deduced from proportions in the sun and other parts of the solar system. This provides not only supportive evidence for the loss of much of the planet's original atmosphere, but also a clue to how the loss occurred.

"As atmosphere was lost, the signature of the process was embedded in the isotopic ratio," said Paul Mahaffy of NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. He is the principal investigator for SAM and lead author of one of the two papers about Curiosity results in the July 19 issue of the journal Science.

Other factors also suggest Mars once had a much thicker atmosphere, such as evidence of persistent presence of liquid water on the planet's surface long ago even though the atmosphere is too scant for liquid water to persist on the surface now. The enrichment of heavier isotopes measured in the dominant carbon-dioxide gas points to a process of loss from the top of the atmosphere -- favoring loss of lighter isotopes -- rather than a process of the lower atmosphere interacting with the ground.

Curiosity measured the same pattern in isotopes of hydrogen, as well as carbon and oxygen, consistent with a loss of a substantial fraction of Mars' original atmosphere. Enrichment in heavier isotopes in the Martian atmosphere has previously been measured on Mars and in gas bubbles inside meteorites from Mars. Meteorite measurements indicate much of the atmospheric loss may have occurred during the first billion years of the planet's 4.6-billion-year history. The Curiosity measurements reported this week provide more precise measurements to compare with meteorite studies and with models of atmospheric loss.

The Curiosity measurements do not directly measure the current rate of atmospheric escape, but NASA's next mission to Mars, the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution Mission (MAVEN), will do so. "The current pace of the loss is exactly what the MAVEN mission now scheduled to launch in November of this year is designed to determine," Mahaffy said.

The new reports describe analysis of Martian atmosphere samples with two different SAM instruments during the initial 16 weeks of the rover's mission on Mars, which is now in its 50th week. SAM's mass spectrometer and tunable laser spectrometer independently measured virtually identical ratios of carbon-13 to carbon-12. SAM also includes a gas chromatograph and uses all three instruments to analyze rocks and soil, as well as atmosphere.

"Getting the same result with two very different techniques increased our confidence that there's no unknown systematic error underlying the measurements," said Chris Webster of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. He is the lead scientist for the tunable laser spectrometer and the lead author for one of the two papers. "The accuracy in these new measurements improves the basis for understanding the atmosphere's history."

Curiosity landed inside Mars' Gale Crater on Aug. 6, 2012 Universal Time (on Aug. 5 PDT). The rover this month began a drive of many months from an area where it found evidence for a past environment favorable for microbial life, toward a layered mound, Mount Sharp, where researchers will seek evidence about how the environment changed.


http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1496
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ugordan on 07/19/2013 08:22 am
Wow, perhaps Mars has been shrinking very slowly whilst losing mass and gravitational pull slowly over time?  Relatavistic speed decay near the speed of light would also make something lose apparent mass.  However we all know that the universe is accelerating outwardly while the Andromeda galaxy is on a collision course with our galaxy.

Maybe Phaeton shrunk and then exploded and formed the astroid belt?

 I am glad that we will never really know what Mars smells like.

???

OR... maybe it's a simple fact that, for a given temperature, lighter atmospheric species have higher velocities and hence a higher fraction of them will exceed the planet's escape velocity than heavier molecules.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: JohnFornaro on 07/19/2013 01:12 pm
... we all know that the universe is accelerating outwardly while the Andromeda galaxy is on a collision course with our galaxy...

???

OR... maybe it's a simple fact that, for a given temperature, lighter atmospheric species have higher velocities and hence a higher fraction of them will exceed the planet's escape velocity than heavier molecules.

More evidence that the asteroid heist is misprioritized.  With Andromeda headed this way at that rate, shouldn't somebody be doing something about this?  It's a friggin' galaxy!

Seriously, fractional isotopic escape over time is one mechanism to help explain those results.  I imagine there's no helium in Mars' atmo.

If my understanding is correct, Mars could support a heavier atmo even today, were it available.  I understand that there's no magnetosphere, which would explain how, over time, the atmo could have been stripped away.

Still, an impact may have caused a sudden loss of atmo:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2013/jul/18/curiosity-rover-mars

If this happened as long ago as Mr. Webster suggests, then I'd say that Mars has been a dead planet for the last 4.5B years.  Life would not have been all that well established in those early days, and it is certainly the case that life forms can be killed off, as we demonstrate here daily.

If that supposition is valid, then there would be an upper size limit on the type of fossils to look for.  Seashells would be out, plankton in.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: meekGee on 07/19/2013 05:11 pm
... we all know that the universe is accelerating outwardly while the Andromeda galaxy is on a collision course with our galaxy...

???

OR... maybe it's a simple fact that, for a given temperature, lighter atmospheric species have higher velocities and hence a higher fraction of them will exceed the planet's escape velocity than heavier molecules.

More evidence that the asteroid heist is misprioritized.  With Andromeda headed this way at that rate, shouldn't somebody be doing something about this?  It's a friggin' galaxy!


'sactly!!!!!  :)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Jim on 07/20/2013 02:03 am
Why do we need to do any space science or even science at all?

I suggest Rigel go to  another thread or forum to make his nonsensical post
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: JohnFornaro on 07/20/2013 12:34 pm
Why do we need to do any space science or even science at all?

I suggest Rigel go to  another thread or forum to make his nonsensical post

Unfortunately, the thread for all of that got locked.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: RigelFive on 07/21/2013 07:12 am
Nope my bad.  I was trolling for MSL -v- other mission comparisons.  I made a comment that we are seeing repeats of discoveries that go back to the 70s.

Sorry Jim.  Let you enjoy the thread.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 07/21/2013 07:30 pm
Meanwhile, Curiosity appears to have made her first > 100m drive: http://curiosityrover.com/tracking/drivetrack.php?drivenum=64
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Norm38 on 07/23/2013 01:16 am
^^^I'd heard they were about to try out some upgrades to the auto-navigation software.  Looks like it works pretty good.  And unless I'm mistaken, that's also the first drive that's more than a single straight line.

Two turns.  Were those segments programmed from here, or Curiosity's choice?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 07/23/2013 01:29 am
And unless I'm mistaken, that's also the first drive that's more than a single straight line.
This is definitely not true.
Quote
Two turns.  Were those segments programmed from here, or Curiosity's choice?
Based on http://astrogeology.usgs.gov/news?id=news/sol-339-update-on-curiosity-from-usgs-scientist-ken-herkenhoff-visual-odometry it seems like this was visodom but not autonav. If I've understood correctly, they had better visibility of the terrain than usual, so they could do a 100m directed drive.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Norm38 on 07/23/2013 01:19 pm
^^^  Yes I was mistaken.  Going back to the route maps like this one (http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=30554), there are many other drives with turns.  But those were all considerably shorter and easier to pre-plan.  This is an encouraging increase in autonomy.  100m+ drives are going to have to become commonplace to make good time to Mt. Sharp.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 07/23/2013 11:55 pm
07.23.2013

Curiosity Makes Its Longest One-Day Drive on Mars

PASADENA, Calif. - NASA's Mars rover Curiosity drove twice as far on July 21 as on any other day of the mission so far: 109.7 yards (100.3 meters).
The length of the drive took advantage of starting the 340th Martian day, or sol, of the mission from a location with an unusually good view for rover engineers to plan a safe path. In weeks to come, the rover team plans to begin using "autonav" capability for the rover to autonomously navigate a path for itself, which could make such long drives more frequent.

Curiosity is about three weeks into a multi-month trek, from the "Glenelg" area where it worked for the first half of 2013, to an entry point for the mission's major destination: the lower layers of Mount Sharp. The mission's longest one-day drive prior to July 21 was about 54 yards (49 meters), on Sol 50 (Sept. 26, 2012). After completing the longer drive, Curiosity drove 68.2 yards (62.4 meters) on July 23 (Sol 342), bringing the mission's total driving distance so far to 0.81 mile (1.23 kilometers).

The Sol 340 drive included three segments, with turns at the end of the first and second segments. Rover planners used information from stereo imaging by the Navigation Camera (Navcam) on Curiosity's mast, plus images from the telephoto-lens Mast Camera (Mastcam). The drive also used the rover's capability to use imagery taken during the drive to calculate the driving distance, a way to verify that wheels have not been slipping too much while turning.

"What enabled us to drive so far on Sol 340 was starting at a high point and also having Mastcam images giving us the size of rocks so we could be sure they were not hazards," said rover planner Paolo Bellutta of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. "We could see for quite a distance, but there was an area straight ahead that was not clearly visible, so we had to find a path around that area."

The rover was facing southwest when the sol began. It turned slightly more to the west before driving and used visual odometry to be sure it drove the intended distance (about 55 yards or 50 meters) before turning back farther southward. The second leg, next turn, and third leg completed the drive without visual odometry, though the rover was using another new capability: to turn on visual odometry autonomously if tilt or other factors exceed predetermined limits.

New software on Curiosity gives it the capability to use visual odometry through a range of temperatures. This was needed because testing this spring indicated the Navcam pair linked to the rover's B-side computer is more sensitive to temperature than anticipated. Without the compensating software, the onboard analysis of stereo images could indicate different distances to the same point, depending on the temperature at which the images are taken. The rover was switched from its A-side computer to the redundant B-side computer on Feb. 28 due to a flash-memory problem -- subsequently resolved -- on the A-side. The Navcam pair linked to the A-side computer shows less variability with temperature than the pair now in use.

"For now, we're using visual odometry mostly for slip-checking," said JPL's Jennifer Trosper, deputy project manager for Curiosity. "We are validating the capability to begin using autonav at different temperatures."

The autonomous navigation capability will enable rover planners to command drives that go beyond the route that they can confirm as safe from previous-sol images. They can tell the rover to use the autonomous capability to choose a safe path for itself beyond that distance.

Curiosity landed at the "Bradbury Landing" location within Gale Crater on Aug. 6, 2012, EDT and Universal Time (Aug. 5, PDT). From there, the rover drove eastward to the Glenelg area, where it accomplished the mission's major science objective of finding evidence for an ancient wet environment that had conditions favorable for microbial life. The rover's route is now southwestward. At Mount Sharp, in the middle of Gale Crater, scientists anticipate finding evidence about how the ancient Martian environment changed and evolved.


http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1498
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 07/25/2013 12:30 am
07.24.2013

Curiosity Mars Rover Gleams in View from Orbiter

PASADENA, Calif. -- An image from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter released today shows NASA's Curiosity Mars rover and the wheel tracks from its landing site to the "Glenelg" area where the rover worked for the first half of 2013.
The image is available at http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA17080 and http://uahirise.org/ESP_032436_1755.

The orbiter's High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera captured the scene on June 27, 2013, with the orbiter rolled for an eastward-looking angle rather than straight downward. The afternoon sun illuminated the scene from the western sky, so the lighting was nearly behind the camera. This geometry hides shadows and reveals subtle color variations.

Curiosity that day was examining an outcrop called "Shaler," the rover mission's final science target in the Glenelg area before commencing a many-month trek southwestward to an entry point for the lower layers of Mount Sharp. The rover appears as a bright blue spot in the enhanced coloring of the image.

The image shows two scour marks at the Bradbury Landing site where the Mars Science Laboratory mission's skycrane landing system placed Curiosity onto the ground on Aug. 6, 2012, EDT and Universal Time (Aug. 5, PDT). The scour marks are where the landing system's rockets cleared away reddish surface dust. Visible tracks commencing at the landing site show the path the rover traveled eastward to Glenelg.

HiRISE is operated by the University of Arizona, Tucson. The instrument was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colo. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project and Mars Science Laboratory Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1499
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bubbinski on 08/01/2013 04:36 am
Curiosity's gone southwest these past few sols, toward the mountain and away from its landing site. 

This page: http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/images/ now has the location up to Sol 349, they've started putting up progress maps and images.  Rove on!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 08/01/2013 07:58 pm
Twelve Months in Two Minutes; Curiosity's First Year on Mars

Published on Aug 1, 2013
Here is a rover's eye view of driving, scooping and drilling during Curiosity's first year on Mars, August 2012 through July 2013.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Alq08Poqb0
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 08/02/2013 04:23 pm
Curiosity Rover: One Year on Mars

Published on Aug 2, 2013
A look at the challenges and achievements of Curiosity's first year on Mars

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mt20kTRV-_M
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 08/02/2013 07:00 pm
News release: 2013-240                                                                 
Aug. 2, 2013

NASA's Curiosity Nearing First Anniversary on Mars

Curiosity Sol 343 Vista With 'Twin Cairns' on Route to Mount Sharp

The full version of this story with accompanying images is at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-240&cid=release_2013-240

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA's Curiosity rover will mark one year on Mars next week and has already achieved its main science goal of revealing ancient Mars could have supported life. The mobile laboratory also is guiding designs for future planetary missions.

"Successes of our Curiosity -- that dramatic touchdown a year ago and the science findings since then -- advance us toward further exploration, including sending humans to an asteroid and Mars," said NASA Administrator Charles Bolden. "Wheel tracks now, will lead to boot prints later."

After inspiring millions of people worldwide with its successful landing in a crater on the Red Planet on Aug. 5, 2012, PDT (Aug. 6, 2012, EDT), Curiosity has provided more than 190 gigabits of data; returned more than 36,700 full images and 35,000 thumbnail images; fired more than 75,000 laser shots to investigate the composition of targets; collected and analyzed sample material from two rocks; and driven more than one mile (1.6 kilometers).

MSL Facts

Curiosity team members at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.,will share remembrances about the dramatic landing night and the overall mission in an event that will air on NASA Television and the agency's website from 7:45 to 9 a.m. PDT (10:45 a.m. to noon EDT) on Tuesday, Aug. 6. Immediately following that program, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. (noon to 1:30 p.m.), NASA TV will carry a live public event from NASA Headquarters in Washington. That event will feature NASA officials and crew members aboard the International Space Station as they observe the rover anniversary and discuss how its activities and other robotic projects are helping prepare for a human mission to Mars and an asteroid. Social media followers may submit questions on Twitter and Google+ in advance and during the event using the hashtag #askNASA.

Curiosity, which is the size of a car, traveled 764 yards (699 meters) in the past four weeks since leaving a group of science targets where it worked for more than six months. The rover is making its way to the base of Mount Sharp, where it will investigate lower layers of a mountain that rises three miles from the floor of the crater.

NASA's Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft and its unprecedented sky crane landing system placed Curiosity on Mars near the base of Mount Sharp. The mountain has exposed geological layers, including ones identified by Mars orbiters as originating in a wet environment. The rover landed about one mile (1.6 kilometers) from the center of that carefully chosen, 12-mile-long (20-kilometer-long) target area.

Scientists decided first to investigate closer outcrops where the mission quickly found signs of vigorous ancient stream flow. These were the first streambed pebble deposits ever examined up close on Mars.

Evidence of a past environment well suited to support microbial life came within the first eight months of the 23-month primary mission from analysis of the first sample material ever collected by drilling into a rock on Mars.

"We now know Mars offered favorable conditions for microbial life billions of years ago," said the mission's project scientist, John Grotzinger of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. "It has been gratifying to succeed, but that has also whetted our appetites to learn more. We hope those enticing layers at Mount Sharp will preserve a broad diversity of other environmental conditions that could have affected habitability."

The mission measured natural radiation levels on the trip to Mars and is monitoring radiation and weather on the surface of Mars, which will be helpful for designing future human missions to the planet. The Curiosity mission also found evidence Mars lost most of its original atmosphere through processes that occurred at the top of the atmosphere. NASA's next mission to Mars, Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN), is being prepared for launch in November to study those processes in the upper atmosphere.

JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, manages the Curiosity mission and built the rover for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington.

To follow the conversation online about Curiosity's first year on Mars, use hashtag #1YearOnMars or follow @NASA and @MarsCuriosity on Twitter.

For NASA TV streaming video, schedule and downlink information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/ntv . The events airing on Tuesday also will be carried on Ustream at http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl .

A movie made with Hazard-Avoidance Camera images from Curiosity's first year, titled "Twelve Months in Two Minutes," is available at http://mars.nasa.gov/msl/1yearin2mins .

For more information about the mission, visit http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl .

Guy Webster 818-354-6278
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
[email protected]

Dwayne Brown 202-358-1726
NASA Headquarters, Washington
[email protected]

- end -
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: John44 on 08/06/2013 05:21 pm
Curiosity - First Year on Mars
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8421

Curiosity's First Year on Mars: The Path to Future Robotic and Human Exploration
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8422
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 08/14/2013 11:11 pm
News release: 2013-250                                                                  Aug. 14, 2013

Mars Rover Opportunity Working at Edge of 'Solander'

Geological Boundary at the Edge of 'Solander Point'

The full version of this story with accompanying images is at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-250&cid=release_2013-250

Mars Exploration Rover Mission Status Report

PASADENA, Calif. - NASA's Mars rover Opportunity is studying the area of contact between a rock layer formed in acidic wet conditions long ago and an even older one that may be from a more neutral wet environment.

This geological contact line recording a change in environmental conditions billions of years ago lies at the foot of a north-facing slope, "Solander Point," that the rover's operators chose months ago as Opportunity's work area for the coming Martian southern hemisphere winter.

Opportunity has survived five Martian winters since it landed on Mars in January 2004. A northern slope would tilt the rover's solar panels toward the winter sun, providing an important boost in available power.

Three months ago, the mission began a trek of about 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) from an area where Opportunity worked for nearly two years, on "Cape York," to reach Solander Point for the winter.

"We made it," said Opportunity's project scientist, Matt Golombek of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. "The drives went well, and Opportunity is right next to Solander Point. We know we could be on that north-facing slope with a one-day drive, but we don't need to go there yet. We have time to investigate the contact between the two geological units around the base of Solander Point. Geologists love contacts."

Both Cape York and Solander Point are raised segments of the western rim of Endeavour Crater, which is about 14 miles (22 kilometers) in diameter. Between these two raised segments, the ground surface is part of a geological unit called the Burns Formation, which also includes virtually all the rocks Opportunity studied from its landing site in Eagle Crater until its arrival at Cape York two years ago. The Burns Formation includes sulfate-bearing minerals that are evidence of an ancient environment containing sulfuric acid.

The geological contact that Opportunity is now investigating is where Burns Formation rocks border older rocks uplifted by the impact that formed Endeavour Crater. From observations by Mars orbiters and from Opportunity's work on Cape York, researchers suspect these older rocks may contain minerals that formed under wet conditions that were not as acidic.

The rover is also observing some loose rocks that may have rolled off Solander Point, providing a preview of what Opportunity may find after it climbs onto that rim segment.

Based on an analysis of the amount of dust accumulated on the rover's solar panels, the team plans to get Opportunity onto the north-facing slope before mid-December. Daily sunshine for the rover will reach a winter minimum in February 2014. The team expects to keep the rover mobile through the winter. Solander Point offers rock outcrops for the rover to continue studying through the winter months.

The twin rovers of NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Project, Opportunity and Spirit, both completed three-month prime missions in April 2004 and began years of bonus, extended missions. Both found evidence of wet environments on ancient Mars. Spirit ceased operations during its fourth Martian winter, in 2010. Opportunity shows symptoms of aging, such as loss of motion in some joints, but continues to accomplish groundbreaking exploration and science.

JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Exploration Rover Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. For more about Spirit and Opportunity, visit http://www.nasa.gov/rovers and http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov . You can follow the project on Twitter and on Facebook at: http://twitter.com/MarsRovers and http://www.facebook.com/mars.rovers .

Guy Webster 818-354-6278
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
[email protected]

- end -
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/16/2013 12:25 am
08.15.2013

Two Moons Passing in the Martian Night
 
This movie clip shows the larger of Mars' two moons, Phobos, passing in front of the smaller Martian moon, Deimos, as observed by NASA's Mars rover Curiosity. The series of 41 images is shown at increased speed. The actual elapsed time is 55 seconds.

The images were taken by the telephoto-lens camera of the Mast Camera pair (right Mastcam) on Curiosity on Aug. 1, 2013, during the 351st Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity's work on Mars. These observations of Phobos and Deimos help researchers make knowledge of the moons' orbits even more precise.

On Phobos, Stickney Crater is visible on the bottom. It is on the leading hemisphere of Phobos. Hall Crater, in the south, is the prominent feature on the right hand side.

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Malin Space Science Systems/Texas A&M Univ.
 
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/images/?ImageID=5513
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/16/2013 12:27 am
08.15.2013
Source: Jet Propulsion Laboratory

NASA Rover Gets Movie as A Mars Moon Passes Another

PASADENA, Calif. -- The larger of the two moons of Mars, Phobos, passes directly in front of the other, Deimos, in a new series of sky-watching images from NASA's Mars rover Curiosity.
A video clip assembled from the images is at http://youtu.be/DaVSCmuOJwI .

Large craters on Phobos are clearly visible in these images from the surface of Mars. No previous images from missions on the surface caught one moon eclipsing the other.

The telephoto-lens camera of Curiosity's two-camera Mast Camera (Mastcam) instrument recorded the images on Aug. 1. Some of the full-resolution frames were not downlinked until more than a week later, in the data-transmission queue behind higher-priority images being used for planning the rover's drives.

These observations of Phobos and Deimos help researchers make knowledge of the moons' orbits even more precise.

"The ultimate goal is to improve orbit knowledge enough that we can improve the measurement of the tides Phobos raises on the Martian solid surface, giving knowledge of the Martian interior," said Mark Lemmon of Texas A&M University, College Station. He is a co-investigator for use of Curiosity's Mastcam. "We may also get data good enough to detect density variations within Phobos and to determine if Deimos' orbit is systematically changing."

The orbit of Phobos is very slowly getting closer to Mars. The orbit of Deimos may be slowly getting farther from the planet.

Lemmon and colleagues determined that the two moons would be visible crossing paths at a time shortly after Curiosity would be awake for transmitting data to NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for relay to Earth. That made the moon observations feasible with minimal impact on the rover's energy budget.

Although Phobos has a diameter less than one percent the diameter of Earth's moon, Phobos also orbits much closer to Mars than our moon's distance from Earth. As seen from the surface of Mars, Phobos looks about half as wide as what Earth's moon looks like to viewers on Earth.

NASA's Mars Science Laboratory project is using Curiosity and the rover's 10 science instruments to investigate the environmental history within Gale Crater, a location where the project has found that conditions were long ago favorable for microbial life.

Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego, built and operates Curiosity's Mastcam. JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington and built the Navigation Camera and the rover.


http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1509
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 08/16/2013 01:37 am
In about 25 minutes, there will be a public talk about the first year of operations on JPLs ustream: http://mars.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1507
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/27/2013 11:02 pm
08.27.2013

NASA's Mars Curiosity Debuts Autonomous Navigation

PASADENA, Calif. - NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has used autonomous navigation for the first time, a capability that lets the rover decide for itself how to drive safely on Mars.
This latest addition to Curiosity's array of capabilities will help the rover cover the remaining ground en route to Mount Sharp, where geological layers hold information about environmental changes on ancient Mars. The capability uses software that engineers adapted to this larger and more complex vehicle from a similar capability used by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity, which is also currently active on Mars.

Using autonomous navigation, or autonav, Curiosity can analyze images it takes during a drive to calculate a safe driving path. This enables it to proceed safely even beyond the area that the human rover drivers on Earth can evaluate ahead of time.

On Tuesday, Aug. 27, Curiosity successfully used autonomous navigation to drive onto ground that could not be confirmed safe before the start of the drive. This was a first for Curiosity. In a preparatory test last week, Curiosity plotted part of a drive for itself, but kept within an area that operators had identified in advance as safe.

"Curiosity takes several sets of stereo pairs of images, and the rover's computer processes that information to map any geometric hazard or rough terrain," said Mark Maimone, rover mobility engineer and rover driver at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. "The rover considers all the paths it could take to get to the designated endpoint for the drive and chooses the best one."

The drive on Tuesday, the mission's 376th Martian day, or "sol," took Curiosity across a depression where ground-surface details had not been visible from the location where the previous drive ended. The drive included about 33 feet (10 meters) of autonomous navigation across hidden ground as part of a day's total drive of about 141 feet (43 meters).

"We could see the area before the dip, and we told the rover where to drive on that part. We could see the ground on the other side, where we designated a point for the rover to end the drive, but Curiosity figured out for herself how to drive the uncharted part in between," said JPL's John Wright, a rover driver.

Curiosity is nearly two months into a multi-month trek from the "Glenelg" area, where it worked for the first half of 2013, to an entry point for the mission's major destination: the lower layers of a 3-mile-tall (5-kilometer-tall) mound called Mount Sharp.

The latest drive brought the distance traveled since leaving Glenelg to 0.86 mile (1.39 kilometers). The remaining distance to the Mount Sharp entry point is about 4.46 miles (7.18 kilometers) along a "rapid transit route." That route was plotted on the basis of images from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The actual driving route, which will be based on images from Curiosity's own cameras, could be longer or shorter.

Curiosity's science team has picked a few waypoints along the rapid transit route to Mount Sharp where driving may be suspended for a few days for science. The rover has about 0.31 mile (500 meters) left to go before reaching the first of these waypoints, which appears from orbiter images to offer exposed bedrock for inspection.

"Each waypoint represents an opportunity for Curiosity to pause during its long journey to Mount Sharp and study features of local interest," said Curiosity Project Scientist John Grotzinger of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena. "These features are geologically interesting, based on HiRISE images, and they lie very close to the path that provides the most expeditious route to the base of Mount Sharp. We'll study each for several sols, perhaps selecting one for drilling if it looks sufficiently interesting."

After landing inside Gale Crater in August 2012, Curiosity drove eastward to the Glenelg area, where it accomplished the mission's major science objective of finding evidence for an ancient wet environment that had conditions favorable for microbial life. The rover's route is now southwestward. At Mount Sharp, in the middle of Gale Crater, scientists anticipate finding evidence about how the ancient Martian environment changed and evolved.

JPL, a division of Caltech, manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. JPL designed and built the project's Curiosity rover.


http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1514
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/29/2013 01:41 am
08.28.2013
NASA Mars Rover Views Eclipse of the Sun by Phobos


PASADENA, Calif. - Images taken with a telephoto-lens camera on NASA's Mars rover Curiosity catch the larger of Mars' two moons, Phobos, passing directly in front of the sun -- the sharpest images of a solar eclipse ever taken at Mars.
Phobos does not fully cover the sun, as seen from the surface of Mars, so the solar eclipse is what's called a ring, or annular, type. A set of three frames from Curiosity's Mast Camera (Mastcam), taken three seconds apart as Phobos eclipsed the sun, is at http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA17356 .

The images are the first full-resolution frames downlinked to Earth from an Aug. 17, 2013, series. The series may later provide a movie of the eclipse. Curiosity paused during its drive that day to record the sky-watching images.

"This event occurred near noon at Curiosity's location, which put Phobos at its closest point to the rover, appearing larger against the sun than it would at other times of day," said Mark Lemmon of Texas A&M University, College Station, a co-investigator for use of Curiosity's Mastcam. "This is the closest to a total eclipse of the sun that you can have from Mars."

Observations of the Martian moons, Phobos and Deimos, by Curiosity and by the older, still-active Mars rover Opportunity are helping researchers get more precise knowledge of the moons' orbits. During the Aug. 17 observation, the position of Phobos crossing the sun was a mile or two (two or three kilometers) closer to the center of the sun's position than researchers anticipated.

Lemmon said, "This one is by far the most detailed image of any Martian lunar transit ever taken, and it is especially useful because it is annular. It was even closer to the sun's center than predicted, so we learned something."

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology, manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. JPL designed and built the project's Curiosity rover.

Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego, built and operates the Mastcam instrument and two other instruments on Curiosity.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1515
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 09/11/2013 01:32 am
09.10.2013
Long Drive Puts NASA Mars Rover Near Planned Waypoint

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA's Mars rover Curiosity now has a view of a patch of exposed bedrock scientists selected for a few days of close-up study, the first such study since the rover began its long trek to Mount Sharp two months ago.
Curiosity reached the crest of a rise informally called "Panorama Point." From Panorama Point, the rover took photographs of a pale-toned outcrop area that the team chose earlier as "Waypoint 1" on the basis of imagery from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

Five selected waypoints dot the mission's route southwestward from the "Glenelg" area, where Curiosity worked during the first half of 2013, and an entry point to the lower layers of Mount Sharp, the mission's next major destination. Waypoint 1 lies about one-fifth of the way along the approximately 5.3-mile (8.6-kilometer) route, as plotted from examining orbiter images.

Curiosity advanced 464 feet (141.5 meters) on Sept. 5 in the longest one-day drive so far in the 13-month-old mission. The drive toward the elevated Panorama Point combined two segments. For a long initial segment, engineers chose the path from images examined on Earth ahead of time. That was followed by a 138-foot (42-meter) segment, for which the rover autonomously navigated its own path based on images taken during the day's drive. That Sept. 5 drive plus the next one -- 80 feet (24.3 meters) on Sept. 8 -- brought the rover to the top of Panorama Point.

For the Sept. 5 drive, "we had a long and unobstructed view of the hill we needed to climb, which would provide an overlook of the first major waypoint on our trek to Mount Sharp," said Jeff Biesiadecki, a rover planner on the Curiosity team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. "We were able to extend the drive well beyond what we could see by enabling the rover's onboard hazard avoidance system."

In the Glenelg area, Curiosity accomplished the mission's major science goal by finding evidence of an ancient environment favorable for microbial life. The evidence came from analysis of rock powder drilled from two outcrops in a shallow depression called "Yellowknife Bay." When the rover examines multiple rock layers of Mount Sharp, researchers hope to learn more about ancient habitable environments and major changes in environmental conditions.

"We want to know how the rocks at Yellowknife Bay are related to what we'll see at Mount Sharp," said the mission's project scientist, John Grotzinger of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena. "That's what we intend to get from the waypoints between them. We'll use them to stitch together a timeline -- which layers are older, which are younger."

The science team is using images taken from Panorama Point to select precisely where to pause for a few days and use instruments on Curiosity's arm to examine Waypoint 1. The rock targets being considered are still about 245 feet (75 meters) southwest of Curiosity's Sept. 9 position.

The trek to Mount Sharp will continue for many months after the planned work at Waypoint 1.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1517
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bubbinski on 09/12/2013 02:28 am
On Sol 390 Curiosity looks like she's reached Waypoint 1 as per the raw images.  Great view of the outcrop on the front hazcam.  - at http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: go4mars on 09/16/2013 03:51 pm
Is Curiosity or another rover on Mars able to image comet ISON when it passes very close in two weeks?

"On its closest approach, C/2012 S1 will pass about 0.0724 AU (10,830,000 km; 6,730,000 mi) from Mars on 1 October 2013"   
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jacqmans on 09/19/2013 07:09 pm

RELEASE 13-288

NASA Curiosity Rover Detects No Methane on Mars

Data from NASA's Curiosity rover has revealed the Martian environment lacks methane. This is a surprise to researchers because previous data reported by U.S. and international scientists indicated positive detections.
 
The roving laboratory performed extensive tests to search for traces of Martian methane. Whether the Martian atmosphere contains traces of the gas has been a question of high interest for years because methane could be a potential sign of life, although it also can be produced without biology.
 
"This important result will help direct our efforts to examine the possibility of life on Mars," said Michael Meyer, NASA's lead scientist for Mars exploration. "It reduces the probability of current methane-producing Martian microbes, but this addresses only one type of microbial metabolism. As we know, there are many types of terrestrial microbes that don't generate methane."
 
Curiosity analyzed samples of the Martian atmosphere for methane six times from October 2012 through June and detected none. Given the sensitivity of the instrument used, the Tunable Laser Spectrometer, and not  detecting the gas, scientists calculate the amount of methane in the Martian atmosphere today must be no more than 1.3 parts per billion, which is about one-sixth as much as some earlier estimates. Details of the findings appear in the Thursday edition of Science Express.
 
"It would have been exciting to find methane, but we have high confidence in our measurements, and the progress in expanding knowledge is what's really important," said the report's lead author, Chris Webster of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. "We measured repeatedly from Martian spring to late summer, but with no detection of methane."
 
Webster is the lead scientist for spectrometer, which is part of Curiosity's Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) laboratory. It can be tuned specifically for detection of trace methane. The laboratory also can concentrate any methane to increase the gas' ability to be detected. The rover team will use this method to check for methane at concentrations well below 1 part per billion.
 
Methane, the most abundant hydrocarbon in our solar system, has one carbon atom bound to four hydrogen atoms in each molecule. Previous reports of localized methane concentrations up to 45 parts per billion on Mars, which sparked interest in the possibility of a biological source on Mars, were based on observations from Earth and from orbit around Mars. However, the measurements from Curiosity are not consistent with such concentrations, even if the methane had dispersed globally.
 
"There's no known way for methane to disappear quickly from the atmosphere," said one of the paper's co-authors, Sushil Atreya of the University of Michigan. "Methane is persistent. It would last for hundreds of years in the Martian atmosphere. Without a way to take it out of the atmosphere quicker, our measurements indicate there cannot be much methane being put into the atmosphere by any mechanism, whether biology, geology, or by ultraviolet degradation of organics delivered by the fall of meteorites or interplanetary dust particles."
 
The highest concentration of methane that could be present without being detected by Curiosity's measurements so far would amount to no more than 10 to 20 tons per year of methane entering the Martian atmosphere, Atreya estimated. That is about 50 million times less than the rate of methane entering Earth's atmosphere.
 
Curiosity landed inside Gale Crater on Mars in August 2012 and is investigating evidence about habitable environments there. JPL manages the mission and built the rover for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The rover's Sample Analysis at Mars suite of instruments was developed at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., with instrument contributions from Goddard, JPL and the University of Paris in France.
 
For more information about the mission, visit:
 
http://www.nasa.gov/msl
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 09/20/2013 08:53 pm
NASA Curiosity Rover Report -- September 19, 2013

Published on Sep 20, 2013
A NASA Mars Curiosity rover team member gives an update on developments and status of the planetary exploration mission. The Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft delivered Curiosity to its target area on Mars at 1:31:45 a.m. EDT on Aug. 6, 2012 which includes the 13.8 minutes needed for confirmation of the touchdown to be radioed to Earth at the speed of light. The rover will conduct a nearly two-year prime mission to investigate whether the Gale Crater region of Mars ever offered conditions favorable for microbial life.

Curiosity carries 10 science instruments with a total mass 15 times as large as the science payloads on NASA's Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity. Some of the tools, such as a laser-firing instrument for checking rocks' elemental composition from a distance, are the first of their kind on Mars. Curiosity will use a drill and scoop, which are located at the end of its robotic arm, to gather soil and powdered samples of rock interiors, then sieve and parcel out these samples into the rover's analytical laboratory instruments.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-A9lNVCgb3w
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Danderman on 09/21/2013 02:50 pm
If someone could explain how orbiting detectors are finding methane, but the rover is not, please let us know.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Jeff Lerner on 09/21/2013 03:09 pm
If someone could explain how orbiting detectors are finding methane, but the rover is not, please let us know.


Some good discussion here on this subject.....

http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?showtopic=7668&st=15
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 09/21/2013 07:10 pm
If someone could explain how orbiting detectors are finding methane, but the rover is not, please let us know.
The orbital and earth based "detections" were very tenuous and have been widely disputed since they were published. While there are other possibilities, the simplest explanation is that there was never any detectable methane to start with.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: JohnFornaro on 09/24/2013 01:37 am
Huh.  Chris McKay mentioned the methane cycle in one of his "talks" a while back.  Even cracked a joke about "cows".  Interesting how the opinions regarding the certainty of the martian methane cycles seem to have changed.

...NASA People working on methane on Mars include: Mike Mumma, Robert Novak, Paul Mafferty (Goddard), Kevin Zahle and Richard Freeman (Ames).  MSL can detect atmospheric methane at the ppt level and, until cancelled for budgetary reasons, JPL was working on an instrument to map methane for the 2016 Trace Gas Orbiter.  Quite a bit of interest in fact. ...
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 09/25/2013 01:16 am
09.23.2013

NASA Rover Inspects Pebbly Rocks at Martian Waypoint

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has resumed a trek of many months toward its mountain-slope destination, Mount Sharp. The rover used instruments on its arm last week to inspect rocks at its first waypoint along the route inside Gale Crater.

The location, originally chosen on the basis of images taken from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, paid off with investigation of targets that bear evidence of ancient wet environments

"We examined pebbly sandstone deposited by water flowing over the surface, and veins or fractures in the rock," said Dawn Sumner of University of California, Davis, a Curiosity science team member with a leadership role in planning the stop. "We know the veins are younger than the sandstone because they cut through it, but they appear to be filled with grains like the sandstone."

This Waypoint 1 site at an outcrop called "Darwin" is the first of up to five waypoint stops planned along the route of about 5.3 miles (8.6 kilometers) between the "Glenelg" area, where Curiosity worked for the first half of 2013, and an entry point to the lower slope of Mount Sharp, the mission's main destination. It is about one-fifth of the way along the route. The rover departed Waypoint 1 on Sept. 22 with a westward drive of about 75 feet (22.8 meters).

Curiosity's science team planned the waypoints to collect information about the geology between Glenelg and Mount Sharp. Researchers want to understand relationships between what the mission already discovered at Glenelg and what it may find in the multiple layers of Mount Sharp. Analysis of drilled samples from veined "Yellowknife Bay" rocks in the Glenelg area provided evidence for a past lakebed environment with conditions favorable for microbial life. That means the mission has fulfilled its principal science goal.

"We want to understand the history of water in Gale Crater," Sumner said. "Did the water flow that deposited the pebbly sandstone at Waypoint 1 occur at about the same time as the water flow at Yellowknife Bay? If the same fluid flow produced the veins here and the veins at Yellowknife Bay, you would expect the veins to have the same composition. We see that the veins are different, so we know the history is complicated. We use these observations to piece together the long-term history."

Researchers set the top priority for the Waypoint 1 stop to be examination of a conglomerate rock outcrop, such as the pebbly sandstone. The veins were a bonus.

"As often happens, the closer we get, the more is revealed," said Kenneth Williford of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., a Curiosity science team member active in planning use of the rover's arm. The first specific location at Waypoint 1 for parking the rover and using the instruments on its arm was selected because images taken from nearly a football-field's length away showed outcrops that looked like conglomerate. Once Curiosity approached that location, new images showed the veins, so a second location for use of the arm was added to the plan.

The rover spent one day using its arm at the first location and three more using its arm from the second location. On all four of these "contact-science" days, the investigations employed two instruments that are mounted in the turret at the end of the arm: the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer, which identifies chemical elements present in a target, and the Mars Hand Lens Imager, which shows targets' textures, shapes and colors.

Another device on the turret still holds some powder from a rock that Curiosity drilled into for sample collection at Yellowknife Bay four months ago. The laboratory instruments inside the rover have already analyzed portions from this sample, but researchers have options of many different instrument settings for doing further analyses. In weeks ahead, additional portions from the sieved powder being held in the arm may be delivered for those analyses. The powder is a precious scientific resource, but it also presents a special challenge for use of the spectrometer and camera on the turret.

"We don't want to put the turret in a position that gets the sample material onto the back side of the sieve, because that could clog pores in the sieve," said JPL's Matt Robinson, lead engineer for Curiosity's robotic arm operations. "We have to consider the orientation of the turret during all of the moves for reaching the target, not just its orientation at the target."

Despite this challenge, the team used the arm instruments intensively at Waypoint 1. On Sept. 19, the rover examined five targets with the spectrometer and camera on the arm. The next day, from the same location, it examined three more. The team did leave some potential targets unexamined, to hasten back on the drive to Mount Sharp, as planned.
"There's a trade-off," Williford said, "between wanting to reach Mount Sharp as soon as we can and wanting to chew on rocks all along the way. Our team of more than 450 scientists has set the priority on getting to Mount Sharp, with these few brief waypoint stops."

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1520
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Robotbeat on 09/25/2013 02:40 am
Full resolution:
http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/jpeg/PIA17361.jpg
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 09/26/2013 12:36 am
Since there is no sign of any fill, I suspect this is a fluid pathway, rather than a vein.  Still a sign of movingh groundwater though.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 09/26/2013 11:52 pm
09.26.2013
Source: Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Science Gains From Diverse Landing Area of Curiosity

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA's Curiosity rover is revealing a great deal about Mars, from long-ago processes in its interior to the current interaction between the Martian surface and atmosphere.

Examination of loose rocks, sand and dust has provided new understanding of the local and global processes on Mars. Analysis of observations and measurements by the rover's science instruments during the first four months after the August 2012 landing are detailed in five reports in the Sept. 27 edition of the journal Science.

A key finding is that water molecules are bound to fine-grained soil particles, accounting for about 2 percent of the particles' weight at Gale Crater where Curiosity landed. This result has global implications, because these materials are likely distributed around the Red Planet.

Curiosity also has completed the first comprehensive mineralogical analysis on another planet using a standard laboratory method for identifying minerals on Earth. The findings about both crystalline and non-crystalline components in soil provide clues to the planet's volcanic history.

Information about the evolution of the Martian crust and deeper regions within the planet comes from Curiosity's mineralogical analysis of a football-size igneous rock called "Jake M." Igneous rocks form by cooling molten material that originated well beneath the crust. The chemical compositions of the rocks can be used to infer the thermal, pressure and chemical conditions under which they crystallized.

"No other Martian rock is so similar to terrestrial igneous rocks," said Edward Stolper of the California Institute of Technology, lead author of a report about this analysis. "This is surprising because previously studied igneous rocks from Mars differ substantially from terrestrial rocks and from Jake M."

The other four reports include analysis of the composition and formation process of a windblown drift of sand and dust, by David Blake of NASA's Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, Calif., and co-authors.

Curiosity examined this drift, called Rocknest, with five instruments, preforming an onboard laboratory analysis of samples scooped up from the Martian surface. The drift has a complex history and includes sand particles with local origins, as well as finer particles that sample windblown Martian dust distributed regionally or even globally.

The rover is equipped with a laser instrument to determine material compositions from some distance away. This instrument found that the fine-particle component in the Rocknest drift matches the composition of windblown dust and contains water molecules. The rover tested 139 soil targets at Rocknest and elsewhere during the mission's first three months and detected hydrogen -- which scientists interpret as water -- every time the laser hit fine-particle material.

"The fine-grain component of the soil has a similar composition to the dust distributed all around Mars, and now we know more about its hydration and composition than ever before," said Pierre-Yves Meslin of the Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie in Toulouse, France, lead author of a report about the laser instrument results.

A laboratory inside Curiosity used X-rays to determine the composition of Rocknest samples. This technique, discovered in 1912, is a laboratory standard for mineral identification on Earth. The equipment was miniaturized to fit on the spacecraft that carried Curiosity to Mars, and this has yielded spinoff benefits for similar portable devices used on Earth. David Bish of Indiana University in Bloomington co-authored a report about how this technique was used and its results at Rocknest.

X-ray analysis not only identified 10 distinct minerals, but also found an unexpectedly large portion of the Rocknest composition is amorphous ingredients, rather than crystalline minerals. Amorphous materials, similar to glassy substances, are a component of some volcanic deposits on Earth.

Another laboratory instrument identified chemicals and isotopes in gases released by heating the Rocknest soil in a tiny oven. Isotopes are variants of the same element with different atomic weights. These tests found water makes up about 2 percent of the soil, and the water molecules are bound to the amorphous materials in the soil.

"The ratio of hydrogen isotopes in water released from baked samples of Rocknest soil indicates the water molecules attached to soil particles come from interaction with the modern atmosphere," said Laurie Leshin of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y., lead author of a report about analysis with the baking instrument.

Baking and analyzing the Rocknest sample also revealed a compound with chlorine and oxygen, likely chlorate or perchlorate, which previously was known to exist on Mars only at one high-latitude site. This finding at Curiosity's equatorial site suggests more global distribution.

Data obtained from Curiosity since the first four months of the rover's mission on Mars are still being analyzed. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, Calif., manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The mission draws upon international collaboration, including key instrument contributions from Canada, Spain, Russia and France.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1523
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Norm38 on 09/27/2013 02:09 pm
Curiosity Finds Water on Mars
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/09/26/nasas-curiosity-rover-finds-water-on-mars/

Most of the same information as the main NASA release, but listen to this:
Quote
Dirt sample reveals two pints of liquid water per cubic feet, not freely accessible but bound to other minerals in the soil

Two pints per cubic foot is incredible, far more than I'd hoped for.  Yes they heated the sample to 835C, but it probably doesn't need to be that hot to drive out the water on a production basis.  Maybe a conveyor belt through a solar oven?  That could provide the life support needs of a manned base with relatively simple soil moving equipment.  Huge implications which are all OT here, but what a discovery!  Water is everywhere on Mars.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Silmfeanor on 10/01/2013 12:51 pm
http://www.ibtimes.com/us-government-shutdown-science-curiosity-goes-sleep-flu-monitoring-goes-offline-1412850 (http://www.ibtimes.com/us-government-shutdown-science-curiosity-goes-sleep-flu-monitoring-goes-offline-1412850)

Quote
“Curiosity will be put in a protective mode for the security of the rover,” NASA spokesman Allard Beutel says. “But no new data-gathering will take place.”

 >:(
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: savuporo on 10/01/2013 04:07 pm
08.27.2013

NASA's Mars Curiosity Debuts Autonomous Navigation


I was just catching up with a lot of news. Im surprised there hasnt been a more discussion around this, thats a very significant milestone. Curiosity graduated from an RC machine to a real robot with this - moving from a "reflex level" autonomy to a "decision level" autonomy.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: go4mars on 10/01/2013 05:54 pm
http://www.ibtimes.com/us-government-shutdown-science-curiosity-goes-sleep-flu-monitoring-goes-offline-1412850 (http://www.ibtimes.com/us-government-shutdown-science-curiosity-goes-sleep-flu-monitoring-goes-offline-1412850)

Quote
“Curiosity will be put in a protective mode for the security of the rover,” NASA spokesman Allard Beutel says. “But no new data-gathering will take place.”

 >:(

Maybe throw Canada or someone else the remote control.  http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/astronomy/mars/apxs.asp               
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 10/01/2013 06:31 pm
http://www.ibtimes.com/us-government-shutdown-science-curiosity-goes-sleep-flu-monitoring-goes-offline-1412850 (http://www.ibtimes.com/us-government-shutdown-science-curiosity-goes-sleep-flu-monitoring-goes-offline-1412850)

Quote
“Curiosity will be put in a protective mode for the security of the rover,” NASA spokesman Allard Beutel says. “But no new data-gathering will take place.”

 >:(
This story is not correct. Because Curiosity is operated under contract by JPL (and the DSN is also under contract), operations are continuing for now. See http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2013/10010929-shutdown-jpl-operating.html

Operations are undoubtedly disrupted some because of civil servants not being involved. There was a post from Ken Herkenhoff  on the USGS site about being sent home from Curiosity ops, but it's no longer available due to shutdown  ::)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 10/18/2013 01:02 am
News release: 2013-298                                                             Oct. 17, 2013

NASA Rover Confirms Mars Origin of Some Meteorites



The full version of this story with accompanying images is at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-298&cid=release_2013-298

PASADENA, Calif. -- Examination of the Martian atmosphere by NASA's Curiosity Mars rover confirms that some meteorites that have dropped to Earth really are from the Red Planet.

A key new measurement of the inert gas argon in Mars' atmosphere by Curiosity's laboratory provides the most definitive evidence yet of the origin of Mars meteorites while at the same time providing a way to rule out Martian origin of other meteorites.

The new measurement is a high-precision count of two forms of argon -- argon-36 and argon-38 -- accomplished by the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument inside the rover. These lighter and heavier forms, or isotopes, of argon exist naturally throughout the solar system. On Mars the ratio of light to heavy argon is skewed because much of that planet's original atmosphere was lost to space. The lighter form of argon was taken away more readily because it rises to the top of the atmosphere more easily and requires less energy to escape. That left the Martian atmosphere relatively enriched in the heavier isotope, argon-38.

Years of past analyses by Earth-bound scientists of gas bubbles trapped inside Martian meteorites had already narrowed the Martian argon ratio to between 3.6 and 4.5 (that is 3.6 to 4.5 atoms of argon-36 to every one of argon-38). Measurements by NASA's Viking landers in the 1970s put the Martian atmospheric ratio in the range of four to seven. The new SAM direct measurement on Mars now pins down the correct argon ratio at 4.2.

"We really nailed it," said Sushil Atreya of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, lead author of an Oct. 16 paper reporting the finding in Geophysical Research Letters. "This direct reading from Mars settles the case with all Martian meteorites."

One reason scientists have been so interested in the argon ratio in Martian meteorites is that it was -- before Curiosity -- the best measure of how much atmosphere Mars has lost since the planet's wetter, warmer days billions of years ago. Figuring out the planet's atmospheric loss would enable scientists to better understand how Mars transformed from a once water-rich planet, more like our own, into today's drier, colder and less-hospitable world.

Had Mars held onto all of its atmosphere and its original argon, its ratio of the gas would be the same as that of the sun and Jupiter. Those bodies have so much gravity that isotopes can't preferentially escape, so their argon ratio -- which is 5.5 -- represents that of the primordial solar system.

While argon makes up only a tiny fraction of the gas lost to space from Mars, it is special because it's a noble gas. That means the gas is inert, not reacting with other elements or compounds, and therefore a more straightforward tracer of the history of the Martian atmosphere.

"Other isotopes measured by SAM on Curiosity also support the loss of atmosphere, but none so directly as argon," said Atreya. "Argon is the clearest signature of atmospheric loss because it's chemically inert and does not interact or exchange with the Martian surface or the interior. This was a key measurement that we wanted to carry out on SAM."

The Curiosity measurements do not directly measure the current rate of atmospheric escape, but NASA's next mission to Mars, the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution Mission (MAVEN), is designed to do so. That mission is being prepared at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida for a launch-opportunity period that begins on Nov. 18.

Curiosity landed inside Gale Crater on Mars in August 2012 and is investigating evidence about habitable environments there. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission and built the rover for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The rover's SAM suite of instruments was developed at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., with instrument contributions from Goddard, JPL and the University of Paris in France.

For more information about the mission, visit http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl . To learn more about the SAM instrument, visit: http://ssed.gsfc.nasa.gov/sam/index.html .

You can follow Curiosity's mission on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/marscuriosity and on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/marscuriosity .

Guy Webster 818-354-6278
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
[email protected]

- end -
 
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 10/30/2013 01:15 am
10.29.2013
NASA's Curiosity Mars Rover Approaches 'Cooperstown'

NASA's Mars rover Curiosity completed its first two-day autonomous drive Monday, bringing the mobile laboratory to a good vantage point for pictures useful in selecting the next target the rover will reach out and touch.
When it drives autonomously, the rover chooses a safe route to designated waypoints by using its onboard computer to analyze stereo images that it takes during pauses in the drive. Prior to Monday, each day's autonomous drive came after a segment earlier that day that was exactly charted by rover team members using images sent to Earth. The Sunday-Monday drive was the first time Curiosity ended an autonomous driving segment, then continued autonomously from that same point the next day.

The drives brought Curiosity to about 262 feet (about 80 meters) from "Cooperstown," an outcrop bearing candidate targets for examination with instruments on the rover's arm. The moniker, appropriate for baseball season, comes from a named rock deposit in New York. Curiosity has not used its arm-mounted instruments to examine a target since departing an outcrop called "Darwin" on Sept. 22. Researchers used the arm's camera and spectrometer for four days at Darwin; they plan to use them on just one day at Cooperstown.

Starting to use two-day autonomous driving and the shorter duration planned for examining Cooperstown serve to accelerate Curiosity's progress toward the mission's main destination: Mount Sharp.

In July, Curiosity began a trek of about 5.3 miles (8.6 kilometers), starting from the area where it worked for the first half of 2013, headed to an entry point to Mount Sharp. Cooperstown is about one-third of the way along the route. The team used images from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter to plot the route and choose a few points of potential special interest along the way, including Darwin and Cooperstown.

"What interests us about this site is an intriguing outcrop of layered material visible in the orbital images," said Kevin Lewis of Princeton University, Princeton, N.J., a participating scientist for the mission who has been a leader in planning the Cooperstown activities. "We want to see how the local layered outcrop at Cooperstown may help us relate the geology of Yellowknife Bay to the geology of Mount Sharp."

The team is using images taken from the vantage point reached on Monday to decide what part of the Cooperstown outcrop to investigate with the arm-mounted instruments.

The first day of the two-day drive began Sunday with about 180 feet (55 meters) on a southwestward path that rover drivers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., evaluated ahead of time as safe. The autonomous-driving portion began where that left off, with Curiosity evaluating the best way to reach designated waypoints ahead. The vehicle drove about 125 feet (38 meters) autonomously on Sunday.

"We needed to store some key variables in the rover's non-volatile memory for the next day," said JPL rover driver John Wright. Curiosity's volatile memory is cleared when the rover goes into energy-conserving sleep mode overnight.

The stored variables included what direction the rover was driving when it ended the first day's drive, and whether it had classified the next 10 feet (3 meters) in that direction as safe for driving. When it began its second day of driving, Curiosity resumed evaluating the terrain ahead for safe driving and drove 105 feet (32 meters), all autonomously.

This new capability enables driving extra days during multi-day activity plans that the rover team develops on Fridays and before holidays.

A key activity planned for the week of Nov. 4 is uploading a new version of onboard software -- the third such upgrade since landing. These upgrades allow continued advances in the rover's capabilities. The version prepared for upload next week includes, for example, improvements in what information the rover can store overnight to resume autonomous driving the next day. It also expands capabilities for using the robotic arm while parked on slopes. The team expects that to be crucial for investigations on Mount Sharp.

JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. JPL designed and built the project's Curiosity rover.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1530
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Apollo-phill on 11/05/2013 07:41 am
This is an interesting geological image sent back by MSL recently showing the "inclusion"in a larger grainy boulder.

I understand MSL may try to make some tests on this.


Apollo-phill
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 11/09/2013 03:04 am
Curiosity suffered a reset shortly after the flight software update: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-325
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 11/09/2013 05:38 pm
Curiosity suffered a reset shortly after the flight software update: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-325

November 08, 2013

Mars Science Laboratory Mission Status Report

NASA's Mars rover Curiosity experienced an unexpected software reboot (also known as a warm reset) yesterday (11/7/13) during a communications pass as it was sending engineering and science data to the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, for later downlinking to Earth. This computer reset occurred about four-and-half hours after new flight software had been temporarily loaded into the rover's memory. At the time the event occurred, Curiosity was in the middle of a scheduled, week-long flight software update and checkout activity.

"Telemetry later downlinked from the rover indicates the warm reset was performed as would be expected in response to an unanticipated event," said Jim Erickson, project manager for the Mars Science Laboratory mission at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.

A warm reset is executed by flight software when it identifies a problem with one of its operations. The reset restarts the flight software into its initial state. Since the reset, the rover has been performing operations and communications as expected. The team is currently working toward understanding the cause of the reset and returning the rover to normal operations. This is the first time that Curiosity has executed a fault-related warm reset during its 16-plus months of Mars surface operations.


Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 11/12/2013 07:48 pm
From Ken Herkenhoff http://astrogeology.usgs.gov/news/astrogeology/sol-451-update-on-curiosity-from-usgs-scientist-ken-herkenhoff-recovering

Quote
So far, the recovery is going well and we are planning to resume normal science operations on Sol 452.

edit:
And the official release  http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1538
Quote
After analyzing the data returned by the spacecraft on Thursday evening, Nov. 7 (Pacific Time), the Curiosity operations team was able to determine the root cause. An error in existing onboard software resulted in an error in a catalog file. This caused an unexpected reset when the catalog was processed by a new version of flight software which had been installed on Thursday. The team was able to replicate the problem on ground testbeds the following day. Commands recovering the spacecraft were uplinked to the spacecraft early Sunday morning.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 11/14/2013 12:59 am
11.13.2013
Source: Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Mars Rover Teams Dub Sites In Memory of Bruce Murray

Features on Mars important to the missions of NASA's two active Mars rovers are now called "Murray Ridge" and "Murray Buttes," in honor of influential planetary scientist Bruce Murray (1931-2013).
The rover Opportunity, which has been roaming Mars for nearly a decade, is currently climbing Murray Ridge, part of an uplifted crater rim. NASA's newer rover, Curiosity, is headed toward Murray Buttes as the entryway to that mission's main destination.

"Bruce Murray contributed both scientific insight and leadership that laid the groundwork for interplanetary missions such as robotic missions to Mars, including the Mars rovers, part of America's inspirational accomplishments. It is fitting that the rover teams have chosen his name for significant landmarks on their expeditions," said NASA Mars Exploration Program Manager Fuk Li, of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.

Murray, a California Institute of Technology planetary geologist, worked on science teams of NASA's earliest missions to Mars in the 1960s and '70s. He was the director of JPL from 1976 to 1982, then returned to teaching and research at Caltech. He co-founded the Planetary Society in 1980 and vigorously promoted public support for planetary exploration missions. He died on Aug. 29, 2013.

NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity, which has been working on Mars since 2004, has been investigating sites on the western rim of a 14-mile-wide (22-kilometer-wide) crater, Endeavour, for the past two years. The feature, informally named Murray Ridge, is an uplifted portion of the rim, a spine rising southward from "Solander Point" to an elevation about 130 feet (40 meters) above the surrounding plain.

"Murray Ridge is the highest hill we've ever tried to climb with Opportunity," said the mission's principal investigator, Steve Squyres of Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y. The ridge has outcrops with clay minerals detected from orbit. It also provides a favorable slope for Martian winter sunshine to hit the rover's solar panels, an advantage for keeping Opportunity mobile through the winter.

"Bruce Murray is best known for having been the director of JPL, and JPL is where our rovers were built," Squyres said. "He led JPL during a time when the planetary exploration budget was under pressure and the future for planetary missions was not clear. His leadership brought us through that period with a strong exploration program. He was also a towering figure in Mars research. His papers are still cited abundantly today."

The Curiosity rover is driving from a flatter area where it worked for several months after landing in 2011 to the slopes of a mountain 3 miles (5 kilometers) high, Mount Sharp. Murray Buttes, at the base of the mountain, are a cluster of small, steep-sided knobs, up to about the size of a football field and the height of a goal post. They sit in a gap in a band of dark sand dunes that lie at the foot of the mountain. Deep sand could present a hazard for driving, so this break in the dunes is the access path to the mountain.

"We'll be going right by these buttes when we shoot the gap in the dunes," said Curiosity science-team member Ken Herkenhoff, of the U.S. Geological Survey's Astrogeology Center, Flagstaff, Ariz. "It will be a visually intriguing area for both the science team and the public. I think it will look like a miniature version of Monument Valley in Utah."
Blowing sand from the dunes may scour dust off the buttes, exposing layers of rock for observation by the rover.

Herkenhoff, who was a graduate student of Murray's in the 1980s, said, "Bruce Murray was a sedimentologist, so the sedimentary rocks we expect to see at Murray Buttes would have been especially interesting for him. He would have loved this."

Curiosity's science team plans for Murray Buttes to serve as a corridor from which to launch the rover's climb onto Mount Sharp.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1542


hir-res link
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/images/?ImageID=5711
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 11/21/2013 12:58 am
11.20.2013

Rover Team Working to Diagnose Electrical Issue

Science observations by NASA's Mars rover Curiosity have been suspended for a few days while engineers run tests to check possible causes of a voltage change detected on Nov. 17.
"The vehicle is safe and stable, fully capable of operating in its present condition, but we are taking the precaution of investigating what may be a soft short," said Mars Science Laboratory Project Manager Jim Erickson at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.

A "soft" short is a leak through something that's partially conductive of electricity, rather than a hard short such as one electrical wire contacting another.

The team detected a change in the voltage difference between the chassis and the 32-volt power bus that distributes electricity to systems throughout the rover. Data indicating the change were received on Sunday, during Curiosity's 456th Martian day. The level had been about 11 volts since landing day, and is now about 4 volts. The rover's electrical system is designed with the flexibility to work properly throughout that range and more -- a design feature called "floating bus."

A soft short can cause such a voltage change. Curiosity had already experienced one soft short on landing day in August 2012. That one was related to explosive-release devices used for deployments shortly before and after the landing. It lowered the bus-to-chassis voltage from about 16 volts to about 11 volts but has not affected subsequent rover operations.

Soft shorts reduce the level of robustness for tolerating other shorts in the future, and they can indicate a possible problem in whichever component is the site of the short. Operations planned for Curiosity for the next few days are designed to check some of the possible root causes for the voltage change. Analysis so far has determined that the change appeared intermittently three times during the hours before it became persistent.

The electrical issue did not cause the rover to enter a safe-mode status, in which most activities automatically cease pending further instructions, and there is no indication the issue is related to a computer reboot that triggered a "safe-mode" earlier this month.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1559
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: AJA on 11/25/2013 06:45 pm
Quote

25 November 2013

Curiosity Resumes Science After Analysis of Voltage Issue (http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1560)


Activities over the weekend included use of Curiosity's robotic arm to deliver portions of powdered rock to a laboratory inside the rover. The powder has been stored in the arm since the rover collected it by drilling into the target rock "Cumberland" six months ago. Several portions of the powder have already been analyzed. The laboratory has flexibility for examining duplicate samples in different ways.


The decision to resume science activities resulted from the success of work to diagnose the likely root cause of a Nov. 17 change in voltage on the vehicle. The voltage change itself did not affect the rover safety or health. The vehicle's electrical system has a "floating bus" design feature to tolerate a range of voltage differences between the vehicle's chassis -- its mechanical frame -- and the 32-volt power lines that deliver electricity throughout the rover. This protects the rover from electrical shorts.


"We made a list of potential causes, and then determined which we could cross off the list, one by one," said rover electrical engineer Rob Zimmerman of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Science operations were suspended for six days while this analysis took priority.


The likely cause is an internal short in Curiosity's power source, the Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator. Due to resiliency in design, this short does not affect operation of the power source or the rover. Similar generators on other spacecraft, including NASA's Cassini at Saturn, have experienced shorts with no loss of capability. Testing of another Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator over many years found no loss of capability in the presence of these types of internal shorts.


Following the decision to resume science activities, engineers learned early Nov. 23 that the rover had returned to its pre-Nov. 17 voltage level. This reversal is consistent with their diagnosis of an internal short in the generator on Nov. 17, and the voltage could change again.


The analysis work to determine the cause of the voltage change gained an advantage from an automated response by the rover's onboard software when it detected the voltage change on Nov. 17. The rover stepped up the rate at which it recorded electrical variables, to eight times per second from the usual once per minute, and transmitted that engineering data in its next communication with Earth. "That data was quite helpful," Zimmerman said.


In subsequent days, the rover performed diagnostic activities commanded by the team, such as powering on some backup hardware to rule out the possibility of short circuits in certain sensors.



So, anyone know more about this resiliency?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bubbinski on 11/26/2013 03:23 am
I don't know much about the electrical issue, I'm glad that they're back to science ops.  New raw images are showing up on the MSL web site again as well, latest images from sol 464.  They've moved some existing rock/soil samples into the SAM analyzer and taken pics of the rover's wheels.

Latest news from the USGS and Ken Herkenhoff:

http://astrogeology.usgs.gov/news/astrogeology/sol-462464-update-on-curiosity-from-usgs-scientist-ken-herkenhoff-planning-resumed
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 12/06/2013 12:43 am
12.05.2013
Update from Gale Crater: Results from NASA Mars Rover Curiosity

Live Ustream Webcast: Monday, Dec. 9, 9 a.m. PST

NASA Mars rover Curiosity is examining evidence about ancient Martian environmental conditions that were favorable for microbial life. Findings are also pertinent to future searches for Martian biosignatures and for future human missions to Mars.


News Briefing Participants:
1. John Grotzinger, Project Scientist for Curiosity, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, Calif.
2. Joel Hurowitz, Curiosity Science Team Member, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, N.Y.
3. Jennifer Eigenbrode, Participating Scientist for Curiosity, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Laurel, Md.
4. Robert Wimmer-Schweingruber, Co-investigator for Radiation Assessment Detector on Curiosity, Christian Albrechts University, Kiel, Germany
5. Kenneth Farley, Participating Scientist for Curiosity, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, Calif.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1564
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bubbinski on 12/06/2013 02:31 am
I'll be sure to tune in if I'm able.  If not I'll keep up on the 'net. 

Sounds like some findings about radiation levels at least judging from one of the briefers (RAD investigator). Wonder what else they found out, we'll find out on Monday.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 12/06/2013 04:06 am
I'll be sure to tune in if I'm able.  If not I'll keep up on the 'net. 

Sounds like some findings about radiation levels at least judging from one of the briefers (RAD investigator). Wonder what else they found out, we'll find out on Monday.
Eigenbrode is on the SAM team http://science.gsfc.nasa.gov/sed/index.cfm?fuseAction=people.jumpBio&&iPhonebookId=13395

Farley's work also seems to be related to SAM http://www.gps.caltech.edu/~farley/ngl-msl.html

Hurowitz is a geochemist, on the "surface sampling system" team.

Sounds like it will be a sciency briefing :)

Edit:
Per Ken Herkenhoff http://astrogeology.usgs.gov/news/astrogeology/sol-476477-update-on-curiosity-from-usgs-scientist-ken-herkenhoff-good-time-for-an-upgrade the press briefing is timed to coincide with AGU [it's typical for them to give a public update when there are scientific presentations at an event like this]

He doesn't explicitly say but I guess the software upgrade mentioned is the one they attempted back in November.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 12/08/2013 02:40 pm
12.05.2013
Source: Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Laser Instrument on NASA Mars Rover Tops 100,000 Zaps

NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has passed the milestone of 100,000 shots fired by its laser. It uses the laser as one way to check which chemical elements are in rocks and soils.
The 100,000th shot was one of a series of 300 to investigate 10 locations on a rock called "Ithaca" in late October, at a distance of 13 feet, 3 inches (4.04 meters) from the laser and telescope on rover's mast. The Chemistry and Camera instrument (ChemCam) uses the infrared laser to excite material in a pinhead-size spot on the target into a glowing, ionized gas, called plasma. ChemCam observes that spark with the telescope and analyzes the spectrum of light to identify elements in the target.

"Passing 100,000 laser shots is terribly exciting and is providing a remarkable set of chemical data for Mars," said ChemCam co-investigator Horton Newsom of the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.

As of the start of December, ChemCam has fired its laser on Mars more than 102,000 times, at more than 420 rock or soil targets. Virtually every shot yields a spectrum of data returned to Earth. Most targets get zapped at several points with 30 laser pulses at each point. The instrument has also returned more than 1,600 images taken by its remote micro-imager camera.

An international team of scientists and students is mining information from ChemCam to document the diversity or materials on the surface inside Mars' Gale Crater and the geological processes that formed them. "These materials include dust, wind-blown soil, water-lain sediments derived from the crater rim, veins of sulfates and igneous rocks that may be ejecta from other parts of Mars," Newsom said.

Each pulse delivers more than a million watts of power for about five one-billionths of a second. The technique used by ChemCam, called laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, has been used to assess composition of targets in other extreme environments, such as inside nuclear reactors and on the sea floor. Experimental applications have included environmental monitoring and cancer detection. NASA's Mars Science Laboratory Project, using the Curiosity rover, is the first mission to use it on another planet.

ChemCam is one of 10 instruments in Curiosity's science payload. The U.S. Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, N.M., developed ChemCam in partnership with scientists and engineers funded by the French national space agency, CNES, the University of Toulouse and research agency, CNRS. The laser was built by Thales, Paris. More information about ChemCam is available at http://www.msl-chemcam.com .

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1563
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 12/09/2013 08:26 pm
Archive of presser: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/41544332
Associated press release: http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1565

Brief summary video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-iqwAt2Qmk

Farley's dating work is definitely one of the big items in this.

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Rocket Science on 12/10/2013 02:13 am
I saw this making the rounds today on various news outlets...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/nasa-curiosity-rover-discovers-evidence-of-fresh-water-mars-lake/2013/12/09/a1658518-60d9-11e3-bf45-61f69f54fc5f_story.html
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 12/10/2013 02:52 am
I saw this making the rounds today on various news outlets...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/nasa-curiosity-rover-discovers-evidence-of-fresh-water-mars-lake/2013/12/09/a1658518-60d9-11e3-bf45-61f69f54fc5f_story.html

The papers are now also available on the MSL site:
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/mission/science/researchpapers/

Emily Lakdawalla also has a great post about these results:
http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2013/12091832-curiosity-results-at-agu-age-dating.html
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 12/10/2013 12:06 pm
12.09.2013
Source: Jet Propulsion Laboratory

NASA Curiosity: First Mars Age Measurement and Human Exploration Help

NASA's Curiosity rover is providing vital insight about Mars' past and current environments that will aid plans for future robotic and human missions.
In a little more than a year on the Red Planet, the mobile Mars Science Laboratory has determined the age of a Martian rock, found evidence the planet could have sustained microbial life, taken the first readings of radiation on the surface, and shown how natural erosion could reveal the building blocks of life. Curiosity team members presented these results and more from Curiosity in six papers published online today by Science Express and in talks at the Fall Meeting of the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco.

The Age of 'Cumberland'

The second rock Curiosity drilled for a sample on Mars, which scientists nicknamed "Cumberland," is the first ever to be dated from an analysis of its mineral ingredients while it sits on another planet. A report by Kenneth Farley of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, and co-authors, estimates the age of Cumberland at 3.86 billion to 4.56 billion years old. This is in the range of earlier estimates for rocks in Gale Crater, where Curiosity is working.

"The age is not surprising, but what is surprising is that this method worked using measurements performed on Mars," said Farley. "When you're confirming a new methodology, you don't want the first result to be something unexpected. Our understanding of the antiquity of the Martian surface seems to be right."

The analysis of Cumberland from a sample drilled by Curiosity was a fundamental and unprecedented measurement considered unlikely when the rover landed in 2012. Farley and his co-authors adapted a 60-year-old radiometric method for dating Earth rocks that measures the decay of an isotope of potassium as it slowly changes into argon, an inert gas. Argon escapes when a rock is melted. This dating method measures the amount of argon that accumulates when the rock hardens again.

Before they could measure rocks directly on Mars, scientists estimated their ages by counting and comparing the numbers of impact craters on various areas of the planet. The crater densities are correlated with ages based on comparisons with crater densities on the moon, which were tied to absolute dates after the Apollo lunar missions returned rocks to Earth.

Farley and co-authors also assessed how long Cumberland has been within about an arm's reach of the Martian surface, where cosmic rays that hit atoms in the rock produce gas buildups that Curiosity can measure.

Analyses of three different gases yielded exposure ages in the range of 60 million to 100 million years. This suggests shielding layers above the rock were stripped away relatively recently. Combined with clues of wind erosion Curiosity observed, the exposure-age discovery points to a pattern of windblown sand chewing away at relatively thick layers of rock. The eroding layer forms a retreating vertical face, or scarp.

"The exposure rate is surprisingly fast," Farley said. "The place where you'll find the rocks with the youngest exposure age will be right next to the downwind scarps."

From Rocks to Building Blocks?

Finding rocks with the youngest exposure age is important in the mission's investigations of whether organic chemicals are preserved from ancient environments. Organic chemicals are building blocks for life, although they also can be produced without any biology.

"We're making progress on the path to determining whether there are Martian organics in there," Doug Ming, of NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, said of the Cumberland rock sample. "We detect organics but can't rule out that they might be brought along from Earth." Curiosity detected higher amounts in Cumberland than it did in in either test runs with Martian soil samples or analysis of empty sample cups. Increasing the amount of rock powder in the test cup increased the amount of organic content detected.


Favourable for Life:

Ming is the lead author of a new report about a site called "Yellowknife Bay." The team reported 10 months ago that the first rock Curiosity drilled there, nicknamed "John Klein," yielded evidence that met the mission's goal of identifying a Martian environment favorable for microbial life long ago. Yellowknife Bay's clay-rich lakebed habitat offers the key chemical elements for life, plus water not too acidic or salty, and an energy source. The energy source is a type used by many rock-eating microbes on Earth: a mix of sulfur- and iron-containing minerals that are ready acceptors of electrons, and others that are ready electron donors, like the two poles of a battery.

Not only has Curiosity accomplished its primary goal of finding evidence for an ancient environment that could have supported life, but it also has provided evidence habitable conditions existed more recently than expected and likely persisted for millions of years.

Additional new results from Curiosity are providing the first readings of radiation hazards at Mars' surface, which will aid planning of human missions to Mars. Other findings will guide the search for evidence of life on Mars by improving insight about how erosion may expose buried clues of molecular building blocks of life.

New estimates of when habitable conditions existed at Yellowknife Bay and how long they persisted come from details of rocks' composition and layering. It is thought that Mars had enough fresh water to generate clay minerals -- and possibly support life -- more than 4 billion years ago, but that the planet underwent drying that left any remaining liquid water acidic and briny. A key question was whether the clay minerals at Yellowknife Bay formed earlier, upstream on the rim of Gale Crater where the bits of rock originated, or later, downstream where the rock particles were carried by water and deposited.

Scott McLennan of Stony Brook University in Stony Brook, N.Y., and co-authors found that chemical elements in the rocks indicate the particles were carried from their upstream source area to Yellowknife Bay and that most chemical weathering occurred after they were deposited. The loss of elements that leach easily, such as calcium and sodium, would be noticeable if the weathering that turns some volcanic minerals into clay minerals had happened upstream. Scientists did not notice such leaching.

David Vaniman of the Planetary Science Institute in Tucson, Ariz., and co-authors found supporting evidence in a separate mineral analysis of sedimentary rocks at Yellowknife Bay. They noticed a lack of olivine and an abundance of magnetite, which suggests the rocks turned to clay after they washed downstream. The presence of smectite tells about conditions where the clay formed.

"Smectite is the typical clay mineral in lake deposits," Vaniman said. "It is commonly called a swelling clay -- the kind that sticks to your boot when you step in it. You find biologically rich environments where you find smectites on Earth."

John Grotzinger of Caltech and co-authors examined physical characteristics of rock layers in and near Yellowknife Bay and concluded the habitable environment there existed at a time "relatively young by Martian standards." It was a part of Martian history called the Hesperian Era, when parts of the planet were already becoming drier and more acidic, less than 4 billion years ago and roughly the same time as the oldest evidence for life on Earth.

"This habitable environment existed later than many people thought there would be one," Grotzinger said. "This has global implications. It's from a time when there were deltas, alluvial fans and other signs of surface water at many places on Mars, but those were considered too young, or too short-lived, to have formed clay minerals. The thinking was, if they had clay minerals, those must have washed in from older deposits. Now, we know the clay minerals could be produced later, and that gives us many locations that may have had habitable environments, too."

Research suggests habitable conditions in the Yellowknife Bay area may have persisted for millions to tens of millions of years. During that time rivers and lakes probably appeared and disappeared. Even when the surface was dry, the subsurface likely was wet, as indicated by mineral veins deposited by underground water into fractures in the rock. The thickness of observed and inferred tiers of rock layers provides the basis for estimating long duration, and the discovery of a mineral energy source for underground microbes favors habitability throughout.


Implication for Human Explorers:

Today's reports include the first measurements of the natural radiation environment on the surface of Mars. Cosmic rays from outside our solar system and energetic particles from the sun bombarded the surface at Gale Crater with an average of 0.67 millisieverts per day from August 2012 to June 2013, according to a report by Don Hassler of Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colo., and co-authors. For comparison, radiation exposure from a typical chest X-ray is about 0.02 millisievert. That 10-month measurement period did not include any major solar storms affecting Mars, and more than 95 percent of the total came from cosmic rays.

Results from the surface-radiation monitoring provide an additional piece of the puzzle for projecting the total round-trip radiation dose for a future human mission to Mars. Added to dose rates Curiosity measured during its flight to Mars, the Mars surface results project a total round-trip dose rate for a future human mission at the same period in the solar cycle to be on the order of 1,000 millisieverts.

Long-term population studies have shown exposure to radiation increases a person's lifetime cancer risk. Exposure to a dose of 1,000 millisieverts is associated with a 5 percent increase in risk for developing fatal cancer. NASA's current career limit for increased risk for its astronauts currently operating in low-Earth orbit is 3 percent. The agency is working with the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies to address the ethics, principles and guidelines for health standards for long duration and exploration spaceflight missions.

The radiation detected by Curiosity is consistent with earlier predictions. The new data will help NASA scientists and engineers create better models to anticipate the radiation environment human explorers will face, as the agency develops new technologies to protect astronauts in deep space.

"Our measurements provide crucial information for human missions to Mars," Hassler said. "We're continuing to monitor the radiation environment and seeing the effects of major solar storms on the surface at different times in the solar cycle, will give additional important data. Our measurements also tie into Curiosity's investigations about habitability. The radiation sources that are concerns for human health also affect microbial survival as well as preservation of organic chemicals."

If any organic chemicals that are potential signs of life did exist within rocks at about 2 inches (5 centimeters), the depth of Curiosity's drill, Hassler estimated they would be depleted up to 1,000-fold in about 650 million years by radiation at the exposure rate measured in Curiosity's first 10 months. However, the Cumberland rock that Curiosity sampled with its drill at Yellowknife Bay had been exposed to cosmic rays' effects for only about 60 million to 100 million years, by Farley's estimate. Researchers calculate that, with such a young exposure age, enough organic material could still be present in Cumberland to be detectable. Even if Mars has never supported life, the planet receives organic molecules delivered by meteorites, which should leave a detectable trace.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1565
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: bolun on 12/10/2013 03:27 pm
Mars rover goes after carbon clues

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-25312143
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bubbinski on 12/17/2013 09:08 pm
The computer upgrade on the rover is done and new raw images for Sol 485 have appeared here:

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/

Also more info here:

http://astrogeology.usgs.gov/news/astrogeology/sol-485-update-on-curiosity-from-usgs-scientist-ken-herkenhoff-upgrade-complete

Re the raw images: check out the sol 485 MAHLI images.  Pretty interesting stuff.  Also some of the Navcam pics too.  Wonder what the immediate area the rover is right now was in the ancient past, looks to my untrained eye like water flowed in that area, over the rocks in the Navcam pics.  Wouldn't be surprising, we know there was an ancient lake there and an ancient riverbed found by the rover as well.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bubbinski on 12/27/2013 11:35 am
After some time stopped at waypoint 3, to check out wheel damage from the rough terrain, the rover's back on the move as of sol 494.  Looks like it's now in front of a small sand pit or crater from the raw images.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: savuporo on 12/27/2013 05:06 pm
Surprised that the wheel damage discussion hasnt come up here. Some of the pics show pretty excessive chipping.

http://www.universetoday.com/107405/rough-red-planet-rocks-rip-rover-curiosity-wheels/
See http://www.flickr.com/photos/mickhyde/11089897813/

Mission crew is saying thats not really a big concern, but certainly seems not entirely expected.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: meekGee on 12/27/2013 06:42 pm
Surprised that the wheel damage discussion hasnt come up here. Some of the pics show pretty excessive chipping.

http://www.universetoday.com/107405/rough-red-planet-rocks-rip-rover-curiosity-wheels/
See http://www.flickr.com/photos/mickhyde/11089897813/

Mission crew is saying thats not really a big concern, but certainly seems not entirely expected.

It really depends on how they're built.

From the images, there seem to be internal structural hoops that connect to spokes that lead to the hubs.
Around the hoops is the thin skin, and then the zig-zag treads.

The thing that's getting damaged is the skin.   It's purpose is to give the hoop-tread "grid" strength in sheer, and also to distribute load while driving on something like sand, otherwise the treads will sink too deep in it.  But if local rocks protrude upwards into the skin, they damage it.

I'd estimate that the effect of the damage is statistic, and cumulative, rather than presenting an opportunity for a single point of failure.   This means that I can imagine 20% of the skin gone, and still the wheel will drive fine - as long as the treads are still connected to the hoops.

Were these hogged out of a round bar?   Welded together?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: meekGee on 12/27/2013 07:03 pm
I take it back - I enhanced the image..

It looks like there are no hoops, the treads are only connected using the skin, and it's all one machine piece. 

I wish they'd have left hoops on the inside, to isolate portions of the skin from each other, so damage can't propagate.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: savuporo on 12/27/2013 07:30 pm
Looks like the rims constitute the "hoops" you are talking about. I dont think any of that is going to really break, but you might start straining the wheel motors a bit more if sharp corners of stones in the surface stick into the holes.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: meekGee on 12/27/2013 07:40 pm
Looks like the rims constitute the "hoops" you are talking about. I dont think any of that is going to really break, but you might start straining the wheel motors a bit more if sharp corners of stones in the surface stick into the holes.

Yes - but if the tear propagates to the rims, you have an almost total disconnect, and the two edges of the tear can shear with respect to each other.  If they'd have left internal hoops, it would have stopped the tears from being able to propagate, and the mass penalty would have been much smaller than a thicker skin.   Every skin puncture would have been limited to no more than the area bordered by two treads and two hoops.

I don't know if that large hole was punched to full size, or whether it is growing when there's pressure on a point on its circumference.

I wonder if the software can be taught to steer clear of protrusions that will hit that specific hole in the wheel.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: veblen on 12/27/2013 08:35 pm
The largest hole damage is not as big as the ones designed into the wheel (JPL Morse tracks). Using an abundance of caution the engineering team has uplinked new navigation software that will take Curiosity over smoother terrain.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: meekGee on 12/27/2013 09:39 pm
The largest hole damage is not as big as the ones designed into the wheel (JPL Morse tracks). Using an abundance of caution the engineering team has uplinked new navigation software that will take Curiosity over smoother terrain.

The engineered holes seem to have edges around them that exactly prevent them from growing.  The new holes naturally do not, and the biggest of them seems to be at least as large as the engineered holes.

The new software IIRC will avoid rocky areas in general.  I was talking about fine steering to protect the damaged wheel from specific rock protrusions.

I worry more about the existing holes growing than I am about more holes.  You could punch a grid pattern of holes in the wheel, remove 70% of the skin, and it would still perform its structural purpose.    But if this hole keeps growing you'll get stress concentration around its edges.   I hope the Aluminum is ductile enough that this area will deform inwards and that will help mitigate further damage.

I betcha the next wheel will have hoops on the inside.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 12/27/2013 09:54 pm
How do they differ to Opportunity's wheels being as that has been driving on Mars for almost a decade?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: PahTo on 12/27/2013 09:56 pm

I think more than anything this is a function of the size/mass of the vehicle...

How do they differ to Opportunity's wheels being as that has been driving on Mars for almost a decade?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 12/28/2013 10:25 am

I think more than anything this is a function of the size/mass of the vehicle...

How do they differ to Opportunity's wheels being as that has been driving on Mars for almost a decade?


A case of smaller is better in this instance.

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 12/29/2013 07:29 pm
As far as I can tell Opportunity's and Spirit wheels were essentially undamaged.  Clearly Curiosity has a much higher ground pressure.

While this isn't a problem yet, Curiosity is only just into the mission and has covered less than 5 km.  It is had as far to go again before it reaches the foothills.  Conditions are going to be much rockier there and that is where the work really starts.

So I do think this is an area of concern for the future.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 12/29/2013 08:19 pm
As far as I can tell Opportunity's and Spirit wheels were essentially undamaged.  Clearly Curiosity has a much higher ground pressure.
They are a very different design, you can't just scale dimensions and get equivalent performance (cube / square and all that.) They also have different requirements, IIRC the MSL wheels were designed to have some give when acting as the landing gear.

Quote
So I do think this is an area of concern for the future.
Agreed. They stated from the start that dents and holes are expected, but it seems pretty clear that it is happening at or above the upper end of expectations. MSL can drive on very damaged wheels, but even if it doesn't look like major problem, being outside of expectations is a good reason stop and look at things very carefully.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 12/29/2013 09:56 pm
There must be a limit to how much easier a route they can choose for it, looking at the terrain whatever way they pick to go is going to increase the damage on the wheels and that's before they have even reached the foothills.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 12/29/2013 10:00 pm
There must be a limit to how much easier a route they can choose for it, looking at the terrain whatever way they pick to go is going to increase the damage on the wheels and that's before they have even reached the foothills.

And it is going to be very rocky in the foothills let alone climbing the lower slopes of Mt Sharp.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 12/29/2013 10:02 pm

There must be a limit to how much easier a route they can choose for it, looking at the terrain whatever way they pick to go is going to increase the damage on the wheels and that's before they have even reached the foothills.

And it is going to be very rocky in the foothills let alone climbing the lower slopes of Mt Sharp.

I wonder if the damage continues at this rate on the journey to the foothills that it could move to the status of endangering the mission objectives?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: meekGee on 12/30/2013 03:51 am
For a long time now, I noticed that each press release made very sure to emphasize that "mission objectives have been met already".  Scientifically, I think they were - Yellowknife bay was a very unexpected boon.   From the public perspective though, people expect it to "get to the mountain".  (Hell, most people expect it to get to the top of the mountain, even though that's not in the plans, and not scientifically interesting)

That almost boilerplate statement always made me feel nervous, as if they're aware of an engineering issue.  If this is it, then so be it.  Could have been worse.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 12/30/2013 07:30 am
Yellowknife was a great site, but it was plain dumb luck that it was encountered so early in the mission.  Much like Opportunity landing in Eagle crater.

IMHO the mission objectives are very low key given the cost and proposed capabilities of MSL.  Only a dozen post landing science papers have been published.

Also note that the primary mission has been variously reported as being one martian year/two earth years, so we are well short of that.

Combined with how far and long we have to go and the low productivity, these signs and admissions of greater than expected wear and tear concerns me.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 12/30/2013 09:10 am
Would be somewhat embarrassing if Opportunity outlasted it.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: notsorandom on 12/30/2013 12:49 pm
Would be somewhat embarrassing if Opportunity outlasted it.
Opportunity has show its self to be not only an incredible machine but quite lucky too. Spirit managed to trek a good distance with a bum wheel so I suspect that Curiosity is not close to stopping. Even without wheels Curiosity can last for a long time and do useful science.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 12/30/2013 07:21 pm
A nice long guest post on the planetary society blog by Grotzinger http://www.planetary.org/blogs/guest-blogs/2013/20131221-habitability-taphonomy-and-curiositys-hunt-for-organic-carbon.html

IMHO the mission objectives are very low key given the cost and proposed capabilities of MSL.  Only a dozen post landing science papers have been published.
"Only"? It seems to me they have published results from the major instruments on the first two sites they've investigated, and with the recent papers also started to describe the broader context of the lake environment. I'm not sure what else you would expect this far into the mission.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: savuporo on 12/30/2013 07:26 pm
Would be somewhat embarrassing if Opportunity outlasted it.
I think it would be more embarrassing if it got the budget axe, same with Cassini.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 12/30/2013 07:37 pm

IMHO the mission objectives are very low key given the cost and proposed capabilities of MSL.  Only a dozen post landing science papers have been published.
"Only"? It seems to me they have published results from the major instruments on the first two sites they've investigated, and with the recent papers also started to describe the broader context of the lake environment. I'm not sure what else you would expect this far into the mission.
[/

Yes, only.  The number of papers has been broadly equivalent to Spirit or Opportunity in the same period which had half the number of instruments and much smaller science teams. Only two locations have been investigated in detail.  There has been nothing from the meteorology team, nothing from the neutron team, no systematic overview of the traverses, despite thousands of images and hundreds ChemCam shots.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 12/30/2013 07:41 pm
Would be somewhat embarrassing if Opportunity outlasted it.
Opportunity has show its self to be not only an incredible machine but quite lucky too. Spirit managed to trek a good distance with a bum wheel so I suspect that Curiosity is not close to stopping. Even without wheels Curiosity can last for a long time and do useful science.

However a 2.5 billion stationary rover will be something of an embarrassment, it will be the most expensive semi-functional weather station, radiation monitor and remote camera in history.  Especially if it fails before it gets to Mt Sharp.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: savuporo on 12/30/2013 07:49 pm
..There has been nothing from the meteorology team, nothing from the neutron team, no systematic overview of the traverses, despite thousands of images and hundreds ChemCam shots.
I saw some pretty good engineering reads about the EDL sequence though and analysis of MEDLI data. From what i saw, their previous models matched the measurements with remarkable accuracy.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 12/30/2013 08:09 pm
Yes, only.  The number of papers has been broadly equivalent to Spirit or Opportunity in the same period which had half the number of instruments and much smaller science teams. Only two locations have been investigated in detail.  There has been nothing from the meteorology team, nothing from the neutron team, no systematic overview of the traverses, despite thousands of images and hundreds ChemCam shots.
This is not a very useful comparison. Gale is a much more complicated site, and MSL's instruments are much more complicated. Having a bigger team and more sophisticated instruments would be expected to make the time to publish longer, not shorter. Plus MSL is still in the prime mission.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: meekGee on 12/30/2013 10:12 pm
Yellowknife was a great site, but it was plain dumb luck that it was encountered so early in the mission.  Much like Opportunity landing in Eagle crater.

IMHO the mission objectives are very low key given the cost and proposed capabilities of MSL.  Only a dozen post landing science papers have been published.

Also note that the primary mission has been variously reported as being one martian year/two earth years, so we are well short of that.

Combined with how far and long we have to go and the low productivity, these signs and admissions of greater than expected wear and tear concerns me.

Dumb luck or not, the data was there.

Curiosity's science suite is hugely more capable than the MERs.  I can't understate how impressed I am with all the measurements they are able to take.  Couple that with the luck of Yellowknife bay, and I agree with the planners that the science mission is already accomplished.  There will be more papers to come from that data.

Also Curiosity is not broken now.  It just seems that it won't rove beyond the warranty as much as Opportunity did. But the purpose of Curiosity is not to rove or to last - it is to answer some questions, and it's been doing that.

So while I may bitch about "oh why aren't there hoops" etc - I don't want for a second to come across as belittling MSL.  It is a huge step forward in capabilities and a much better foundation for future rovers than MER would have been.

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 12/31/2013 12:43 am
Yellowknife was a great site, but it was plain dumb luck that it was encountered so early in the mission.  Much like Opportunity landing in Eagle crater.

IMHO the mission objectives are very low key given the cost and proposed capabilities of MSL.  Only a dozen post landing science papers have been published.

Also note that the primary mission has been variously reported as being one martian year/two earth years, so we are well short of that.

Combined with how far and long we have to go and the low productivity, these signs and admissions of greater than expected wear and tear concerns me.

Dumb luck or not, the data was there.

Curiosity's science suite is hugely more capable than the MERs.  I can't understate how impressed I am with all the measurements they are able to take.  Couple that with the luck of Yellowknife bay, and I agree with the planners that the science mission is already accomplished.  There will be more papers to come from that data.

Also Curiosity is not broken now.  It just seems that it won't rove beyond the warranty as much as Opportunity did. But the purpose of Curiosity is not to rove or to last - it is to answer some questions, and it's been doing that.

So while I may bitch about "oh why aren't there hoops" etc - I don't want for a second to come across as belittling MSL.  It is a huge step forward in capabilities and a much better foundation for future rovers than MER would have been.

I am certainly not belittling MSL's capability, it just hasn't lived up to it yet. 
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: savuporo on 01/03/2014 06:32 am
This is hilarious. From SarcasticRover on tomorrows tenth anniversary of Spirit's landing.
http://ideas.time.com/2014/01/03/this-is-why-mars-cant-have-nice-things/
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: meekGee on 01/04/2014 04:50 am
This is hilarious. From SarcasticRover on tomorrows tenth anniversary of Spirit's landing.
http://ideas.time.com/2014/01/03/this-is-why-mars-cant-have-nice-things/

... also how you get ants  :)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 01/09/2014 11:50 pm
yay, our first update of the year!
Unfortunately it's OF Curiosity, not directly BY Curiosity

01.09.2014
Source: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Mars Orbiter Images Rover and Tracks in Gale Crater

NASA's Curiosity Mars rover and its recent tracks from driving in Gale Crater appear in an image taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter on Dec. 11, 2013.
Excerpts from the large HiRISE observation are at:

http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA17755, showing the rover, and http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA17754, showing tracks across a landscape in enhanced color.

The tracks show where the rover has zigzagged around obstacles on its route toward the lower slopes of Mount Sharp, its next major destination.

HiRISE first imaged the Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft while it was descending on a parachute to place Curiosity on Mars 17 months ago. Since then, it has provided updated views of the rover's traverse, as seen from orbit.

HiRISE is operated by the University of Arizona, Tucson. The instrument was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colo. The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter project and Mars Science Laboratory project are managed for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1582

01.09.2014
Curiosity Rover Tracks, Viewed from Orbit in December 2013 
Two parallel tracks left by the wheels of NASA's Curiosity Mars rover cross rugged ground in this portion of a Dec. 11, 2013, observation by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The rover itself does not appear in this part of the HiRISE observation.

Curiosity has been on the move. By the time this image was taken, it had driven about 2.86 miles (4.61 kilometers) since its August 2012 landing in Gale Crater. This enhanced color image shows where the rover zigzagged to avoid steep slopes and other obstacles on its route toward its long-term destination on the lower slopes of Mount Sharp. Curiosity is progressing from a bright dust-covered area to a region with a darker surface, where windblown sand scours the surface relatively free of dust. For scale, the two parallel lines of the wheel tracks are about 10 feet (3 meters) apart.

The image is one product from HiRISE observation ESP_034572_1755. Other image products from this observation are available at http://uahirise.org/ESP_034572_1755 .
 
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/images/?ImageID=5895
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: JohnFornaro on 01/11/2014 03:24 pm
That's a great picture.  Thanks for posting.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: John44 on 01/23/2014 07:32 pm
Mars Exploration Rover Science Briefing - January 23
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8687
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 01/29/2014 01:26 am
01.28.2014
Source: Jet Propulsion Laboratory

NASA Preparing for 2014 Comet Watch at Mars

This spring, NASA will be paying cautious attention to a comet that could put on a barnstorming show at Mars on Oct. 19, 2014.
On that date, comet C/2013 A1 Siding Spring will buzz Mars about 10 times closer than any identified comet has ever flown past Earth.

Spacecraft at Mars might get a good look at the nucleus of comet Siding Spring as it heads toward the closest approach, roughly 86,000 miles (138,000 kilometers) from the planet, give or take a few percent. On the other hand, dust particles that the comet nucleus sheds this spring could threaten orbiting spacecraft at Mars in October.

The level of risk won't be known for months, but NASA is already evaluating possible precautionary measures as it prepares for studying the comet.

"Our plans for using spacecraft at Mars to observe comet Siding Spring will be coordinated with plans for how the orbiters will duck and cover, if we need to do that," said Rich Zurek, Mars Exploration Program chief scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.

Comet Siding Spring, formally named C/2013 A1, was discovered on Jan. 3, 2013, from Australia's Siding Spring Observatory. At the time, it was farther from the sun than Jupiter is. Subsequent observations enabled scientists at JPL and elsewhere to calculate the trajectory the comet will follow as it swings past Mars. Observations in 2014 will continue to refine knowledge of the comet's path, but in approximate terms, Siding Spring's nucleus will come about as close to Mars as one-third of the distance between Earth and the moon.

Comet Ready for Its Close-up

Observations of comet Siding Spring are planned using resources on Earth, orbiting Earth, on Mars and orbiting Mars, and some are already underway. NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and the NEOWISE mission have observed the comet this month both to characterize this first-time visitor from the Oort cloud and to study dust particle sizes and amounts produced by the comet for understanding potential risks to the Mars orbiters. Infrared imaging by NEOWISE reveals a comet that is active and dusty, even though still nearly three-fourths as far from the sun as Jupiter is. Ground-based observatories such as the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility are also expected to join in as the comet becomes favorably positioned for viewing.

As the comet nears Mars, NASA assets there will be used to study this visitor from distant reaches of the solar system.

"We could learn about the nucleus -- its shape, its rotation, whether some areas on its surface are darker than others," Zurek said.

Researchers using spacecraft at Mars gained experience at trying to observe a different comet in 2013, as comet ISON (formally C/2012 S1) approached Mars. That comet's Mars-flyby distance was about 80 times farther than Siding Spring's will be. Another difference is that ISON continued inward past Mars for nearly two months, briefly becoming visible to some unaided-eye skywatchers on Earth before flying very close to the sun and disintegrating. Siding Spring will reach its closest approach to the sun just six days after its Mars flyby. It won't put on a show for Earth, and it won't return to the inner solar system for about a million years.

At comet Siding Spring's flyby distance, the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter could provide imagery with resolution of dozens of pixels across the diameter of the nucleus. When HiRISE observed comet ISON, the nucleus was less than one pixel across. ISON did not get bright enough to make itself visible to other cameras at Mars that made attempted observations, but Siding Spring could provide a better observation opportunity.

Cameras on the Mars rovers Curiosity and Opportunity might watch for meteors in the sky that would be an indication of the abundance of particles in the comet's tail, though the geometry of the flyby would put most of the meteors in daytime sky instead of dark sky.

"A third aspect for investigation could be what effect the infalling particles have on the upper atmosphere of Mars," Zurek said. "They might heat it and expand it, not unlike the effect of a global dust storm." Infrared-sensing instruments on Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and Odyssey might be used to watch for that effect.

Assessing Possible Hazards to Mars Orbiters

One trait Siding Spring shares with ISON is unpredictability about how much it will brighten in the months before passing Mars. The degree to which Siding Spring brightens this spring will be an indicator of how much hazard it will present to spacecraft at Mars.

"It's way too early for us to know how much of a threat Siding Spring will be to our orbiters," JPL's Soren Madsen, Mars Exploration Program chief engineer, said last week. "It could go either way. It could be a huge deal or it could be nothing -- or anything in between."

The path the nucleus will take is now known fairly well. The important unknowns are how much dust will come off the nucleus, when it will come off, and the geometry of the resulting coma and tail of the comet.

During April and May, the comet will cross the range of distances from the sun at which water ice on a comet's surface typically becomes active -- vaporizing and letting dust particles loose. Dust ejected then could get far enough from the nucleus by October to swarm around Mars.

"How active will Siding Spring be in April and May? We'll be watching that," Madsen said. "But if the red alarm starts sounding in May, it would be too late to start planning how to respond. That's why we're doing what we're doing right now."

Two key strategies to lessen risk are to get orbiters behind Mars during the minutes of highest risk and to orient orbiters so that the most vulnerable parts are not in the line of fire.

The Martian atmosphere, thin as it is, is dense enough to prevent dust from the comet from becoming a hazard to NASA's two Mars rovers active on the surface. Three orbiters are currently active at Mars: NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) and Mars Odyssey, and the European Space Agency's Mars Express. Two more departed Earth in late 2013 and are due to enter orbit around Mars about three weeks before the comet Siding Spring flyby: NASA's Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) and India's Mars Orbiter Mission.

Orbiters are designed with the risk of space-dust collisions in mind. Most such collisions do not damage a mission. Design factors such as blanketing and protected placement of vulnerable components help. Over a five-year span for a Mars orbiter, NASA figures on a few percent chance of significant damage to a spacecraft from the background level of impacts from such particles, called meteoroids. Whether the Siding Spring level will pack that much hazard -- or perhaps greater than 10 times more -- into a few hours will depend on how active it becomes.

This comet is orbiting the sun in almost the opposite direction as Mars and the other planets. The nucleus and the dust particles it sheds will be travelling at about 35 miles (56 kilometers) per second, relative to the Mars orbiters. That's about 50 times faster than a bullet from a high-powered rifle and double or triple the velocity of background meteoroid impacts.

Cautionary Preparations

If managers choose to position orbiters behind Mars during the peak risk, the further in advance any orbit-adjustment maneuvers can be made, the less fuel will be consumed. Advance work is also crucial for the other main option: reorienting a spacecraft to keep its least-vulnerable side facing the oncoming stream of comet particles. The safest orientation in terms of comet dust may be a poor one for maintaining power or communications.

"These changes would require a huge amount of testing," Madsen said. "There's a lot of preparation we need to do now, to prepare ourselves in case we learn in May that the flyby will be hazardous."

JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, manages the NASA's Mars Exploration Program for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. For more information about the flyby of Mars by comet Siding Spring, visit http://mars.nasa.gov/comets/sidingspring/ .

For more about the Mars Exploration Program, visit http://mars.nasa.gov .

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1590
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Robotbeat on 01/29/2014 11:34 pm
If only it was yet closer.... A direct hit would be sooo awesome!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: AJA on 01/30/2014 03:59 am
 Emily Lakdawalla's neat update (http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2014/01291357-curiosity-update-imaging-the.html)


They've finally managed to image the defunct REMS boom, and they're considering driving over a dune. I guess it had to happen sometime.


Does anyone know why MSL sports wheels that are "open" on the side (verus the MER "cab" wheels)? They've obviously simulated driving it in loose sand/soil. Does the entrainment of sand from the side actually help offer better traction by adding weight, by sitting on the inside of the wheels? Or was it just a matter of saving wheel-mass?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 01/30/2014 06:36 am
Could such a close approach see the nucleus of the comet in anyway disrupted by Mars?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Danderman on 01/30/2014 02:17 pm
If only it was yet closer.... A direct hit would be sooo awesome!

There is a thread about all of this here:

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=31205.0

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Danderman on 01/30/2014 02:19 pm
Scientist Sues NASA, Alleges Failure To Investigate Alien Life On Mars

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/29/scientist-sues-nasa-mars-rock-lawsuit-alien-life_n_4687582.html

A strange "mystery" rock on Mars showed up in images snapped by the Opportunity rover on Jan. 8. And now astrobiologist Dr. Rhawn Joseph claims in a lawsuit that there's more to this mineral than meets the eye.

He is suing NASA and its administrator, Charles Bolden, in an effort to compel the space agency to take a closer look at the rock. The petition, which was filed Monday in California, calls for NASA to "closely photograph and thoroughly scientifically examine and investigate a putative biological organism."

But NASA identified the object as a rock -- an odd rock that was somehow flicked into view, possibly by the rover itself -- but a rock nonetheless.

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bubbinski on 01/31/2014 02:18 am
Curiosity just drove onto the sand dune at Dingo Gap.  The wheels are not sunken into the sand, looks good so far.  Check out the Sol 527 & 528 raw images, the 527 Mastcam images are spectacular.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: AJA on 01/31/2014 04:04 am
Curiosity just drove onto the sand dune at Dingo Gap.  The wheels are not sunken into the sand, looks good so far.  Check out the Sol 527 & 528 raw images, the 527 Mastcam images are spectacular.

Yeah. I don't think they're going to go through/over it though. Even if Curiosity's investigations of the internal consistency/structure of the dune show it up as suitable for traverse, because the other side doesn't exactly look smooth. (http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MSL/image/00528/NLB_444368691EDR_F0260168NCAM00253M_.html) (via Phil Stooke).

Plus, Ken Herkenhoff states (http://astrogeology.usgs.gov/news/astrogeology/sol-528-update-on-curiosity-from-usgs-scientist-ken-herkenhoff-looking-back-at-purgatory-dune-) that the team is concerned about the dune being deep enough to cause comm issues. The guys over at the unmanned spaceflight forum have noted (http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?showtopic=7747&st=360) that the orientation of the gap (with respect to where the Earth rises in the sky), as well as the comm-relay orbiter's trajectories don't seem to make the traversal a problem. However, I think Ken's talking about Multipath interference, and the sand-dune being transparent to radio waves at comm frequency.

The martian rock landscape is getting weirder and weirder though. Even without purported Aliens chucking rovcks into Curiosity's FOV. What's with the sudden change from pointy sharp bits (http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?s=&showtopic=7747&view=findpost&p=206938) that were puncturing wheels to large flat bits (http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MSL/image/00527/0527ML2079002000E1_DXXX.html)?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bubbinski on 02/01/2014 12:41 am
Ken Herkenhoff's latest report says Curiosity's going to take a pic of Earth in the Martian evening sky on Sol 529. It's not in Raw Images yet but watch for it!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 02/01/2014 05:07 pm
01.31.2014
Source: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
NASA Mars Rover's View of Possible Westward Route

NASA's Curiosity Mars rover reached the edge of a dune on Jan. 30 and photographed the valley on the other side, to aid assessment of whether to cross the dune.
Curiosity is on a southwestward traverse of many months from an area where it found evidence of ancient conditions favorable for microbial life to its long-term science destination on the lower slopes of Mount Sharp. Based on analysis of images taken from orbit by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, a location dubbed "Dingo Gap" was assessed as a possible gateway to a favorable route for the next portion of the traverse.

A dune across Dingo Gap is about 3 feet (1 meter) high, tapered off at both sides of the gap between two low scarps. Curiosity reached the eastern side of the dune on Jan. 30 and returned images that the rover team is using to guide decisions about upcoming drives.

NASA's Mars Science Laboratory Project is using Curiosity to assess ancient habitable environments and major changes in Martian environmental conditions. JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, built the rover and manages the project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1593
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 02/01/2014 09:43 pm

Yeah. I don't think they're going to go through/over it though. Even if Curiosity's investigations of the internal consistency/structure of the dune show it up as suitable for traverse, because the other side doesn't exactly look smooth. (http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MSL/image/00528/NLB_444368691EDR_F0260168NCAM00253M_.html) (via Phil Stooke).


They most certainly did :) http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?s=529&camera=RHAZ%5F

Quote
The martian rock landscape is getting weirder and weirder though. Even without purported Aliens chucking rovcks into Curiosity's FOV. What's with the sudden change from pointy sharp bits (http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?s=&showtopic=7747&view=findpost&p=206938) that were puncturing wheels to large flat bits (http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MSL/image/00527/0527ML2079002000E1_DXXX.html)?

Several processes come to mind - changes in weathering, erosion or lithology.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bubbinski on 02/03/2014 02:17 am
Well looks like the picture of Earth from Mars has come down.  The thumbnails are showing up on the raw images page (sol 130) and also unmannedspaceflight.com has someone who stitched together a sneak peek.  Can't wait for the full image to come out (tomorrow?)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 02/04/2014 01:31 am
Yeah. I don't think they're going to go through/over it though. Even if Curiosity's investigations of the internal consistency/structure of the dune show it up as suitable for traverse, because the other side doesn't exactly look smooth. (http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MSL/image/00528/NLB_444368691EDR_F0260168NCAM00253M_.html) (via Phil Stooke).
Latest update http://astrogeology.usgs.gov/news/astrogeology/sol-530-532-update-on-curiosity-from-usgs-scientist-ken-herkenhoff-going-for-it

Quote
Using the images acquired of Dingo Gap beyond the dune (http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1593), it appears that the gap can be safely traversed, and the Project decided to drive through the gap. But first, the weekend plan included lots of targeted science observations on Sol 530, APXS and MAHLI observations of the dune inside and outside of the scuff on Sol 531, and a set of wheel images in four positions on Sol 532.
There was a short (1-ish meter) drive on sol 532 before the mentioned MAHLI images. (http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?s=532&camera=MAHLI)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 02/04/2014 06:36 pm
02.03.2014
NASA Mars Rover's Color View of Likely Route West


The team operating NASA's Curiosity Mars rover will likely drive the rover westward over a dune and across a valley with fewer sharp rock hazards than alternative routes.
A final decision on whether to pass through this valley will ride on evaluation of a short drive planned this week toward the top of the dune that lies across "Dingo Gap." The dune is about 3 feet (1 meter) high at its center, tapered off at both sides of the gap between two low scarps. A color view assembled from images taken by Curiosity's Mast Camera (Mastcam) on the east side of the dune shows details of the valley that the rover may traverse this month.

NASA's Mars Science Laboratory Project is using Curiosity to assess ancient habitable environments and major changes in Martian environmental conditions. JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, built the rover and manages the project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington.


http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1594

02.03.2014
Martian Valley May Be Curiosity's Route (White-Balanced) 
This view combines several frames taken by the Mast Camera (Mastcam) on NASA's Mars rover Curiosity, looking into a valley to the west from the eastern side of a dune at the eastern end of the valley. The team operating Curiosity has chosen this valley as a likely route toward mid-term and long-term science destinations. The foreground dune, at a location called "Dingo Gap," is about 3 feet (1 meter) high in the middle and tapered at south and north ends onto low scarps on either side of the gap.

The component images were taken by Mastcam's left-eye camera during early afternoon, local solar time, of the 528th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity's work on Mars (Jan. 30, 2014). The center of the view is about 10 degrees south of straight west. The left edge is about 20 degrees west of straight south. The right edge is northwest. The largest of the dark rocks on the sand in the right half of the scene are about 2 feet (about 60 centimeters) across.

The image has been white-balanced to show what the rocks would look like if they were on Earth. A version with two 2-meter (79-inch) scale bars at distances of about 36 feet (11 meters) and 131 feet (40 meters) away from the rover is available as Figure A. A version with raw color, as recorded by the camera under Martian lighting conditions, is available as Figure B.
 
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: SkipMorrow on 02/04/2014 08:46 pm
If the decision is made to go over the dune, will they practice with the curiosity replica here on earth first (doesn't that replica have a name)? Will there be video of the test available?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: SkipMorrow on 02/04/2014 08:51 pm
Lol, I posted too soon. Emily Lakdawalla just posted on twitter that Curiosity is at the top of the dune.
https://twitter.com/elakdawalla/status/430818878461984768/photo/1
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bubbinski on 02/05/2014 11:34 am
Check out the unmannedspaceflight.com MSL thread! The full size pic of Earth from Mars is in.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: SaxtonHale on 02/05/2014 11:03 pm
She has her left wheel over the dune and her right on the nearside.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Kaputnik on 02/07/2014 07:34 am
Curiosity's Facebook page was showing a clear view ahead this morning- she's over the dune!
Didn't sink in too much at all, to my eye.

Question: does Curiosity have slippage detection parameters like gene MERs, and if so at what slippage rate will she cease the drive?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 02/07/2014 12:43 pm
02.06.2014
NASA Mars Rover Curiosity Sees 'Evening Star' Earth

New images from NASA's Curiosity Mars rover show Earth shining brighter than any star in the Martian night sky.
The rover's view of its original home planet even includes our moon, just below Earth.

The images, taken about 80 minutes after sunset during the rover's 529th Martian day (Jan. 31, 2014) are available at http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA17936 for a broad scene of the evening sky, and at http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA17935 for a zoomed-in view of Earth and the moon.

The distance between Earth and Mars when Curiosity took the photo was about 99 million miles (160 million kilometers).

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1598
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Apollo-phill on 02/07/2014 01:09 pm
Looks like MSL Curiosity is over the dune and on the floor of "gully" on the other side from this NASA JPL raw image.

Apollo-phill.

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: John Santos on 02/07/2014 01:13 pm
02.06.2014
NASA Mars Rover Curiosity Sees 'Evening Star' Earth

New images from NASA's Curiosity Mars rover show Earth shining brighter than any star in the Martian night sky.
The rover's view of its original home planet even includes our moon, just below Earth.

The images, taken about 80 minutes after sunset during the rover's 529th Martian day (Jan. 31, 2014) are available at http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA17936 for a broad scene of the evening sky, and at http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA17935 for a zoomed-in view of Earth and the moon.

The distance between Earth and Mars when Curiosity took the photo was about 99 million miles (160 million kilometers).

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1598

Is it okay to comment on this thread?

I have sometimes wondered what the effects of being able to see both Earth and the Moon from Mars would have had on hypothetical Martian astronomers.  Would it have made discovering  heliocentrism and Newton's and Kepler's laws a no-brainer for them?  Or would they have just developed an even convoluted form of the Ptolemaic system first?  (Any elaboration of this idea is clearly off-topic for this thread and maybe for this site, but I really just wanted to comment on how cool this image is.)
 
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: RonM on 02/07/2014 01:43 pm
02.06.2014
NASA Mars Rover Curiosity Sees 'Evening Star' Earth

New images from NASA's Curiosity Mars rover show Earth shining brighter than any star in the Martian night sky.
The rover's view of its original home planet even includes our moon, just below Earth.

The images, taken about 80 minutes after sunset during the rover's 529th Martian day (Jan. 31, 2014) are available at http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA17936 for a broad scene of the evening sky, and at http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA17935 for a zoomed-in view of Earth and the moon.

The distance between Earth and Mars when Curiosity took the photo was about 99 million miles (160 million kilometers).

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1598

Is it okay to comment on this thread?

I have sometimes wondered what the effects of being able to see both Earth and the Moon from Mars would have had on hypothetical Martian astronomers.  Would it have made discovering  heliocentrism and Newton's and Kepler's laws a no-brainer for them?  Or would they have just developed an even convoluted form of the Ptolemaic system first?  (Any elaboration of this idea is clearly off-topic for this thread and maybe for this site, but I really just wanted to comment on how cool this image is.)

Only if they could see it naked eye, without optical aid. You would think so from the photo, but what was the exposure? Could you actually see the Moon from Mars just with your eyes?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: kenny008 on 02/07/2014 01:55 pm
According to the first link (PIA17936), both the Earth and the Moon would be able to be seen by an observer on Mars with normal vision.  Pretty cool!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: meekGee on 02/07/2014 08:02 pm
02.06.2014
NASA Mars Rover Curiosity Sees 'Evening Star' Earth

New images from NASA's Curiosity Mars rover show Earth shining brighter than any star in the Martian night sky.
The rover's view of its original home planet even includes our moon, just below Earth.

The images, taken about 80 minutes after sunset during the rover's 529th Martian day (Jan. 31, 2014) are available at http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA17936 for a broad scene of the evening sky, and at http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA17935 for a zoomed-in view of Earth and the moon.

The distance between Earth and Mars when Curiosity took the photo was about 99 million miles (160 million kilometers).

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1598

Is it okay to comment on this thread?

I have sometimes wondered what the effects of being able to see both Earth and the Moon from Mars would have had on hypothetical Martian astronomers.  Would it have made discovering  heliocentrism and Newton's and Kepler's laws a no-brainer for them?  Or would they have just developed an even convoluted form of the Ptolemaic system first?  (Any elaboration of this idea is clearly off-topic for this thread and maybe for this site, but I really just wanted to comment on how cool this image is.)

Heh, I always thought this about a (truly hypothetical) lunar civilization (just as a thought exercise) - they'd be seeing a motionless Earth hanging in the sky, yet rotating in place, and with varying illumination.  How cool is that?  To figure out that it is indeed rotating, but you're rotating with it!   It's like the universe is conspiring to make it difficult to figure out what's really going on...
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 02/13/2014 02:58 am
02.11.2014
Source: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
NASA's Curiosity Drives On After Crossing Martian Dune

NASA's Curiosity Mars rover is continuing its traverse toward enticing science destinations after climbing over a dune spanning a gap in a ridge.
The rover covered 135 feet (41.1 meters) on Feb. 9, in its first drive since the 23-foot (7-meter) crossing of the dune on Feb. 6. That put Curiosity's total odometry since its August 2012 landing at 3.09 miles (4.97 kilometers).

An animated sequence of images from the low-slung Hazard-Avoidance Camera on the rear of the vehicle documents the up-then-down crossing of the dune.

NASA's Mars Science Laboratory Project is using Curiosity to assess ancient habitable environments and major changes in Martian environmental conditions. JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, built the rover and manages the project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1601

edit: link to higher res gif
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/images/PIA17938-MAIN_sol-535rhaz-br2.gif
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 02/13/2014 07:17 pm
So not even a couple of days studying the best sections seen to date?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Phil Stooke on 02/13/2014 07:35 pm
No, because an even better section is coming up in 1000 m or so, a place where they will probably drill again.

Phil
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 02/13/2014 09:10 pm
Emily Lakdawalla has posted a great update with info on the wheel situation and dune crossing http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2014/curiosity-update-sols.html
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 02/15/2014 01:14 am
Curiosity Rover Report (Feb. 14, 2014): Rover's 5K Run

 Published on Feb 14, 2014

Curiosity logs 5K after a punishing trek over sharp terrain. To celebrate, JPLers put on their running shoes!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiBbFC4Isr0
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bubbinski on 02/21/2014 06:25 pm
Check this out:

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1605

They're doing reverse driving on smoother ground.  And there's a beautiful picture on that that I'm going to print out and put up on my wall, and try to turn into wallpaper on my computing devices.

They've done 2 95 m drives in the past couple of days as per this from Emily Lakdawalla:

http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2014/02201503-curiosity-update-sols-540-7.html



Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 02/21/2014 09:56 pm
No, because an even better section is coming up in 1000 m or so, a place where they will probably drill again.

Phil

Still worth a bit more of a look than just a drive by photo shoot.  Anything can happen in the next km.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: SaxtonHale on 02/22/2014 07:27 pm
Opportunity wouldn't have made it to Endeavour with that attitude.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 02/23/2014 05:20 am
Opportunity wouldn't have made it to Endeavour with that attitude.

Opportunity examined many targets of interest on the way to Endeavour. 

Between the landing site at Eagle crater and Endurance Opportunity stopped at Fram crater.

Between Endurance and Victoria Opportunity examined its' own heat shield and heat shield rock (a meteorite), and Vostok (including the Gagarin rock and Laika soil), Erebus (including the Payson and Olympia Ridge outcrops) and Beagle craters.

Between Victoria and Endeavour Opportunity examined two more meteorites, Block Island and Shelter Island. Other features studied included the rocks Santorini, Penrhyn, and Marquette Island, the craters Concepcion and Santa Maria, and many others.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 02/27/2014 11:23 pm
02.27.2014
Source: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
NASA's Curiosity Mars Rover Views Striated Ground

NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has reached an area where orbital images had piqued researchers' interest in patches of ground with striations all oriented in a similar direction.
A close-up look at some of the striations from the rover's Navigation Camera gains extra drama by including Mount Sharp in the background. The lower slopes of that layered mountain are the mission's long-term science destination. The image is online at:

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/spaceimages/details.php?id=PIA17947

The foreground rocks are in an outcrop called "Junda," which the rover passed during a drive of 328 feet (100 meters) on Feb. 19. It paused during the drive to take the component images of the scene, then finished the day's drive. A location still ahead, called "Kimberley," where researchers plan to suspend driving for a period of science investigations, also features ground with striations.

NASA's Mars Science Laboratory Project is using Curiosity to assess ancient habitable environments and major changes in Martian environmental conditions. JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, built the rover and manages the project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington.

For more information about Curiosity, visit http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/. You can follow the mission on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/marscuriosity and on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/marscuriosity.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1607

edit to add: the link has a nice zoom feature for this image
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 02/27/2014 11:25 pm
02.27.2014
Curiosity's View Back After Passing 'Junda' Striations 

NASA's Curiosity Mars rover used the Navigation Camera (Navcam) on its mast for this look back after finishing a drive of 328 feet (100 meters) on the 548th Martian day, or sol, of the rover's work on Mars (Feb. 19, 2014). The rows of rocks just to the right of the fresh wheel tracks in this view are an outcrop called "Junda." The rows form striations on the ground, a characteristic seen in some images of this area taken from orbit. A panorama made from Navcam images taken during a pause to observe Junda partway through the Sol 548 drive is available as PIA17947 (http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA17947).

For scale, the distance between Curiosity's parallel wheel tracks is about 9 feet (2.7 meters). This view is looking toward the east-northeast.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/images/?ImageID=6031
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 03/01/2014 02:18 am
"Striation" is a bad name for this feature, as they are clearly bedding outcrops.  Geologically striations are very different things.  Very poor journalism.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Websorber on 03/08/2014 06:25 am
Mars Rover Oppportunity Crushing Rocks With Wheels

http://www.marsdaily.com/reports/Mars_Rover_Oppportunity_Crushing_Rocks_With_Wheels_999.html (http://www.marsdaily.com/reports/Mars_Rover_Oppportunity_Crushing_Rocks_With_Wheels_999.html)

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Kaputnik on 03/09/2014 10:12 am
Mars Rover Oppportunity Crushing Rocks With Wheels

http://www.marsdaily.com/reports/Mars_Rover_Oppportunity_Crushing_Rocks_With_Wheels_999.html (http://www.marsdaily.com/reports/Mars_Rover_Oppportunity_Crushing_Rocks_With_Wheels_999.html)


Uh, wrong rover :)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: aero on 03/09/2014 05:31 pm
No, right rover, wrong thread.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bubbinski on 03/28/2014 10:49 am
Curiosity is now at Kimberley, next to the outcrop.  The raw images are pretty spectacular, love the forward hazcam views.  Contact science is about to start as per this:

http://astrogeology.usgs.gov/news/astrogeology/sol-583-update-on-curiosity-from-usgs-scientist-ken-herkenhoff-in-a-good-position
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Robert Thompson on 03/30/2014 10:36 am
-A- magnificent desolation.
http://www.universetoday.com/110814/an-afternoon-on-mars/
"An Afternoon on Mars. Mosaic panorama of MSL Mastcam images acquired on mission Sol 582 (March 27, 2014). Post-processing included bad pixel cleanup, HDR toning and some image cloning along lower right edge. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS. Composite by Jason Major."
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: JohnFornaro on 03/31/2014 12:45 pm
Heh, I always thought this about a (truly hypothetical) lunar civilization (just as a thought exercise) - they'd be seeing a motionless Earth hanging in the sky, yet rotating in place, and with varying illumination.  How cool is that?  To figure out that it is indeed rotating, but you're rotating with it!   It's like the universe is conspiring to make it difficult to figure out what's really going on...

Interesting sidetrack.

In addition, those moonies would see the Sun with the naked eye, and would have to realize that it illuminates both celestial bodies.

Backing up to the naked eye visibility of Luna from the surface of Mars.  If they could do that, they'd also be able to see some of Jupiter's moons with the naked eye.

[Edit 04-02-14:  Also, I've always understood the 55mm film camera lens to be roughly equivalent to the human eye.  This would imply that's all the camera capability one would require to see the Earth/Moon system from the surface of Mars.]
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: eeergo on 04/02/2014 02:01 am
Just read the following tweet from Emily Lakdawalla:

Quote
RT @marssciencegrad: Can't quite articulate why yet, but this is one of my very favorite images from MSL yet. http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/proj/msl/redops/ods/surface/sol/00585/opgs/edr/ncam/NRB_449442371EDR_F0300786NCAM00320M_.JPG

And I must agree, there are probably other similar pictures out there, but I found this photo unique too, with its mixture of the broken sturdy-looking rock with the mechanical arm lightly touching it, sophisticated and alien yet eeriely antropomorphic in that setup, coupled with the organic and slightly mysterious appearence of the sand and strata below and the clearer jumble outcrop above.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: yg1968 on 05/03/2014 12:06 am
Incredibly cool 360 degrees panorama:
http://www.wired.com/2014/05/curiosity-panorama-dirty/?cid=social_20140501_23040794
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: JosephB on 05/03/2014 02:00 pm
Incredibly cool panorama:
http://www.wired.com/2014/05/curiosity-panorama-dirty/?cid=social_20140501_23040794

Wow! That is an understatement.
Great viewing in full screen on the host site.
Wouldn't it be nice to have her perched somewhere atop Valles Marineris?
Thanks for sharing YG.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: bolun on 05/07/2014 10:55 am
Nasa's Curiosity Mars rover drills for rock sample

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-27298907
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 05/10/2014 09:47 pm
Sorry for not providing my normal coverage of the robot I love. I'm involved in renos that are taking their toll...

05.06.2014
Source: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
NASA's Curiosity Rover Drills Sandstone Slab on Mars

Portions of rock powder collected by the hammering drill on NASA's Curiosity Mars from a slab of Martian  sandstone will be delivered to the rover's internal instruments.
Rover team members at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., received confirmation early today (Tuesday) of Curiosity's third successful acquisition of a drilled rock sample, following the drilling Monday evening (PDT). The fresh hole in the rock target "Windjana," visible in images from the rover, is 0.63 inch (1.6 centimeters) in diameter and about 2.6 inches (6.5 centimeters) deep.

The full-depth hole for sample collection is close to a shallower test hole drilled last week in the same rock, which gave researchers a preview of the interior material as tailings around the hole.

"The drill tailings from this rock are darker-toned and less red than we saw at the two previous drill sites," said Jim Bell of Arizona State University, Tempe, deputy principal investigator for Curiosity's Mast Camera (Mastcam). "This suggests that the detailed chemical and mineral analysis that will be coming from Curiosity's other instruments could reveal different materials than we've seen before. We can't wait to find out!"

The mission's two previous rock-drilling sites, at mudstone targets in the Yellowknife Bay area, yielded evidence last year of an ancient lakebed environment with key chemical elements and a chemical energy source that long ago provided conditions favorable for microbial life. The rover's current location is at a waypoint called "The Kimberley," about 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) southwest of Yellowknife Bay, and along the route toward the mission's long-term destination on lower slopes of Mount Sharp.

Sample material from Windjana will be sieved, then delivered in coming days to onboard laboratories for determining the mineral and chemical composition: the Chemistry and Mineralogy instrument (CheMin) and the Sample Analysis at Mars instrument (SAM). The analysis of the sample may continue as the rover drives on from The Kimberley toward Mount Sharp. One motive for the team's selection of Windjana for drilling is to analyze the cementing material that holds together sand-size grains in this sandstone.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1633
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 05/16/2014 02:19 am
05.15.2014
NASA Mars Rover Curiosity Wrapping Up Waypoint Work

Portions of powdered rock collected by drilling into a sandstone target last week have been delivered to laboratory instruments inside NASA's Curiosity Mars rover, and the rover will soon drive on toward its long-term destination on a mountain slope.
Other instruments on the rover have inspected the rock's interior exposed in the hole and in drill cuttings heaped around the hole. The target rock, "Windjana," is a sandstone slab within a science waypoint area called "The Kimberley."

The camera and spectrometer at the end of Curiosity's robotic arm examined the texture and composition of the cuttings. The instrument that fires a laser from atop the rover's mast zapped a series of points inside the hole with sharpshooter accuracy.

The rover team has decided not to drill any other rock target at this waypoint. In coming days, Curiosity will resume driving toward Mount Sharp, the layered mountain at the middle of Mars' Gale Crater. The rover is carrying with it some of the powdered sample material from Windjana that can be delivered for additional internal laboratory analysis during pauses in the drive.

The mission's two previous rock-drilling sites, at mudstone targets, yielded evidence last year of an ancient lakebed environment with key chemical elements and a chemical energy source that long ago provided conditions favorable for microbial life.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1634
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: JosephB on 06/11/2014 06:39 pm
A pretty neat first...

http://www.nasa.gov/jpl/msl/mercury-passes-in-front-sun-seen-from-mars/index.html
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jacqmans on 06/23/2014 06:29 pm

June 23, 2014

NASA’s Mars Curiosity Rover Marks First Martian Year with Mission Successes


NASA’s Mars Curiosity rover will complete a Martian year -- 687 Earth days -- on June 24, having accomplished the mission's main goal of determining whether Mars once offered environmental conditions favorable for microbial life.

One of Curiosity's first major findings after landing on the Red Planet in August 2012 was an ancient riverbed at its landing site. Nearby, at an area known as Yellowknife Bay, the mission met its main goal of determining whether the Martian Gale Crater ever was habitable for simple life forms. The answer, a historic "yes," came from two mudstone slabs that the rover sampled with its drill. Analysis of these samples revealed the site was once a lakebed with mild water, the essential elemental ingredients for life, and a type of chemical energy source used by some microbes on Earth. If Mars had living organisms, this would have been a good home for them.

Other important findings during the first Martian year include:

-- Assessing natural radiation levels both during the flight to Mars and on the Martian surface provides guidance for designing the protection needed for human missions to Mars.

-- Measurements of heavy-versus-light variants of elements in the Martian atmosphere indicate that much of Mars' early atmosphere disappeared by processes favoring loss of lighter atoms, such as from the top of the atmosphere. Other measurements found that the atmosphere holds very little, if any, methane, a gas that can be produced biologically.

-- The first determinations of the age of a rock on Mars and how long a rock has been exposed to harmful radiation provide prospects for learning when water flowed and for assessing degradation rates of organic compounds in rocks and soils.

Curiosity paused in driving this spring to drill and collect a sample from a sandstone site called Windjana. The rover currently is carrying some of the rock-powder sample collected at the site for follow-up analysis.

"Windjana has more magnetite than previous samples we've analyzed," said David Blake, principal investigator for Curiosity's Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) instrument at NASA’s Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California.  "A key question is whether this magnetite is a component of the original basalt or resulted from later processes, such as would happen in water-soaked basaltic sediments. The answer is important to our understanding of habitability and the nature of the early-Mars environment."

Preliminary indications are that the rock contains a more diverse mix of clay minerals than was found in the mission's only previously drilled rocks, the mudstone targets at Yellowknife Bay. Windjana also contains an unexpectedly high amount of the mineral orthoclase, This is a potassium-rich feldspar that is one of the most abundant minerals in Earth's crust that had never before been definitively detected on Mars.

This finding implies that some rocks on the Gale Crater rim, from which the Windjana sandstones are thought to have been derived, may have experienced complex geological processing, such as multiple episodes of melting.

"It's too early for conclusions, but we expect the results to help us connect what we learned at Yellowknife Bay to what we'll learn at Mount Sharp," said John Grotzinger, Curiosity Project Scientist at the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena. "Windjana is still within an area where a river flowed. We see signs of a complex history of interaction between water and rock."

Curiosity departed Windjana in mid-May and is advancing westward. It has covered about nine-tenths of a mile (1.5 kilometers) in 23 driving days and brought the mission's odometer tally up to 4.9 miles (7.9 kilometers).

Since wheel damage prompted a slow-down in driving late in 2013, the mission team has adjusted routes and driving methods to reduce the rate of damage.

For example, the mission team revised the planned route to future destinations on the lower slope of an area called Mount Sharp, where scientists expect geological layering will yield answers about ancient environments. Before Curiosity landed, scientists anticipated that the rover would need to reach Mount Sharp to meet the goal of determining whether the ancient environment was favorable for life. They found an answer much closer to the landing site. The findings so far have raised the bar for the work ahead. At Mount Sharp, the mission team will seek evidence not only of habitability, but also of how environments evolved and what conditions favored preservation of clues to whether life existed there.

The entry gate to the mountain is a gap in a band of dunes edging the mountain's northern flank that is approximately 2.4 miles (3.9 kilometers) ahead of the rover's current location. The new path will take Curiosity across sandy patches as well as rockier ground. Terrain mapping with use of imaging from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter enables the charting of safer, though longer, routes.

The team expects its will need to continually adapt to the threats posed by the terrain to the rover's wheels but does not expect this will be a determining factor in the length of Curiosity's operational life.

"We are getting in some long drives using what we have learned," said Jim Erickson, Curiosity Project Manager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California. "When you're exploring another planet, you expect surprises.  The sharp, embedded rocks were a bad surprise. Yellowknife Bay was a good surprise."

JPL manages NASA's Mars Science Laboratory Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate at the agency’s headquarters in Washington, and built the project's Curiosity rover.

For more information about Curiosity, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/msl

and

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/

You can follow the mission on Facebook at:

http://www.facebook.com/marscuriosity

and on Twitter at:

http://www.twitter.com/marscuriosity.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 06/23/2014 08:00 pm
How Does Curiosity Take A 'Selfie'? - Martian Year Report Video

On June 24, 2014, NASA's Curiosity rover completes her first Martian year (687 Earth days). Hear team members describe how the mission accomplished its main goal to find a past habitable environment on the Red Planet and the ongoing science studies.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSf1HenQhWs
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 07/15/2014 12:48 am
07.08.2014
Source: Jet Propulsion Laboratory

NASA Mars Orbiter Views Rover Crossing Into New Zone

This June 27, 2014, image from the HiRISE camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows NASA's Curiosity Mars rover on the rover's landing-ellipse boundary, which is superimposed on the image.
NASA Mars rover Curiosity has driven out of the ellipse, approximately 4 miles wide and 12 miles long (7 kilometers by 20 kilometers), that was mapped as safe terrain for its 2012 landing inside Gale Crater.

The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter photographed the rover on June 27 at the end of a drive that put Curiosity right on the ellipse boundary. An image from that observation is online at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/spaceimages/details.php?id=PIA18399

The landing ellipse is the area within which the rover had a very high probability of touching down when it arrived at Mars on Aug. 5, 2012, PDT (Aug. 6, UTC). The area needed to meet requrements for providing access to scientifically interesting sites while presenting few landing hazards, such as steep slopes or large boulders. Many areas of scientific interest have slopes ineligible for landing safety, and Curiosity was designed to have the capability of driving far enough to get to slopes ouside of the landing ellipse. Since landing, Curiosity has driven slightly more than 5 miles (8 kilometers).

NASA's Mars Science Laboratory Project is using Curiosity to assess ancient habitable environments and major changes in Martian environmental conditions. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and Mars Science Laboratory projects for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. HiRISE is operated by the University of Arizona, Tucson. The instrument was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colorado.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 07/16/2014 06:41 pm
Flash from Curiosity Rover's Laser Hitting a Martian Rock

Published on Jul 16, 2014
The sparks that appear on the baseball-sized rock (starting at :17) result from the laser of the ChemCam instrument on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover hitting the rock.

ChemCam's laser zapping of this particular rock was the first time the team used Curiosity's arm-mounted Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) camera to try and capture images of the spark generated by the laser hitting a rock on Mars. Their efforts were a success.

The video is compiled from single images from the MAHLI camera, taken during the 687th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity's work on Mars (July 12, 2014).

Since Curiosity landed in Mars' Gale Crater in August 2012, researchers have used ChemCam's laser and spectrometers to examine more than 600 rock or soil targets. The laser itself has been fired more than 150,000 times. The process, called laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, hits a target with pulses from the laser to generate sparks, whose spectra provide information about which chemical elements are in the target. Multiple laser shots are fired in sequence, each blasting away a thin layer of material so that the following shot examines a slightly deeper layer. In this case, "Nova" displayed an increasing concentration of aluminum as a series of laser shots from the rover penetrated through dust on the rock's surface.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0cauXpMniw
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 07/25/2014 10:50 pm
If you are wondering about the lack of raw images recently:
http://astrogeology.usgs.gov/news/astrogeology/sol-697-698-update-on-curiosity-from-usgs-scientist-ryan-anderson-holding-off
Quote
...engineers are investigating an issue with the rover's backup computer. The primary computer used in day-to-day operations is healthy, but we are holding off on science operations until we are sure the backup is healthy, just to be safe.
In this context the "primary" computer is the B side and the "backup" is the A side, since they switched after the original anomaly on the A side computer and never switched back.

The have been a few images from sol 699, so that may indicate they are getting ready for more normal ops again.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bubbinski on 08/02/2014 04:01 pm
Looks like Curiosity has gotten through its computer issues and started going into "Hidden Valley".  Check out the raw images from sol 705/706 and some of the panoramas from the Unmanned Spaceflight site.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/02/2014 04:25 pm
08.01.2014
Source: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
NASA Mars Rover Curiosity Nears Mountain-Base Outcrop

As it approaches the second anniversary of its landing on Mars, NASA's Curiosity rover is also approaching its first close look at bedrock that is part of Mount Sharp, the layered mountain in the middle of Mars' Gale Crater.
The mission made important discoveries during its first year by finding evidence of ancient lake and river environments. During its second year, it has been driving toward long-term science destinations on lower slopes of Mount Sharp. Those destinations are in an area beginning about 2 miles (3 kilometers) southwest of the rover's current location, but an appetizer outcrop of a base layer of the mountain lies much closer -- less than one-third of a mile (500 meters) from Curiosity. The rover team is calling the outcrop "Pahrump Hills."

"We're coming to our first taste of a geological unit that's part of the base of the mountain rather than the floor of the crater," said Curiosity Project Scientist John Grotzinger of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena. "We will cross a major terrain boundary."

For about half of July, the rover team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, drove Curiosity across an area of hazardously sharp rocks called "Zabriskie Plateau." Damage to Curiosity's aluminum wheels from driving across similar terrain last year prompted a change in route planning to skirt such rock-studded terrain wherever feasible. The one-eighth mile (200 meters) across Zabriski Plateau was one of the longest stretches without a suitable detour on the redesigned route toward the long-term science destination.

"The wheels took some damage getting across Zabriskie Plateau, but it's less than I expected from the amount of hard, sharp rocks embedded there," said JPL's Jim Erickson, project manager for Curiosity. "The rover drivers showed that they're up to the task of getting around the really bad rocks. There will still be rough patches ahead. We didn't imagine prior to landing that we would see this kind of challenge to the vehicle, but we're handling it."

Another recent challenge appeared last week in the form of unexpected behavior by an onboard computer currently serving as backup. Curiosity carries duplicate main computers. It has been operating on its B-side computer since a problem with the A-side computer prompted the team to command a side swap in February 2013. Work in subsequent weeks of 2013 restored availability of the A-side as a backup in case of B-side trouble. Last week, fresh commanding of the rover was suspended for two days while engineers confirmed that the A-side computer remains reliable as a backup.

Curiosity landed inside Gale Crater on Aug. 5, 2012, PDT (Aug. 6, 2012, EDT). During its first year of operations, it fulfilled its major science goal of determining whether Mars ever offered environmental conditions favorable for microbial life. Clay-bearing sedimentary rocks on the crater floor in an area called Yellowknife Bay yielded evidence of a lakebed environment billions of years ago that offered fresh water, all of the key elemental ingredients for life, and a chemical source of energy for microbes, if any existed there.

NASA's Mars Science Laboratory Project continues to use Curiosity to assess ancient habitable environments and major changes in Martian environmental conditions. The destinations on Mount Sharp offer a series of layers that recorded different chapters in the environmental evolution of early Mars.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1681
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/05/2014 09:58 pm
08.05.2014
NASA Mars Curiosity Rover: Two Years and Counting on Red Planet

NASA's most advanced roving laboratory on Mars celebrates its second anniversary since landing inside the Red Planet's Gale Crater on Aug. 5, 2012, PDT (Aug. 6, 2012, EDT).
During its first year of operations, the Curiosity rover fulfilled its major science goal of determining whether Mars ever offered environmental conditions favorable for microbial life. Clay-bearing sedimentary rocks on the crater floor in an area called Yellowknife Bay yielded evidence of a lakebed environment billions of years ago that offered fresh water, all of the key elemental ingredients for life, and a chemical source of energy for microbes, if any existed there.

"Before landing, we expected that we would need to drive much farther before answering that habitability question," said Curiosity Project Scientist John Grotzinger of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena. "We were able to take advantage of landing very close to an ancient streambed and lake. Now we want to learn more about how environmental conditions on Mars evolved, and we know where to go to do that."

During its second year, Curiosity has been driving toward long-term science destinations on lower slopes of Mount Sharp. Those destinations are in an area beginning about 2 miles (3 kilometers) southwest of the rover's current location, but an appetizer outcrop of a base layer of the mountain lies much closer -- less than one-third of a mile (500 meters) from Curiosity. The rover team is calling the outcrop "Pahrump Hills."

For about half of July, the rover team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, drove Curiosity across an area of hazardous sharp rocks on Mars called "Zabriskie Plateau." Damage to Curiosity's aluminum wheels from driving across similar terrain last year prompted a change in route, with the plan of skirting such rock-studded terrain wherever feasible. The one-eighth mile (200 meters) across Zabriskie Plateau was one of the longest stretches without a suitable detour on the redesigned route toward the long-term science destination.

Another recent challenge appeared last week in the form of unexpected behavior by an onboard computer currently serving as backup. Curiosity carries duplicate main computers. It has been operating on its B-side computer since a problem with the A-side computer prompted the team to command a side swap in February 2013. Work in subsequent weeks of 2013 restored availability of the A-side as a backup in case of B-side trouble. In July, fresh commanding of the rover was suspended for two days while engineers confirmed that the A-side computer remains reliable as a backup.

To help prepare for future human missions to Mars, Curiosity incudes a radiation detector to measure the environment astronauts will encounter on a round-trip between Earth and the Martian surface. The data are consistent with earlier predictions and will help NASA scientists and engineers develop new technologies to protect astronauts in deep space.

In 2016, a Mars lander mission called InSight will launch to take the first look into the deep interior of Mars. The agency also is participating in the European Space Agency's (ESA's) 2016 and 2018 ExoMars missions, including providing "Electra" telecommunication radios to ESA's 2016 orbiter and a critical element of the astrobiology instrument on the 2018 ExoMars rover.

Additionally, NASA recently announced that its next rover going to Mars in 2020 will carry seven carefully selected instruments to conduct unprecedented investigations in science and technology, as well as capabilities needed for humans to pioneer the Red Planet.

Based on the design of the highly successful Mars Science Laboratory rover, Curiosity, the new rover will carry more sophisticated, upgraded hardware and new instruments to conduct geological assessments of the rover's landing site, determine the potential habitability of the environment, and directly search for signs of ancient Martian life.

Scientists will use the Mars 2020 rover to identify and select a collection of rock and soil samples that will be stored for potential return to Earth by a future mission. The Mars 2020 mission is responsive to the science objectives recommended by the National Research Council's 2011 Planetary Science Decadal Survey.

The Mars 2020 rover will help further advance our knowledge of how future human explorers could use natural resources available on the surface of the Red Planet. An ability to live off the Martian land would transform future exploration of the planet. Designers of future human expeditions can use this mission to understand the hazards posed by Martian dust and demonstrate technology to process carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to produce oxygen. These experiments will help engineers learn how to use Martian resources to produce oxygen for human respiration and potentially as an oxidizer for rocket fuel.

The Mars 2020 rover is part of the agency's Mars Exploration Program, which includes the Opportunity and Curiosity rovers, the Odyssey and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft currently orbiting the planet, and the MAVEN orbiter, which is set to arrive at the Red Planet in September and will study the Martian upper atmosphere.

NASA's Mars Exploration Program seeks to characterize and understand Mars as a dynamic system, including its present and past environment, climate cycles, geology and biological potential. In parallel, NASA is developing the human spaceflight capabilities needed for future round-trip missions to Mars.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1687

This image from the Navigation Camera on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover shows wheel tracks printed by the rover as it drove on the sandy floor of a lowland called "Hidden Valley" on the route toward Mount Sharp. The image was taken on Aug. 4, 2014. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 08/06/2014 02:40 am
Curiosity Rover Report (Aug. 5, 2014): A Softer Trek to Mount Sharp

Published on Aug 5, 2014
On the second anniversary of landing, NASA's Curiosity rover on Mars is preparing to navigate through a series of sandy valleys on its way to Mount Sharp. The base of Mount Sharp sits 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) from the rover's current position.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7wX-feyWac
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Jeff Lerner on 08/06/2014 09:29 pm
No, it's not water....but imagine if it was...!


http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00707/mcam/0707ML0030050000304601E01_DXXX.jpg
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/16/2014 01:38 am
08.15.2014
Source: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Curiosity Mars Rover Prepares for Fourth Rock Drilling

The team operating NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has chosen a rock that looks like a pale paving stone as the mission's fourth drilling target, if it passes engineers' evaluation.
They call it "Bonanza King."

It is not at the "Pahrump Hills" site the team anticipated the rover might reach by mid-August. Unexpected challenges while driving in sand prompted the mission to reverse course last week after entering a valley where ripples of sand fill the floor and extend onto sloping margins. However, the new target outcrop's brightness and its position within the area's geological layers resemble the Pahrump Hills outcrop.

"Geologically speaking, we can tie the Bonanza King rocks to those at Pahrump Hills. Studying them here will give us a head start in understanding how they fit into the bigger picture of Gale Crater and Mount Sharp," said Curiosity Deputy Project Scientist Ashwin Vasavada of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

Mount Sharp is the mission's long-term science destination, offering a stack of layers holding evidence about environmental changes on ancient Mars. The mountain rises from inside Gale Crater, where Curiosity landed in August 2012. All three rocks the rover has drilled so far have been geologically associated with the crater floor, rather than the mountain. Sample material pulled from the first two and delivered to Curiosity's onboard analytical laboratories in 2013 provided evidence for ancient environmental conditions favorable for microbial life. A drilled sample from Bonanza King may add understanding about how environments varied and evolved.

"This rock has an appearance quite different from the sandstones we've been driving through for several months," Vasavada said. "The landscape is changing, and that's worth checking out."
It lies in one of several patches of similar-looking slabs, up to about the size of dinner plates, on the ramp at the northeastern end of sandy-floored "Hidden Valley." Curiosity passed over them early last week when it entered the valley, headed toward Pahrump Hills and, beyond that, toward the planned entry point to Mount Sharp's slopes.

The rover's wheels slipped more in Hidden Valley's sand than the team had expected based on experience with one of the mission's test rovers driven on sand dunes in California. The valley is about the length of a football field and does not offer any navigable exits other than at the northeastern and southwestern ends.

"We need to gain a better understanding of the interaction between the wheels and Martian sand ripples, and Hidden Valley is not a good location for experimenting," said Curiosity Project Manager Jim Erickson of JPL.

Terrain with sharp rocks that Curiosity has previously navigated tore holes in the rover's wheels. Sandy terrain could still be part of the rover's route to Mount Sharp. Compared to sharp-rock terrain, sandy ground could reduce the pace of wheel damage. In some sandy areas, ripples don't cover the ground deeply wall-to-wall, as they do in Hidden Valley.

Curiosity reversed course and drove out of Hidden Valley northeastward. On the way toward gaining a good viewpoint to assess a possible alternative route north of the valley, it passed over the pale paving stones on the ramp again. Where a rover wheel cracked one of the rocks, it exposed bright interior material, possibly from mineral veins.


This summer, Curiosity's team has developed a plan for compressing the multi-day schedule of rover activities involved in collecting a drilled rock sample and delivering the sample for onboard analysis. This "condensed drilling" plan requires adjustment of staffing levels for several days, due to the complexity of the rover activities involved. The needed staffing had been slated for mid-August in anticipation of getting to Pahrump Hills.
"We considered postponing the first condensed drilling, and we considered other possible drilling targets, but this outcrop on the ramp is too appealing to pass up," Vasavada said.

One step in assessing whether Bonanza King can be drilled will be to check whether the individual plates of the outcrop are loose. During the drilling campaign, the team will also be analyzing possible routes to Mount Sharp and planning how to better understand how the rover's wheels interact with Martian sand ripples.


http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1695
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 08/20/2014 03:42 am
For anyone interested in the wheel issues, Emily Lakdawalla has an excellent, detailed post up on the planetary society blog: http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2014/08190630-curiosity-wheel-damage.html
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 08/20/2014 10:10 am
For anyone interested in the wheel issues, Emily Lakdawalla has an excellent, detailed post up on the planetary society blog: http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2014/08190630-curiosity-wheel-damage.html

Fair bit of post hoc justification in that!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: JohnFornaro on 08/20/2014 12:36 pm
For anyone interested in the wheel issues, Emily Lakdawalla has an excellent, detailed post up on the planetary society blog: http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2014/08190630-curiosity-wheel-damage.html

Fair bit of post hoc justification in that!

Quote from: from the article
"Strongly cemented ventifacts are not something that we saw on Mars before. ... There are [places] on Earth that do have these sharp ventifacts, but we hadn't seen them on Mars and we didn't test against them," Erickson said.

If it was thought that martian geologic activity was similar to Earth's, with running water, then it would not be beyond the pale to hypothesize various cement deposits, and test accordingly.

Oh well.

Quote from: Ms. Lackdawalla
I personally believe that there's another way that Mars 2020 can prevent this kind of problem, besides redesigning the wheels. That is: select a landing site where they can reach interesting rock targets inside the landing ellipse, rather than having to rove out of the ellipse in order to find good targets.

This would eliminate risk, while raising the question of how would one identify these "interesting targets" from orbit.

The casual observer would take as axiomatic, that the point of roving is to find interesting targets on the ground.  Because they can't be seen or detected from orbit.  Like sharp cemented ventifacts, for example.

This suggested roving strategy will not work.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/23/2014 12:19 am
08.22.2014
Source: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Mars Rover Team Chooses Not to Drill 'Bonanza King'

Candidate Drilling Target on Mars Doesn't Pass Exam

Evaluation of a pale, flat Martian rock as the potential next drilling target for NASA's Curiosity Mars rover determined that the rock was not stable enough for safe drilling.

The rock, called "Bonanza King," moved slightly during the mini-drill activity on Wednesday, at an early stage of this test, when the percussion drill impacted the rock a few times to make an indentation.

Instead of drilling that or any similar rock nearby, the team has decided that Curiosity will resume driving toward its long-term destination on the slopes of a layered mountain. It will take a route skirting the north side of a sandy-floored valley where it turned around two weeks ago.

"We have decided that the rocks under consideration for drilling, based on the tests we did, are not good candidates for drilling," said Curiosity Project Manager Jim Erickson of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California. "Instead of drilling here, we will resume driving toward Mount Sharp."

After the rover team chooses a candidate drilling target, the target is subjected to several tests to check whether it meets criteria for collecting a drilled sample without undue risk to rover hardware. The mission's previous three drilling targets, all at more extensive outcrops, met those criteria.

Bonanza King is on the northeastern end of "Hidden Valley." Earlier this month, Curiosity began driving through the valley, but the rover slipped in the sand more than anticipated.

"After further analysis of the sand, Hidden Valley does not appear to be navigable with the desired degree of confidence," Erickson said. "We will use a route avoiding the worst of the sharp rocks as we drive slightly to the north of Hidden Valley."

The rover has driven about 5.5 miles (8.8 kilometers) since landing inside Gale Crater in August 2012, and has about 2 miles (3 kilometers) remaining to reach an entry point to the slopes of Mount Sharp, in the middle of the crater.

The mission made important discoveries near its landing site during its first year by finding evidence of ancient lake and river environments. The rover's findings indicated that those environments would have provided favorable conditions for microbes to live. NASA's Mars Science Laboratory Project continues to use Curiosity to assess ancient habitable environments and major changes in Martian environmental conditions. The destinations on Mount Sharp offer a series of layers that recorded different chapters in the environmental evolution of early Mars.

JPL, a division of Caltech, built the rover and manages the project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1697

below:
This image from the front Hazcam on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover shows the rover's drill in place during a test of whether the rock beneath it, "Bonanza King," would be an acceptable target for drilling to collect a sample. Subsequent analysis showed the rock budged during the Aug. 19, 2014, test.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 08/23/2014 06:19 am
I am surprised they even tried.  I would thought it was obvious it wasn't going to work.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 09/10/2014 01:02 am
09.09.2014
NASA Holds Telecon About Curiosity Mars Rover Science Campaign

NASA will host a telecon at 10 a.m. PDT (1 p.m. EDT) Thursday, Sept. 11, to discuss mission status and the future science campaign for the Mars rover Curiosity mission.
Participants in the teleconference will be:
-- Jim Green, director, Planetary Science Division, NASA Headquarters, Washington
-- John Grotzinger, Curiosity project scientist, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena
-- Kathryn Stack, Curiosity Rover mission scientist, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena. California

Audio of the teleconference will be streamed live at:

http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio

Visuals for this telecon will be posted at the start of the event at:

http://go.nasa.gov/curiositytelecon

The telecon, with visuals, will also be streamed live at:

http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl

For information about NASA's Curiosity mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/msl

DC Agle
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
818-393-9011
[email protected]

Dwayne Brown
NASA Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1726
[email protected]

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1704
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bubbinski on 09/10/2014 02:30 am
I find it interesting that they'll be discussing the future science campaign.  Are they going to discuss Comet Siding Spring observations in depth?  Or is this going to be about how they'll get to Mt. Sharp?  I'll tune in on Thursday!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 09/10/2014 09:07 am
I wish they would discuss present science. Oh wait, there hasn't been much of that has there?  Precisely four samples have been taken onboard, of which only three have been published.  The last sample was collected in May, four moths later and the results still aren't out.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bubbinski on 09/11/2014 05:42 pm
They've reached the base of Mt. Sharp:

http://marsmobile.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1705

They'll drill in the Pahrump Hills in 1-2 weeks
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 09/11/2014 06:50 pm
Curiosity Rover Report: We made it! Curiosity reaches Mount Sharp (Sept. 11, 2014)

Published on Sep 11, 2014
More science ahead! After 2 years and nearly 9 kilometers of driving, NASA’s Mars Curiosity has arrived at the base of Mount Sharp to begin a whole new phase of exploration.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7szg3JrNT-4
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 09/11/2014 06:52 pm
September 11, 2014
RELEASE 14-245

NASA’s Mars Curiosity Rover Arrives at Martian Mountain

NASA's Mars Curiosity rover has reached the Red Planet's Mount Sharp, a Mount-Rainier-size mountain at the center of the vast Gale Crater and the rover mission's long-term prime destination.

"Curiosity now will begin a new chapter from an already outstanding introduction to the world," said Jim Green, director of NASA's Planetary Science Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "After a historic and innovative landing along with its successful science discoveries, the scientific sequel is upon us."

Curiosity’s trek up the mountain will begin with an examination of the mountain's lower slopes. The rover is starting this process at an entry point near an outcrop called Pahrump Hills, rather than continuing on to the previously-planned, further entry point known as Murray Buttes. Both entry points lay along a boundary where the southern base layer of the mountain meets crater-floor deposits washed down from the crater’s northern rim.
Old and new routes of NASA's Mars Curiosity rover

"It has been a long but historic journey to this Martian mountain,” said Curiosity Project Scientist John Grotzinger of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. “The nature of the terrain at Pahrump Hills and just beyond it is a better place than Murray Buttes to learn about the significance of this contact. The exposures at the contact are better due to greater topographic relief."

The decision to head uphill sooner, instead of continuing to Murray Buttes, also draws from improved understanding of the region’s geography provided by the rover’s examinations of several outcrops during the past year. Curiosity currently is positioned at the base of the mountain along a pale, distinctive geological feature called the Murray Formation. Compared to neighboring crater-floor terrain, the rock of the Murray Formation is softer and does not preserve impact scars, as well. As viewed from orbit, it is not as well-layered as other units at the base of Mount Sharp.

Curiosity made its first close-up study last month of two Murray Formation outcrops, both revealing notable differences from the terrain explored by Curiosity during the past year. The first outcrop, called Bonanza King, proved too unstable for drilling, but was examined by the rover’s instruments and determined to have high silicon content. A second outcrop, examined with the rover's telephoto Mast Camera, revealed a fine-grained, platy surface laced with sulfate-filled veins.

While some of these terrain differences are not apparent in observations made by NASA's Mars orbiters, the rover team still relies heavily on images taken by the agency’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) to plan Curiosity’s travel routes and locations for study.

For example, MRO images helped the rover team locate mesas that are over 60 feet (18 meters) tall in an area of terrain shortly beyond Pahrump Hills, which reveal an exposure of the Murray Formation uphill and toward the south. The team plans to use Curiosity's drill to acquire a sample from this site for analysis by instruments inside the rover. The site lies at the southern end of a valley Curiosity will enter this week from the north.

Though this valley has a sandy floor the length of two football fields, the team expects it will be an easier trek than the sandy-floored Hidden Valley, where last month Curiosity's wheels slipped too much for safe crossing.
Curiosity reached its current location after its route was modified earlier this year in response to excessive wheel wear. In late 2013, the team realized a region of Martian terrain littered with sharp, embedded rocks was poking holes in four of the rover’s six wheels. This damage accelerated the rate of wear and tear beyond that for which the rover team had planned. In response, the team altered the rover’s route to a milder terrain, bringing the rover farther south, toward the base of Mount Sharp.

"The wheels issue contributed to taking the rover farther south sooner than planned, but it is not a factor in the science-driven decision to start ascending here rather than continuing to Murray Buttes first," said Jennifer Trosper, Curiosity Deputy Project Manager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California. "We have been driving hard for many months to reach the entry point to Mount Sharp," Trosper said. "Now that we've made it, we'll be adjusting the operations style from a priority on driving to a priority on conducting the investigations needed at each layer of the mountain."

After landing inside Gale Crater in August 2012, Curiosity fulfilled in its first year of operations its major science goal of determining whether Mars ever offered environmental conditions favorable for microbial life. Clay-bearing sedimentary rocks on the crater floor, in an area called Yellowknife Bay, yielded evidence of a lakebed environment billions of years ago that offered fresh water, all of the key elemental ingredients for life, and a chemical source of energy for microbes.

NASA's Mars Science Laboratory Project continues to use Curiosity to assess ancient habitable environments and major changes in Martian environmental conditions. The destinations on Mount Sharp offer a series of geological layers that recorded different chapters in the environmental evolution of Mars.

The Mars Exploration Rover Project is one element of NASA's ongoing preparation for a human mission to the Red Planet in the 2030s. JPL built Curiosity and manages the project and MRO for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington.

For more information about Curiosity, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/msl
and
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/
Information about MRO activities is available online at:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/MRO
Follow the Curiosity rover mission on social media at:
http://www.facebook.com/marscuriosity
and
http://www.twitter.com/marscuriosity
-end-


This image shows the old and new routes of NASA's Mars Curiosity rover and is composed of color strips taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment, or HiRISE, on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. This new route provides excellent access to many features in the Murray Formation. And it will eventually pass by the Murray Formation's namesake, Murray Buttes, previously considered to be the entry point to Mt. Sharp.
mage Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 09/11/2014 06:53 pm
Rolling Hills of Mars As Seen in 'Earthlight' | Video

Published on Sep 11, 2014
The Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity is heading to the "Pahrump Hills" outcrop (seen above the scale bar). The rover's Mast Camera (Mastcam) imaged the 'Amargosa Valley' as it would appear to humans if placed on Earth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQwZtcwwA1c
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 09/11/2014 09:43 pm
They've reached the base of Mt. Sharp:

http://marsmobile.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1705

They'll drill in the Pahrump Hills in 1-2 weeks

The claim that they have reached the base of Mt Sharp is disingenuous nonsense.  By any reasonable definition of base, they are several km away.

Even to claim that they have reached the first outcrop of the Mt Sharp succession is questionable.

Despite being taken to task in the recent review for the lack of science and the focus on operations there was no mention of science results (despite having Kimberley samples on board for five months, and a vast amount of new ChemCam, DAN imagery and meteorological data) in the media conference and a focus on operations (reaching the "base", drilling in a few weeks, etc.)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 09/11/2014 11:37 pm
picture used in the above video:

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2014-307

Picture Credit: NASA JPL
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 09/12/2014 05:12 am
The senior review proposal was posted at: http://mars.nasa.gov/files/msl/2014-MSL-extended-mission-plan.pdf
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Ohsin on 09/12/2014 02:33 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7szg3JrNT-4

According to this clay units are 6 km away. That is where they intend to use SAM's wet experiments I believe?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 09/12/2014 11:47 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7szg3JrNT-4

According to this clay units are 6 km away. That is where they intend to use SAM's wet experiments I believe?

SAM can only two four runs with the solvent exctraction method, I think.  So they will probably wait until they have good evience of organics from other means before trying it.

However the solvent has been leaking, so I wonder if it is still operational?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: meekGee on 09/14/2014 12:36 am
They've reached the base of Mt. Sharp:

http://marsmobile.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1705

They'll drill in the Pahrump Hills in 1-2 weeks

The claim that they have reached the base of Mt Sharp is disingenuous nonsense.  By any reasonable definition of base, they are several km away.

Even to claim that they have reached the first outcrop of the Mt Sharp succession is questionable.

Despite being taken to task in the recent review for the lack of science and the focus on operations there was no mention of science results (despite having Kimberley samples on board for five months, and a vast amount of new ChemCam, DAN imagery and meteorological data) in the media conference and a focus on operations (reaching the "base", drilling in a few weeks, etc.)

Dalhousie - a question for you:

I saw this image as part of the press release.

Could it be that the low number of samples is due to the first leg being more of a "get to the mountain" phase, and once there, they'll start using the instruments more?   It seems that they are just now leaving the landing ellipse, and most of the sampling they did was at YellowKnife bay, which I understood was a bit of a "target of opportunity".

EDIT:
As noted below, my bad, this image is not part of the press release.
It is shown on an astronomy web site, with the caption reading:  "Credits: NASA/JPL, illustration, T.Reyes"
I don't know if it was issued in conjunction with the press release, or is an older image that was added by that web site.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 09/14/2014 12:58 am
I saw this image as part of the press release.
That is NOT and image from the press release, it was created by someone outside the mission (for universe today, I think) and doesn't represent the actual planned route at all.

No one on the mission has ever talked about going to the summit. You can find actual maps in the presentation I linked earlier, or at http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1705

Emily Lakdawalla also has a nice writeup http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2014/curiosity-update-sols-727-747.html

edit:
That post may help answer your question about the pace of sampling too.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: meekGee on 09/14/2014 01:06 am
I saw this image as part of the press release.
That is NOT and image from the press release, it was created by someone outside the mission (for universe today, I think) and doesn't represent the actual planned route at all.

No one on the mission has ever talked about going to the summit. You can find actual maps in the presentation I linked earlier, or at http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1705

Emily Lakdawala also has a nice writeup http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2014/curiosity-update-sols-727-747.html

edit:
That post may help answer your question about the pace of sampling too.

Thanks.  I seemed the green area went too high - they were always emphatic that they will not try to climb to the top and the lower regions were those of interest.

I'll modify my OP to prevent confusion...

And yes, it was UT, and the credit was:  "Credits: NASA/JPL, illustration, T.Reyes".   A search for "+Reyes JPL mars" yields very little.

Oh, and T.Reyes is the UT guy who wrote the story.  uck.  So the credits are from JPL, the illustration from Mr. Reyes, and putting the caption under the drawing is Reyes' idea.  Brilliant.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: SaxtonHale on 09/14/2014 03:26 am
The claim that they have reached the base of Mt Sharp is disingenuous nonsense.  By any reasonable definition of base, they are several km away.


Even to claim that they have reached the first outcrop of the Mt Sharp succession is questionable.

It sounds like you didn't listen to the teleconference. You should probably listen to it.

Or don't - just don't make pronouncements about the geology of Gale crater.

The Mars folks spend a lot of time making maps with MRO visible and infrared images and spectroscopic data, and so they can see that yes, they are at the edge of a new rock unit.

edit: This graphic shows the slope of the mountain - they are leaving the floor sediments and are about to reach the Murray formation rocks, which are distinct from the rocks they have seen elsewhere.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 09/14/2014 05:01 am

Dalhousie - a question for you:

I saw this image as part of the press release.

Could it be that the low number of samples is due to the first leg being more of a "get to the mountain" phase, and once there, they'll start using the instruments more?   It seems that they are just now leaving the landing ellipse, and most of the sampling they did was at YellowKnife bay, which I understood was a bit of a "target of opportunity".


That's a good question.It is certainly part of the story.

The first leg of the Curiosity traverse was away from Mt Sharp to a location called Glenelg.  Initial checkout took about a month, followed by a drive to the area, which took another month.  So that digression altogether cost about four months driving.  While at Glenelg one soil sample was collected in October 2012 (Rocknest) and two sites drilled in February 2013 (John Kline) and May (Cumberland).  Rocknest and one of the drill sites would have happened anyway early one simply to test the sample collection and analytical suites.  So only a couple of months was lost by the additional drill site.  In June 2013 the rover head off for Mt Sharp.  So this diversion perhaps this cost four months all up.

The limited number of sites (only one!) is certainly due to the pressure to get to Mt Sharp, which is where the most interesting rocks are expected to be.  But I don't think this is due to the Glenelg side trip, four months out of two years isn't much out of two years.

But in hindsight expectations were very unrealistic.

In 2010 the prediction was that by the end of the primary mission, two years, Curiosity would have traversed some 30 km and climbed over 730 m from the landing site.  See slide 28 nasa.gov (http://marsoweb.nas.nasa.gov/landingsites/msl/workshops/5th_workshop/talks/Tuesday_AM/Anderson_Gale_Traverse_compressed_final_opt.pdf)

By launch in 2011 expectations had been wound back a bit but the launch media kit still said:

“The science targets initially identified for the rover to investigate are in the lower layers of the mountain, requiring the rover to drive outside the landing ellipse to get to the science targets.... Getting to key destinations at lower layers of Mount Sharp may take a large fraction of the 98-week prime mission. The route may involve navigation through some challenging terrains such as sand dunes, hills and canyons.” (p47 of http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/press_kits/MSLLaunch.pdf)

Sand dunes, hills and canyons suggests an expectation to be well into the slower slopes, roughly where the rover is now predicted to be in two years time.


EDIT/meekGee: fixed URL
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 09/14/2014 05:32 am
The claim that they have reached the base of Mt Sharp is disingenuous nonsense.  By any reasonable definition of base, they are several km away.


Even to claim that they have reached the first outcrop of the Mt Sharp succession is questionable.

It sounds like you didn't listen to the teleconference. You should probably listen to it.

Or don't - just don't make pronouncements about the geology of Gale crater.

The Mars folks spend a lot of time making maps with MRO visible and infrared images and spectroscopic data, and so they can see that yes, they are at the edge of a new rock unit.

edit: This graphic shows the slope of the mountain - they are leaving the floor sediments and are about to reach the Murray formation rocks, which are distinct from the rocks they have seen elsewhere.

Since I am quite familar with the geology of Gale crater and have read most of the pre-mission papers and those that are coming out, I will continue to comment on the geology

From where the rover is now to the next target (Paintbrush) is about 2 km, in that distance the rover will climb 100 m.  The target after is another 3 km (Hematite), a rise of about 140 m.  The third target for the extended mission is a clay unit, another 1 km of drive, and about 10 m higher still. This is the goal for the extended mission.   Less than 250 m climb in six km is hardly a mountain. All this is really the pediment of Mt Sharp.  Rising, yes, part of the same geological succession, yes, but not really a mountain.

The rover team optimistically identified a target 2 km further still, the start of a sulfate unit.  This might be achievable during the extended mission, although the review board thought otherwise and advised against it.  To reach the sulfate unit the rover could begin to climb more steeply, with 150 m climbed.  About 1 km beyond the sulfate unit (where the rover was supposed to be now, according to 2010 predictions) it would have climbed another 150 m, and would clearly be going up the mountain.

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: meekGee on 09/14/2014 06:04 am
Thanks for that.

It sounds to me like it's not so much lack of focus, just a longer (timewise) drive than anticipated.

If anything, they're pretty focused on getting to where the interesting geology is, and have not been meandering randomly...

So why was that review so negative?  They are pursuing the same mission goals...  what would the reviewer have suggested they do instead?  They can't bring the mountain any closer...

Maybe next-gen rover will be able to do more maneuvering with the final flight stage.  10 km flying sounds a lot less of an issue than 10 km driving.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 09/14/2014 11:19 am
Thanks for that.

It sounds to me like it's not so much lack of focus, just a longer (timewise) drive than anticipated.

If anything, they're pretty focused on getting to where the interesting geology is, and have not been meandering randomly...

So why was that review so negative?  They are pursuing the same mission goals...  what would the reviewer have suggested they do instead?  They can't bring the mountain any closer...

Maybe next-gen rover will be able to do more maneuvering with the final flight stage.  10 km flying sounds a lot less of an issue than 10 km driving.

The report was posted earlier, it makes interesting reading http://www.lpi.usra.edu/pss/sep2014/Senior-Review-2014-Report.pdf .  The key comments are on pages 5-6.  The highlights include.

Although several strengths were noted during the review, the panel felt that the problems are sufficiently severe that they need addressing at the earliest opportunity.....

The capabilities of Curiosity provide the only current way to make certain measurements on the Martian  Surface... However, in the EM1 plan, these are minimized, as only eight (8) samples will be taken in two years (two from each of the four units to be visited). This means that during the prime and EM1 missions a total of 13 analyses will be made by a highly capable rover.  The panel viewed this as a poor science return for such a large investment in a flagship mission.

Despite identification of two EM1 science objectives, the proposal lacked specific scientific questions to be answered...

Similarly not discussed was the synergistic role such ground-truthing would have in this mission, or for  identifying similar deposits in orbital data for different areas on Mars.

The proposal did not provide a convincing argument for reaching the upper-most sulfate unit during EM1.

The panel is deeply concerned that observations in the clays, which may be more relevant to the habitability question, could be cut short because traverse distance will take precedence over scientific analyses.

It was unclear from both the proposal and presentation that the Prime Mission science goals had been met. In fact, it was unclear what exactly these were. Upon detailed questioning, the team noted that the Level 1 requirements were actually engineering capability requirements with which the mission launched and are not reflective of the state of fulfilling mission success criteria, which were not addressed quantitatively.
Unfortunately the lead Project Scientist was not present in person for the Senior Review presentation and was only available via phone. Additionally, he was not present for the second round of Curiosity questions from the panel. This left the panel with the impression that the team felt they were too big to fail and that simply having someone show up would suffice. The panel strongly urges NASA HQ to get the Curiosity team focused on maximizing high-quality science that justifies the capabilities of and capital investment in Curiosity.

As Curiosity is a flagship mission, the panel was surprised by the lack of science in the EM1 proposal ...

In summary, the Curiosity EM1 proposal lacked scientific focus and detail. The recommendation of the Senior Review  panel is a descope in the traverse distance as EM1 would better serve science by focusing on the Paintbrush, Hematite,  and possibly the Clay units and doing a better job of characterizing these, than focusing on the upper layers in EM2.
(emphasis added)

The fact that Curiosity has only collected four samples to date and at best will get another eight to nine over the next two years contrasts with the fact it has the capability to handle 74 samples in each of its' two main instrument packages, CheMin and SAM.  This combined with the extraordinarily slow progress (about half what was expected at launch and a third what was expected during site selection means that the mission has really underperformed.

The outrage at the JPL press conference shows they are not prepared to take these criticisms onboard.  Of course their anger simply proves the point that they think they are too big to fail and therefore beyond reproach, The absence of any new science results at the press conference (the last science results featuring in a media release were 10 months ago, in December) shows the concerns about under performance are justified.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 09/14/2014 02:26 pm
...
The fact that Curiosity has only collected four samples to date and at best will get another eight to nine over the next two years contrasts with the fact it has the capability to handle 74 samples in each of its' two main instrument packages, CheMin and SAM.  This combined with the extraordinarily slow progress (about half what was expected at launch and a third what was expected during site selection means that the mission has really underperformed.

The outrage at the JPL press conference shows they are not prepared to take these criticisms onboard.  Of course their anger simply proves the point that they think they are too big to fail and therefore beyond reproach, The absence of any new science results at the press conference (the last science results featuring in a media release were 10 months ago, in December) shows the concerns about under performance are justified.


Sorry to jump in here, but a thought:

Perhaps when one takes into account the number of science missions looking for additional funding past their standard mission, they can always point to the fact that their key science instruments are still usable. As Curiosity is nuclear powered it would still have the opportunity to perform years of science around Mt Sharp, and at every review they can (hopefuly) point to new disoveries made along the way.

But of course I personally reject this POV. I believe they need to up the sampling rate in case there were a premature failure of one of the systems - the wheels for instance as once (though it would have to be rather catastrophic). But anything is possible on such a remote and hostile world. I say: it's there, make the most of it, and move on with the next rover. But politics drives everything: job security and center funding seem to take precedence.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: meekGee on 09/14/2014 02:44 pm
Thanks Dalhousie.

It still sounds like they are bemoaning the unchangeable.

The rover is headed uphill, and is drilling where there is an interesting spot.

Can't drive any faster...

"Lack of focus" suggests that the reviewer thinks there's something else that can be done.  As in "stop getting distracted by taking pictures of Phobos"...  But since this is not the case, and the reviewer does not have a better drive plan, I don't see his point.

If anything, they are being disciplined, not taking samples just in order to generate vanity data, and keeping their eye on the goal.

Suppose you sent a probe to a comet, and due to a thruster problem, the trip took 2x as long...  Would you bemoan the lack of data while enroute?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 09/14/2014 10:04 pm
Thanks Dalhousie.

It still sounds like they are bemoaning the unchangeable.

The rover is headed uphill, and is drilling where there is an interesting spot.

Can't drive any faster...

"Lack of focus" suggests that the reviewer thinks there's something else that can be done.  As in "stop getting distracted by taking pictures of Phobos"...  But since this is not the case, and the reviewer does not have a better drive plan, I don't see his point.

If anything, they are being disciplined, not taking samples just in order to generate vanity data, and keeping their eye on the goal.

Suppose you sent a probe to a comet, and due to a thruster problem, the trip took 2x as long...  Would you bemoan the lack of data while enroute?

I think the review panel were very careful not to bemoan the unchangeable.  They very carefully (IMHO) did not mention the past.  The criticisms are all on the future plans.  E.g. once they get to the lower part Mt Sharp they are only going to do eight analyses in the next two years? Really?   In the most interesting part of the succession? With CheMin and SAM still capable of 60 or more analyses after than?

Keep in mind that the wheel situation is probably much worse than the brave words from JPL. A contradiction in the press conference shows it up. While talking about the eight km drive over the next two years climbing through much rockier terrain than hitherto, they said that they had shortened the next segment by 100 m to save wear on the wheels.  If the wheel situation is so bad that a 100 m shortening of the route is significant, planning on another 8 km seems rather optimistic.

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: IslandPlaya on 09/14/2014 10:14 pm
Thanks Dalhousie.

It still sounds like they are bemoaning the unchangeable.

The rover is headed uphill, and is drilling where there is an interesting spot.

Can't drive any faster...

"Lack of focus" suggests that the reviewer thinks there's something else that can be done.  As in "stop getting distracted by taking pictures of Phobos"...  But since this is not the case, and the reviewer does not have a better drive plan, I don't see his point.

If anything, they are being disciplined, not taking samples just in order to generate vanity data, and keeping their eye on the goal.

Suppose you sent a probe to a comet, and due to a thruster problem, the trip took 2x as long...  Would you bemoan the lack of data while enroute?

I think the review panel were very careful not to bemoan the unchangeable.  They very carefully (IMHO) did not mention the past.  The criticisms are all on the future plans.  E.g. once they get to the lower part Mt Sharp they are only going to do eight analyses in the next two years? Really?   In the most interesting part of the succession? With CheMin and SAM still capable of 60 or more analyses after than?

Keep in mind that the wheel situation is probably much worse than the brave words from JPL. A contradiction in the press conference shows it up. While talking about the eight km drive over the next two years climbing through much rockier terrain than hitherto, they said that they had shortened the next segment by 100 m to save wear on the wheels.  If the wheel situation is so bad that a 100 m shortening of the route is significant, planning on another 8 km seems rather optimistic.
I think the 100m reduction was a typo. It should be 1000m, which is a good optimisation.
See this article by the fab (and gorgeous) Emily Lakdawalla...
http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2014/curiosity-update-sols-727-747.html
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 09/14/2014 10:46 pm
Keep in mind that the wheel situation is probably much worse than the brave words from JPL. A contradiction in the press conference shows it up. While talking about the eight km drive over the next two years climbing through much rockier terrain than hitherto, they said that they had shortened the next segment by 100 m to save wear on the wheels.  If the wheel situation is so bad that a 100 m shortening of the route is significant, planning on another 8 km seems rather optimistic.
I think the 100m reduction was a typo. It should be 1000m, which is a good optimisation.
See this article by the fab (and gorgeous) Emily Lakdawalla...
http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2014/curiosity-update-sols-727-747.html

That would be more reassuring.  I must say that the new route looks more like 1 km shorter than 100 m, from eyeballing it.

Bu the wheel situation is still very dire.  Remember they have to go another 8 km compared to the 10 they have done already, over much rockier ground.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: IslandPlaya on 09/14/2014 10:51 pm
Keep in mind that the wheel situation is probably much worse than the brave words from JPL. A contradiction in the press conference shows it up. While talking about the eight km drive over the next two years climbing through much rockier terrain than hitherto, they said that they had shortened the next segment by 100 m to save wear on the wheels.  If the wheel situation is so bad that a 100 m shortening of the route is significant, planning on another 8 km seems rather optimistic.
I think the 100m reduction was a typo. It should be 1000m, which is a good optimisation.
See this article by the fab (and gorgeous) Emily Lakdawalla...
http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2014/curiosity-update-sols-727-747.html

That would be more reassuring.  I must say that the new route looks more like 1 km shorter than 100 m, from eyeballing it.

Bu the wheel situation is still very dire.  Remember they have to go another 8 km compared to the 10 they have done already, over much rockier ground.
Agreed. Lets hope they use some of the 100Kg they can shave off the heatshield for the 2020 mission on more robust wheels.
The wheel situation is bad, but not dire IMHO. The rover has 6 wheel drive. Some wheels are pretty much intact and the massive torque from the drive motors mean it could 'rove' with square wheels...
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 09/14/2014 11:15 pm
Bu the wheel situation is still very dire.  Remember they have to go another 8 km compared to the 10 they have done already, over much rockier ground.
Rockier ground by itself is not  the problem, it specifically has to be strong, immobile, pointy rocks. Stuff like Yellowknife bay is much less of a concern, and much of the upcoming terrain should be more like that. Parhump Hills certainly looks that way http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/00748/mcam/0748ML0032240050206004E01_DXXX.jpg

Emily Lakdawalla's post one the wheel wear issue (http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2014/08190630-curiosity-wheel-damage.html) quotes an estimated 30-40 km on flagstone-ish terrain. Since they have tested multiple wheels to destruction, they should have a pretty good handle on the rate in various kinds of terrain.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: meekGee on 09/14/2014 11:16 pm
Thanks Dalhousie.

It still sounds like they are bemoaning the unchangeable.

The rover is headed uphill, and is drilling where there is an interesting spot.

Can't drive any faster...

"Lack of focus" suggests that the reviewer thinks there's something else that can be done.  As in "stop getting distracted by taking pictures of Phobos"...  But since this is not the case, and the reviewer does not have a better drive plan, I don't see his point.

If anything, they are being disciplined, not taking samples just in order to generate vanity data, and keeping their eye on the goal.

Suppose you sent a probe to a comet, and due to a thruster problem, the trip took 2x as long...  Would you bemoan the lack of data while enroute?

I think the review panel were very careful not to bemoan the unchangeable.  They very carefully (IMHO) did not mention the past.  The criticisms are all on the future plans.  E.g. once they get to the lower part Mt Sharp they are only going to do eight analyses in the next two years? Really?   In the most interesting part of the succession? With CheMin and SAM still capable of 60 or more analyses after than?

Keep in mind that the wheel situation is probably much worse than the brave words from JPL. A contradiction in the press conference shows it up. While talking about the eight km drive over the next two years climbing through much rockier terrain than hitherto, they said that they had shortened the next segment by 100 m to save wear on the wheels.  If the wheel situation is so bad that a 100 m shortening of the route is significant, planning on another 8 km seems rather optimistic.

My question was - what are the alternatives?

The distance they can cover in the next two years is fixed.  The route is pretty much agreed on.

Should they drill and take more samples just because if the wheels die early, at least the magazine would be spent, so to speak?

What they are saying is - they'll drill and sample according to the scientific worth of the terrain, and that's the best they can do.  If they wheels last long enough, then at least they'll have more samples to take.

But wasting them early actually sounds a bit panicky to me.  Imagine the red faces if the wheels do hold, but they're out of ammo since they wanted to look good?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: IslandPlaya on 09/14/2014 11:44 pm
The wheels wont die early, especially now JPL are aware of the concern.
They are saving the sample wheel because they know that once they reach Mt. Sharp they can get samples from obviously different eras on Mars.
In Grotzinger we trust!
 ;)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 09/15/2014 08:17 am
Thanks Dalhousie.

It still sounds like they are bemoaning the unchangeable.

The rover is headed uphill, and is drilling where there is an interesting spot.

Can't drive any faster...

"Lack of focus" suggests that the reviewer thinks there's something else that can be done.  As in "stop getting distracted by taking pictures of Phobos"...  But since this is not the case, and the reviewer does not have a better drive plan, I don't see his point.

If anything, they are being disciplined, not taking samples just in order to generate vanity data, and keeping their eye on the goal.

Suppose you sent a probe to a comet, and due to a thruster problem, the trip took 2x as long...  Would you bemoan the lack of data while enroute?

I think the review panel were very careful not to bemoan the unchangeable.  They very carefully (IMHO) did not mention the past.  The criticisms are all on the future plans.  E.g. once they get to the lower part Mt Sharp they are only going to do eight analyses in the next two years? Really?   In the most interesting part of the succession? With CheMin and SAM still capable of 60 or more analyses after than?

Keep in mind that the wheel situation is probably much worse than the brave words from JPL. A contradiction in the press conference shows it up. While talking about the eight km drive over the next two years climbing through much rockier terrain than hitherto, they said that they had shortened the next segment by 100 m to save wear on the wheels.  If the wheel situation is so bad that a 100 m shortening of the route is significant, planning on another 8 km seems rather optimistic.

My question was - what are the alternatives?

The distance they can cover in the next two years is fixed.  The route is pretty much agreed on.

Should they drill and take more samples just because if the wheels die early, at least the magazine would be spent, so to speak?

What they are saying is - they'll drill and sample according to the scientific worth of the terrain, and that's the best they can do.  If they wheels last long enough, then at least they'll have more samples to take.

But wasting them early actually sounds a bit panicky to me.  Imagine the red faces if the wheels do hold, but they're out of ammo since they wanted to look good?

That’s a good comment.  It is important not to panic, but at the same time be aware that the mission could end any time.  Especially given the state of the wheels. 

Curiosity’s instruments are of two types, those that are capable of effectively indefinite use (MastCam, MAHLI, DAN, RAD, ChemCam, REMS, APXS) and those with a limited number of runs (CheMin, SAM). 

SAM has 74 sample cups for surface samples. These are composed of  three main kinds: 59 quartz cups, 9 wet chemistry cups, and 6 calibration cups. http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2012/curiosity-instrument-sam.html  CheMin carries 27 reusable sample cells and 5 permanent reference standards, the cells can be reused two to three times, for a nominal 74 analyses (presumably to match SAM) http://msl-scicorner.jpl.nasa.gov/Instruments/CheMin/.

While all the instruments are useful, in some ways SAM and CheMin are the key to the  mission.  SAM is the only instrument that can tell us about organics and also the isotope composition of oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, and nitrogen in carbonated and hydrated rocks.  Stable isotope take is very important for environment reconstruction.  CheMin supplies the only good mineralogy data for the mission via XRD (and also incidentally the best mineralogy information we have from the surface of Mars) and the best geochemistry (although ChemCam and the APXS do as well).

To date three geological samples have been analysed and published by SAM and CheMin.  A fourth is onboard, and may have been analysed already, but results are not yet been published.  That is a very poor productivity for the two year primary mission.  A fifth sample is supposed to be collected in a few weeks”.  That leaves 54 unused SAM sample cups and 22 unused CheMin sample cells. 

The wet chemistry SAM cells are being saved for organic rich samples, should these be found.  Assuming of course they are still operation given leaks, but that’s another story.

The first mission extension (EM1 proposes to sample another three or four sites from the three major units in the lower part of the Mt Sharp succession – Paintbrush (the oldest unit seen, possibly representing the pre-Gale bedrock, although this has to be tested), then Hematite (full of iron oxides), a clay unit and then a sulphate unit.  Two samples are proposed from each of Paintbrush, Hematite, and sulphate units, one two or three from the clays, for a total of nine.  There for at the end of the proposed two year extended mission there will still be 43 unused SAM and 13 unused CheMin samples containers.  More left over than have been used to date.

I think there are three factors to consider when looking ahead at future usage of CheMin and SAM.  1) geological units are often heterogeneous, so it makes sense to get multiple samples from the same lithology, at least three.  It's not a question of panicing but getting representative data. 2) The most interesting targets are the lower part of the Mt Sharp succession.  They are the reason Gale Crater was chosen for the landing site.  There it makes sense to collect the most detailed sample data from it. 3) We don’t know how long the wheels will hold out, lasting to the end of EM1 may be optimistic, given the rougher, steeper and rockier terrain. So it makes sense to maximise use of the tools with the most limited future opportunities.

So the number of analyses could be doubled, for a total of 18, and still leave 34 SAM and four CheMin sample containers unused for EM2, if the rover is still mobile.  Also of course the CheMin sample containers can be reused 2-3 times, with minimal degradation of analytical quality, so that CheMin can still effectively match SAM sample for sample.  So that we could even triple the number of samples to 27  and still have some in reserve

So yes, sampling can be doubled or tripled without panicing and leaving none for the next extension.  Even when all onboard processing capability is gone there would still be Mastcam, MAHLI, APXS, Chemcam and DAN to continue to shed light on the geology


Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 09/15/2014 08:32 am
The wheels wont die early, especially now JPL are aware of the concern.
They are saving the sample wheel because they know that once they reach Mt. Sharp they can get samples from obviously different eras on Mars.
In Grotzinger we trust!
 ;)

But there is the rub.

The JPL response has basically gone from "It's not a problem, why is everyone making a fuss?" to It's a problem, but we are managing it by driving backwards and selecing the route carefully" to We are managing it by shortening the route by a kilometre"

So despite their best efforts the wheels are getting worse and, while they will probably hold for a bit longer it is very questionable whether they will make another 8 km.  Remember the terrain is steeper and rockier than anything seen to date.

Of course the planners are it a cleft stick here.  they have had to drive all this way for the landing site, despite the wheel damage, because lower Mt Sharp is where the good science is.  They have to drive 8 km to go through the entire lower stratigraphy - the clays, sulphates, haematite etc.  There isn't much choice for them.

The problem is they are not maximising science in the process.  They missed some interesting targets on the way here, and in the next two years they are looking at only another eight or nine samples under current plans.  That leaves 78% of their analytical capability unused at a point when there is a real risk that the rover won't be drivable on the slopes of Mt Sharp.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: meekGee on 09/15/2014 10:28 am
Yup, but given all of the above, we're now talking about risk management under very uncertain conditions.

That's not quite "lack of scientific focus", is it?

The PI decided that on the terrain reachable in the next two years, doing more than 8 drills will not add much science value. (Unless they find something new of course)

Meandering on the way up and stopping at extra points would have been "erring on the side of lack of focus".

Honestly, the right thing to do would have been to point out constructive alternatives, not just count samples.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 09/15/2014 11:39 am
Yup, but given all of the above, we're now talking about risk management under very uncertain conditions.

That's not quite "lack of scientific focus", is it?

The PI decided that on the terrain reachable in the next two years, doing more than 8 drills will not add much science value. (Unless they find something new of course)

Meandering on the way up and stopping at extra points would have been "erring on the side of lack of focus".

Honestly, the right thing to do would have been to point out constructive alternatives, not just count samples.

It's not merely my opinion, it's the opinion of the review.  They considered only eight more measurements to be a poor return.  Covering great distances is meaningless unless you do the science.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: veblen on 09/15/2014 01:43 pm
Okay the science team knows from a couple of the instruments like ChemCam and APXS that the rocks are the same composition for the last several kms driven. Sampling the same stuff over and over, what is to be gained from that when they know the really interesting formation is at least as far as Pahrump Hills/base of Mt. Sharp?

I am not impressed with the review, just sounded like they can't handle the damage to the wheels and used at as a platform to bellyache about "flagship" this and that and Grotzinger was absent from multiple meetings. Shouldn't one meeting suffice?

Plus the review panel does not look back - because that would mean discussing the inconvenient truth that the primary science goals for MSL were attained at Yellowknife Bay. Hard to kvetch about that.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 09/15/2014 09:10 pm
The JPL response has basically gone from "It's not a problem, why is everyone making a fuss?" to It's a problem, but we are managing it by driving backwards and selecing the route carefully" to We are managing it by shortening the route by a kilometre"

So despite their best efforts the wheels are getting worse and, while they will probably hold for a bit longer it is very questionable whether they will make another 8 km.
This does not appear to be an accurate summary of the actual situation. From everything I've heard, once they dug into the problem the wheel damage has followed their predictions pretty well. They are obviously taking every opportunity they can to maximize the life, including route changes and driving strategies.

This is pretty typical JPL... no one catches every problem in advance, but once they do find one, they analyze the heck out of it.
Quote
  Remember the terrain is steeper and rockier than anything seen to date.
As noted in my earlier post, rockier alone doesn't necessarily mean worse. They have the ability to identify bad terrain from orbital data, and this has proven pretty reliable so far.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 09/15/2014 10:22 pm
Okay the science team knows from a couple of the instruments like ChemCam and APXS that the rocks are the same composition for the last several kms driven. Sampling the same stuff over and over, what is to be gained from that when they know the really interesting formation is at least as far as Pahrump Hills/base of Mt. Sharp?

What's past is history, but since you raise it, there have been a number of very interesting rocks that could have done with more analysis, for example Turkey screatch rock, which didn't even get the AXPS or Chemcam treament, desite being the only porphyritic rock we have seen anywhere on Mars.    Because it was loose it could not have been drilled and thus not able to be analysed by CheMin.   

There have been a few texturally different  sedimentary rocks that would have been worth looking at in more detail at the other waypoints.  Remember that Chcham and APXS both give only chemistry.  One of the weaknesses of the Curiosity design is that it has no equivalent drive by or contact instrument for minerally (unlike the MERs which have the MiniTES spectrometer).  Rocks can have similar chemistries but different mineralogy. 

And of course the only way that organic compounds can be detected is with SAM.  Having come up with a hypothesis for the preservation of organics in the regolith back at Glenelg, they have driven past several opportunities to test that hypothesis.  This would be useful to know prior to the lower succession of Mt Sharp. It would be a shame with only eight samples planned that they ended up taking the wrong places on the basis of an untested hypothesis.

Quote
I am not impressed with the review, just sounded like they can't handle the damage to the wheels and used at as a platform to bellyache about "flagship" this and that and Grotzinger was absent from multiple meetings. Shouldn't one meeting suffice?

The review is biggest criticism was about the lack of science, not the wheel damage.  Wheel damage wasn't mentioned.

And yes, this is the senior review, which is about the amount of funding the mission should get over the next two years.  The PI should have it as a priority.  Not turning up is rude, arrogant and demonstrates, as the senior reviewer said, a "too big to fail" mentality.

Quote
Plus the review panel does not look back - because that would mean discussing the inconvenient truth that the primary science goals for MSL were attained at Yellowknife Bay. Hard to kvetch about that.

The review panel was for the extended mission, not to reflect on past glories.  It's poor return for the EM1 phase that concerned them.

But since you raise it, what's inconvenient about the success at Yellowknife Bay?  It was pure luck.  However it is questionable whether the science goals were fully meant there.  From the launch media kit the science goals were:

1) Assess the biological potential of at least one target environment by determining the nature and inventory
of organic carbon compounds, searching for the chemical building blocks of life and identifying features that may record the actions of biologically relevant processes.


At best only partially achieved at Yellowknife Bay given the problematic of organic detection with SAM at the site due to contamination and the interaction with soil perchlorate.

2) Characterize the geology of the rover’s field site at all appropriate spatial scales by investigating the chemical, isotopic and mineralogical composition of surface and near-surface materials and interpreting the processes that have formed rocks and soils.

Achieved

3) Investigate planetary processes of relevance to past habitability (including the role of water) by assessing
the long timescale atmospheric evolution and determining the present state, distribution and cycling
of water and carbon dioxide.


Achieved in part.

4) Characterize the broad spectrum of surface radiation, including galactic cosmic radiation, solar proton events and secondary neutrons.

Achieved.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 09/15/2014 10:35 pm
The JPL response has basically gone from "It's not a problem, why is everyone making a fuss?" to It's a problem, but we are managing it by driving backwards and selecing the route carefully" to We are managing it by shortening the route by a kilometre"

So despite their best efforts the wheels are getting worse and, while they will probably hold for a bit longer it is very questionable whether they will make another 8 km.

This does not appear to be an accurate summary of the actual situation. From everything I've heard, once they dug into the problem the wheel damage has followed their predictions pretty well. They are obviously taking every opportunity they can to maximize the life, including route changes and driving strategies.

That's the story they are putting about, but I don't believe it for one moment.  Prior to launch the notion was to drive 30 km or more in the primary mission.  I find it hard to believe that would have been considered had the sort of damage seen been expected.

Quote
This is pretty typical JPL... no one catches every problem in advance, but once they do find one, they analyze the heck out of it.

It's typical of everyone doing a planetary mission, not a unique property of JPL. 

Quote
  Remember the terrain is steeper and rockier than anything seen to date.

Quote
As noted in
my earlier post, rockier alone doesn't necessarily mean worse. They have the ability to identify bad terrain from orbital data, and this has proven pretty reliable so far.

As a general rule, rockier is worse for wheel damage.  So are slopes.  Rocky slopes are worse.  Rocky rough slopes, where the roughness limits the choices as to which route can be taken, are the worst of all.  Curiosity has all three ahead of it.

There is some ability to identify surface roughness from orbit, especially when the terrain ahead is similar to what has been traversed.  But the terrain ahead of Curiosity is nothing like what has been traversed so far. However the surface roughness and rockiness predictive ability of HiRISE with it's 30 cm resolution is very limited, as the problem appears to be small sharp rocks in the cm to 10 cm range.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: IslandPlaya on 09/15/2014 11:03 pm
Your quoting is broken, please fix it.
Curiosity has no problem with rocky terrain. It does however have a problem with a particular terrain which has many sharp edges.
The terrain is changing, maybe this will be more/less of a problem.
Exciting, init?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: veblen on 09/15/2014 11:59 pm
Okay the science team knows from a couple of the instruments like ChemCam and APXS that the rocks are the same composition for the last several kms driven. Sampling the same stuff over and over, what is to be gained from that when they know the really interesting formation is at least as far as Pahrump Hills/base of Mt. Sharp?

What's past is history, but since you raise it, there have been a number of very interesting rocks that could have done with more analysis, for example Turkey screatch rock, which didn't even get the AXPS or Chemcam treament, desite being the only porphyritic rock we have seen anywhere on Mars.    Because it was loose it could not have been drilled and thus not able to be analysed by CheMin.   

There have been a few texturally different  sedimentary rocks that would have been worth looking at in more detail at the other waypoints.  Remember that Chcham and APXS both give only chemistry.  One of the weaknesses of the Curiosity design is that it has no equivalent drive by or contact instrument for minerally (unlike the MERs which have the MiniTES spectrometer).  Rocks can have similar chemistries but different mineralogy. 

And of course the only way that organic compounds can be detected is with SAM.  Having come up with a hypothesis for the preservation of organics in the regolith back at Glenelg, they have driven past several opportunities to test that hypothesis.  This would be useful to know prior to the lower succession of Mt Sharp. It would be a shame with only eight samples planned that they ended up taking the wrong places on the basis of an untested hypothesis.

Quote
I am not impressed with the review, just sounded like they can't handle the damage to the wheels and used at as a platform to bellyache about "flagship" this and that and Grotzinger was absent from multiple meetings. Shouldn't one meeting suffice?

The review is biggest criticism was about the lack of science, not the wheel damage.  Wheel damage wasn't mentioned.

And yes, this is the senior review, which is about the amount of funding the mission should get over the next two years.  The PI should have it as a priority.  Not turning up is rude, arrogant and demonstrates, as the senior reviewer said, a "too big to fail" mentality.

Quote
Plus the review panel does not look back - because that would mean discussing the inconvenient truth that the primary science goals for MSL were attained at Yellowknife Bay. Hard to kvetch about that.

The review panel was for the extended mission, not to reflect on past glories.  It's poor return for the EM1 phase that concerned them.

But since you raise it, what's inconvenient about the success at Yellowknife Bay?  It was pure luck.  However it is questionable whether the science goals were fully meant there.  From the launch media kit the science goals were:

1) Assess the biological potential of at least one target environment by determining the nature and inventory
of organic carbon compounds, searching for the chemical building blocks of life and identifying features that may record the actions of biologically relevant processes.


At best only partially achieved at Yellowknife Bay given the problematic of organic detection with SAM at the site due to contamination and the interaction with soil perchlorate.

2) Characterize the geology of the rover’s field site at all appropriate spatial scales by investigating the chemical, isotopic and mineralogical composition of surface and near-surface materials and interpreting the processes that have formed rocks and soils.

Achieved

3) Investigate planetary processes of relevance to past habitability (including the role of water) by assessing
the long timescale atmospheric evolution and determining the present state, distribution and cycling
of water and carbon dioxide.


Achieved in part.

4) Characterize the broad spectrum of surface radiation, including galactic cosmic radiation, solar proton events and secondary neutrons.

Achieved.


Yellowknife Bay was not pure luck (MRO images/data to work from prior to landing) and inconvenient for the review panel in that the mission science goals achieved at that location, well it's hard to complain about that, right?  Anyway, most important thing MSL received funding for extended mission.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 09/16/2014 12:39 am

Curiosity has no problem with rocky terrain. It does however have a problem with a particular terrain which has many sharp edges.

Rocky terrain generally comes with sharp edges, especially on Mars.  Plenty of sharp edges in Gusev crater for example with ventefacts cut into basalt. Likewise Ares Vallis, Chryse and Utopia.

Quote
The terrain is changing, maybe this will be more/less of a problem.

Almost certainly more of a problem.  the only way it would be rest of a rpblem is if the rocks are unsually soft and/or friable.

Quote
Exciting, init?

Sure is :)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 09/16/2014 12:51 am
Yellowknife Bay was not pure luck (MRO images/data to work from prior to landing)...

It was most certainly pure luck that it was done at Yellowknife it because Curiosity could have landed anywhere in the landing ellipse. 

Quote
and inconvenient for the review panel in that the mission science goals achieved at that location, well it's hard to complain about that, right?

Not even wrong.  1) The review panel was not there to review past achievements, 2) did not dispute past achievements beyond noting that they were rather rubbery and generic (which is fairly obvious), 3) past achievements are no assurance of future performance (in this case uninspiring), and 4) it was there to review future plans

Quote
Anyway, most important thing MSL received funding for extended mission.

Indeed, but the proposed work program is rather disapointing given the capabilities, as the review panel rightly pointed out, and has also rightly recommended that this be reconsidered.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 09/16/2014 03:20 am
That's the story they are putting about, but I don't believe it for one moment.
You are certainly entitled to your opinion, but it appears to be contradicted by the people who spent a whole lot of time actually working on the problem.
Quote
Prior to launch the notion was to drive 30 km or more in the primary mission.  I find it hard to believe that would have been considered had the sort of damage seen been expected.
I'm not sure why you are bringing up pre-launch estimates. There is no question that this kind of damage was not expected pre-launch. I'm talking about the testing and analysis done after the problem was recognized. The statements I've seen are that the ongoing damage has been consistent with those results.
Quote
As a general rule, rockier is worse for wheel damage.  So are slopes.  Rocky slopes are worse.  Rocky rough slopes, where the roughness limits the choices as to which route can be taken, are the worst of all.  Curiosity has all three ahead of it.
Your "general rule" appears to conflict with statements of the people who actually operate the vehicle. Specific types of rocky terrain are worse.
Quote
There is some ability to identify surface roughness from orbit, especially when the terrain ahead is similar to what has been traversed.  But the terrain ahead of Curiosity is nothing like what has been traversed so far. However the surface roughness and rockiness predictive ability of HiRISE with it's 30 cm resolution is very limited, as the problem appears to be small sharp rocks in the cm to 10 cm range.
You are making a lot of assumptions.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 09/16/2014 03:57 am
That's the story they are putting about, but I don't believe it for one moment.
You are certainly entitled to your opinion, but it appears to be contradicted by the people who spent a whole lot of time actually working on the problem.

It goes against the pangloss media coverage, but a lot of people behind the scenes are concerned.

Quote
Quote
Prior to launch the notion was to drive 30 km or more in the primary mission.  I find it hard to believe that would have been considered had the sort of damage seen been expected.

I'm not sure why you are bringing up pre-launch estimates. There is no question that this kind of damage was not expected pre-launch. I'm talking about the testing and analysis done after the problem was recognized. The statements I've seen are that the ongoing damage has been consistent with those results.

I brought up prelaunch expectations to show the scale of the problem.  We agree there is a problem, and people are doing their best to work with it

Quote
Quote
As a general rule, rockier is worse for wheel damage.  So are slopes.  Rocky slopes are worse.  Rocky rough slopes, where the roughness limits the choices as to which route can be taken, are the worst of all.  Curiosity has all three ahead of it.

Your "general rule" appears to conflict with statements of the people who actually operate the vehicle. Specific types of rocky terrain are worse.

Of course some terrains are worse than others.   Angularity, rock hardness, rock size, roughess and slope are all factors.  Which is why picking routes as helped.  This will continue. But if you think that things will get better the closer they get to Mt Sharp and start moving up the slope you may be surprised.  I would be amazed if anyone in the Curiosity team thinks this.  I certainly have seen not statements that indicates that they do.

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There is some ability to identify surface roughness from orbit, especially when the terrain ahead is similar to what has been traversed.  But the terrain ahead of Curiosity is nothing like what has been traversed so far. However the surface roughness and rockiness predictive ability of HiRISE with it's 30 cm resolution is very limited, as the problem appears to be small sharp rocks in the cm to 10 cm range.

You are making a lot of assumptions.

Not assumptions, a knowledge of how the process works and the capabilities and limitations of interpreting remotely sensed data.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: JohnFornaro on 09/24/2014 01:14 am
September 11, 2014
RELEASE 14-245

NASA’s Mars Curiosity Rover Arrives at Martian Mountain

NASA's Mars Curiosity rover has reached the Red Planet's Mount Sharp...

You know how real estate agents use some pretty broad descriptions to describe desireable neighborhoods?  That's how I read the headline above.

Even to claim that they have reached the first outcrop of the Mt Sharp succession is questionable. (http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=29633.msg1254251#msg1254251)

But still, they've been driving around for two years, and that in and of itself is pretty cool.  True, they've taken only a few samples, and for some reason they are slow on publishing the info on the samples they have taken.

The thing that most struck me, in a positive way, was the image of how they are assessing their future path.  If you're playing with your remote controlled rover in the back yard, or at the beach, it's really easy to walk over and get it unstuck.  On Mars, not so much.

So I have an intuitive and honest appreciation for the work that goes on in analyzing the terrain, and plotting the next traverse, particularly since since the wheels turned out to be so fragile.

Still, ya gotta wonder at the decision making proces:

The first leg of the Curiosity traverse was away from Mt Sharp to a location called Glenelg...

I'm not the author of this comment:

It was unclear from both the proposal and presentation that the Prime Mission science goals had been met. (http://www.lpi.usra.edu/pss/sep2014/Senior-Review-2014-Report.pdf)

I thought that the mission had already been deemed a succes?  Somebody needs to make up their minds.

On the plus side, the rate of wheel deterioration and the number of samples which can yet be taken needs to be analyzed so as to come up with a rate of sampling which agrees with the expected decay.  Which is a shorter way of saying what MeekGee said:

My question was - what are the alternatives?

The distance they can cover in the next two years is fixed.  The route is pretty much agreed on.

Should they drill and take more samples just because if the wheels die early, at least the magazine would be spent, so to speak?

What they are saying is - they'll drill and sample according to the scientific worth of the terrain, and that's the best they can do.  If they wheels last long enough, then at least they'll have more samples to take.

But wasting them early actually sounds a bit panicky to me.  Imagine the red faces if the wheels do hold, but they're out of ammo since they wanted to look good?

The truth of the matter is that there's criticism and praise, and that's just the way it goes.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 09/25/2014 11:58 pm
09.25.2014
Source: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
NASA Rover Drill Pulls First Taste From Mars Mountain


NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has collected its first taste of the layered mountain whose scientific allure drew the mission to choose this part of Mars as a landing site.
Late Wednesday, Sept. 24, the rover's hammering drill chewed about 2.6 inches (6.7 centimeters) deep into a basal-layer outcrop on Mount Sharp and collected a powdered-rock sample. Data and images received early Thursday at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, confirmed success of this operation. The powder collected by the drilling is temporarily held within the sample-handling mechanism on the rover's arm.

"This drilling target is at the lowest part of the base layer of the mountain, and from here we plan to examine the higher, younger layers exposed in the nearby hills," said Curiosity Deputy Project Scientist Ashwin Vasavada of JPL. "This first look at rocks we believe to underlie Mount Sharp is exciting because it will begin to form a picture of the environment at the time the mountain formed, and what led to its growth."

After landing on Mars in August 2012 but before beginning the drive toward Mount Sharp, Curiosity spent much of the mission's first year productively studying an area much closer to the landing site, but in the opposite direction. The mission accomplished its science goals in that Yellowknife Bay area. Analysis of drilled rocks there disclosed an ancient lakebed environment that, more than three billion years ago, offered ingredients and a chemical energy gradient favorable for microbes, if any existed there.

From Yellowknife Bay to the base of Mount Sharp, Curiosity drove more than 5 miles (8 kilometers) in about 15 months, with pauses at a few science waypoints. The emphasis in mission operations has now changed from drive, drive, drive to systematic layer-by-layer investigation.

"We're putting on the brakes to study this amazing mountain," said Curiosity Deputy Project Manager Jennifer Trosper of JPL. "Curiosity flew hundreds of millions of miles to do this."

Curiosity arrived Sept. 19 at an outcrop called "Pahrump Hills," which is a section of the mountain's basal geological unit, called the Murray formation. Three days later, the rover completed a "mini-drill" procedure at the selected drilling target, "Confidence Hills," to assess the target rock's suitability for drilling. A mini-drill activity last month determined that a rock slab under consideration then was not stable enough for full drilling, but Confidence Hills passed this test.
The rock is softer than any of the previous three targets where Curiosity has collected a drilled sample for analysis.

Between the mini-drill test and the sample-collection drilling, researchers used tools on Curiosity's mast and robotic arm for close-up inspection of geometrically distinctive features on the nearby surface of the rock.

These features on the Murray formation mudstones are the accumulations of resistant materials. They occur both as discrete clusters and as dendrites, where forms are arranged in tree-like branching. By investigating the shapes and chemical ingredients in these features, the team hopes to gain information about the possible composition of fluids at this Martian location long ago.

The next step will be to deliver the rock-powder sample into a scoop on the rover's arm. In the open scoop, the powder's texture can be observed for an assessment of whether it is safe for further sieving, portioning and delivery into Curiosity's internal laboratory instruments without clogging hardware. The instruments can perform many types of analysis to identify chemistry and mineralogy of the source rock.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1720
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 09/25/2014 11:59 pm
Resistant Features in 'Pahrump Hills' Outcrop
 
This image from the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) camera on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover shows an example of a type of geometrically distinctive feature that researchers are examining at a mudstone outcrop at the base of Mount Sharp.

These features on the "Pahrump Hills" outcrop are accumulations of erosion-resistant materials. Similar-appearing features on Earth form when shallow bodies of water begin to evaporate and minerals precipitate from the concentrated brines.

The width of the image covers about nine-tenths of an inch (2.2 centimeters) of the rock surface. This is a merged-focus image product combining information from multiple MAHLI images taken on Sept. 23, 2014, during the 758th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity's work on Mars.

MAHLI was built by Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, Washington. JPL designed and built the project's Curiosity rover.

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

 http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/images/?ImageID=6615
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 09/26/2014 01:14 am
Resistant Features in 'Pahrump Hills' Outcrop
 
This image from the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) camera on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover shows an example of a type of geometrically distinctive feature that researchers are examining at a mudstone outcrop at the base of Mount Sharp.

These features on the "Pahrump Hills" outcrop are accumulations of erosion-resistant materials. Similar-appearing features on Earth form when shallow bodies of water begin to evaporate and minerals precipitate from the concentrated brines.

The width of the image covers about nine-tenths of an inch (2.2 centimeters) of the rock surface. This is a merged-focus image product combining information from multiple MAHLI images taken on Sept. 23, 2014, during the 758th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity's work on Mars.

Very interesting image.  I suspect the lumpy bits are remnants of an upper bed now largely removed by erosion.  The lumpiness would reflect either large crystals or  concretions.  Whether or not these are evaporite minerals will have to wait until we have XRD data.  A bif gap in Curiosity's science suite is the ability to determine minerals by remote sensing or contact instruments (the MERs had the Mossabuer and TES to do this, neither are now operational on Opportunity)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 10/02/2014 10:20 pm
10.02.2014
Source: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Mars Rover Technology Adapted to Detect Gas Leaks

Curiosity: Robot Geologist and Chemist in One!

In this picture, the rover examines a rock on Mars with a set of tools at the end of the rover's arm, which extends about 7 feet (2 meters).

In collaboration with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) announced that it is testing state-of-the-art technology adapted from NASA’s Mars rover program. Originally designed to find methane on the Red Planet, this laser-based technology is lightweight and has superior sensitivity to methane, a major component of natural gas. The technology applied back on Earth helps guide PG&E crews using a tablet interface to identify possible leak locations, fast-tracking their ability to repair gas leaks.
“Our pursuit of this technology is evidence of our commitment to our mission of becoming the safest, most reliable utility in the country. We are using out-of-this-world technology to find and fix even the smallest leaks in our system. By investing in innovation today, we are helping build a positive energy future,” said Nick Stavropoulos, PG&E’s executive vice president of gas operations.

On Sept. 29, a new law, SB 1371, required the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to open a proceeding to adopt rules and procedures that minimize natural gas leaks from gas pipelines, with the goal of reducing emissions of greenhouse gases, such as methane.

The hand-held device is the latest piece of advanced leak detection technology being embraced by the utility and is expected to be available for use in 2015. The development of this tool is part of a collaborative research effort at Pipeline Research Council International (PRCI).

"It’s rewarding to be involved in projects that translate JPL technological capabilities to meet industry needs, technologies which ultimately should help enhance safety and reliability. PG&E’s role as a collaborator with JPL on our PRCI-funded effort is essential to efficiently adapt the JPL methane sensor into a field-ready hand-held leak detection system,” said Andrew Aubrey, JPL technologist.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric utilities in the United States. Based in San Francisco, with more than 20,000 employees, the company delivers some of the nation’s cleanest energy to nearly 16 million people in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit
www.pge.com

and

http://www.pge.com/about/newsroom/


http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1722
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 10/03/2014 09:52 pm
10.02.2014
Source: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Mars Rover Technology Adapted to Detect Gas Leaks

Curiosity: Robot Geologist and Chemist in One!


Sigh.  Why do people write such drivel (not you Robert!)

It's not a robot chemist or geologist.  Of itself Curiosity can't do anything.  The chemists and geologists are all back on Earth, using a sophisticated piece of automated kit remotely.  It makes as much sense to call my programmable microwave a robot chef.

This sort nonsense is downright harmful as it raises false expectations of unmanned missions and denigrates human achievement.  I don't know whether it is deliberate or unconscious, but it is sure as annoying as hell. 
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bob Shaw on 10/03/2014 10:08 pm
Er... ...anybody considered that if Mt Sharp is indeed a sort of loose consolidation of aelioan deposits then it probably is going to be a bit less hard on the wheels than the base of the crater, where even the fluvial deposits don't appear to have been *extremely* rounded off? Of course, there *are* other interpretations of Mt Sharp...
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: NovaSilisko on 10/03/2014 10:12 pm
This sort nonsense is downright harmful as it raises false expectations of unmanned missions and denigrates human achievement.  I don't know whether it is deliberate or unconscious, but it is sure as annoying as hell.

On a semi-related note, the frequent focus on spin-offs kind of bothers me. It seems to me like it encourages a mindset of only caring about spaceflight if it does something directly beneficial to everyday life, as opposed to just for the sake of exploration or an increase of knowledge...
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 10/04/2014 06:22 am
Er... ...anybody considered that if Mt Sharp is indeed a sort of loose consolidation of aelioan deposits then it probably is going to be a bit less hard on the wheels than the base of the crater, where even the fluvial deposits don't appear to have been *extremely* rounded off? Of course, there *are* other interpretations of Mt Sharp...

if it was a loose consolidation it wouldn't be a mountain ;)

The sulphate-dominated parts may well be softer, as may be the clay-rich units.  On the other hand, haematitic units could be quite hard and, if there are silica deposits in with the clays these could be bad news also.  We don't know.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 10/04/2014 08:27 am

This sort nonsense is downright harmful as it raises false expectations of unmanned missions and denigrates human achievement.  I don't know whether it is deliberate or unconscious, but it is sure as annoying as hell.

On a semi-related note, the frequent focus on spin-offs kind of bothers me. It seems to me like it encourages a mindset of only caring about spaceflight if it does something directly beneficial to everyday life, as opposed to just for the sake of exploration or an increase of knowledge...

It's the standard way of defending spending on projects like this in the media. Mind you I can kind of see why it is considering you often see people ask well what practical use is this.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 10/09/2014 10:47 pm
10.08.2014
Source: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
NASA Prepares its Science Fleet for Oct. 19 Mars Comet Encounter

NASA's extensive fleet of science assets, particularly those orbiting and roving Mars, have front row seats to image and study a once-in-a-lifetime comet flyby on Sunday, Oct. 19.
Comet C/2013 A1, also known as comet Siding Spring, will pass within about 87,000 miles (139,500 kilometers) of the Red Planet -- less than half the distance between Earth and our moon and less than one-tenth the distance of any known comet flyby of Earth.

Siding Spring's nucleus will come closest to Mars around 11:27 a.m. PDT (2:27 p.m. EDT), hurtling at about 126,000 mph (56 kilometers per second). This proximity will provide an unprecedented opportunity for researchers to gather data on both the comet and its effect on the Martian atmosphere.
"This is a cosmic science gift that could potentially keep on giving, and the agency's diverse science missions will be in full receive mode," said John Grunsfeld, astronaut and associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. "This particular comet has never before entered the inner solar system, so it will provide a fresh source of clues to our solar system's earliest days."

Siding Spring came from the Oort Cloud, a spherical region of space surrounding our sun and occupying space at a distance between 5,000 and 100,000 astronomical units. It is a giant swarm of icy objects believed to be material left over from the formation of the solar system.

Siding Spring will be the first comet from the Oort Cloud to be studied up close by spacecraft, giving scientists an invaluable opportunity to learn more about the materials, including water and carbon compounds, that existed during the formation of the solar system 4.6 billion years ago.

Some of the best and most revealing images and science data will come from assets orbiting and roving the surface of Mars. In preparation for the comet flyby, NASA maneuvered its Mars Odyssey orbiter, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, and the newest member of the Mars fleet, Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN), in order to reduce the risk of impact with high-velocity dust particles coming off the comet.

The period of greatest risk to orbiting spacecraft will start about 90 minutes after the closest approach of the comet's nucleus and will last about 20 minutes, when Mars will come closest to the center of the widening trail of dust flying from the nucleus.

"The hazard is not an impact of the comet nucleus itself, but the trail of debris coming from it. Using constraints provided by Earth-based observations, the modeling results indicate that the hazard is not as great as first anticipated. Mars will be right at the edge of the debris cloud, so it might encounter some of the particles -- or it might not," said Rich Zurek, chief scientist for the Mars Exploration Program at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

The atmosphere of Mars, though much thinner that Earth's, will shield NASA Mars rovers Opportunity and Curiosity from comet dust, if any reaches the planet. Both rovers are scheduled to make observations of the comet.

NASA's Mars orbiters will gather information before, during and after the flyby about the size, rotation and activity of the comet's nucleus, the variability and gas composition of the coma around the nucleus, and the size and distribution of dust particles in the comet's tail.

Observations of the Martian atmosphere are designed to check for possible meteor trails, changes in distribution of neutral and charged particles, and effects of the comet on air temperature and clouds. MAVEN will have a particularly good opportunity to study the comet, and how its tenuous atmosphere, or coma, interacts with Mars' upper atmosphere.

Earth-based and space telescopes, including NASA's iconic Hubble Space Telescope, also will be in position to observe the unique celestial object. The agency's astrophysics space observatories -- Kepler, Swift, Spitzer, Chandra -- and the ground-based Infrared Telescope Facility on Mauna Kea, Hawaii -- also will be tracking the event.
NASA's asteroid hunter, the Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE), has been imaging, and will continue to image, the comet as part of its operations. And the agency's two Heliophysics spacecraft, Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory (STEREO) and Solar and Heliophysics Observatory (SOHO), also will image the comet. The agency's Balloon Observation Platform for Planetary Science (BOPPS), a sub-orbital balloon-carried telescope, already has provided observations of the comet in the lead-up to the close encounter with Mars.

Images and updates will be posted online before and after the comet flyby. Several pre-flyby images of Siding Spring, as well as information about the comet and NASA's planned observations of the event, are available online at:

http://mars.nasa.gov/comets/sidingspring
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 11/06/2014 12:27 am
Finally! An update!

11.04.2014
Source: Jet Propulsion Laboratory

NASA's Curiosity Mars Rover Finds Mineral Match

Reddish rock powder from the first hole drilled into a Martian mountain by NASA's Curiosity rover has yielded the mission's first confirmation of a mineral mapped from orbit.
"This connects us with the mineral identifications from orbit, which can now help guide our investigations as we climb the slope and test hypotheses derived from the orbital mapping," said Curiosity Project Scientist John Grotzinger, of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

Curiosity collected the powder by drilling into a rock outcrop at the base of Mount Sharp in late September. The robotic arm delivered a pinch of the sample to the Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) instrument inside the rover. This sample, from a target called "Confidence Hills" within the "Pahrump Hills" outcrop, contained much more hematite than any rock or soil sample previously analyzed by CheMin during the two-year-old mission. Hematite is an iron-oxide mineral that gives clues about ancient environmental conditions from when it formed.
In observations reported in 2010, before selection of Curiosity's landing site, a mineral-mapping instrument on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter provided evidence of hematite in the geological unit that includes the Pahrump Hills outcrop. The landing site is inside Gale Crater, an impact basin about 96 miles (154 kilometers) in diameter with the layered Mount Sharp rising about three miles (five kilometers) high in the center.

"We've reached the part of the crater where we have the mineralogical information that was important in selection of Gale Crater as the landing site," said Ralph Milliken of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island. He is a member of Curiosity's science team and was lead author of that 2010 report in Geophysical Research Letters identifying minerals based on observations of lower Mount Sharp by the orbiter's Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM). "We're now on a path where the orbital data can help us predict what minerals we'll find and make good choices about where to drill. Analyses like these will help us place rover-scale observations into the broader geologic history of Gale that we see from orbital data."

Much of Curiosity's first year on Mars was spent investigating outcrops in a low area of Gale Crater called "Yellowknife Bay," near the spot where the rover landed. The rover found an ancient lakebed. Rocks there held evidence of wet environmental conditions billions of years ago that offered ingredients and an energy source favorable for microbial life, if Mars ever had microbes. Clay minerals of interest in those rocks at Yellowknife Bay had not been detected from orbit, possibly due to dust coatings that interfere with CRISM's view of them.

The rover spent much of the mission's second year driving from Yellowknife Bay to the base of Mount Sharp. The hematite found in the first sample from the mountain tells about environmental conditions different from the conditions recorded in the rocks of Yellowknife Bay. The rock material interacted with water and atmosphere to become more oxidized.
The rocks analyzed earlier also contain iron-oxide minerals, mostly magnetite. One way to form hematite is to put magnetite in oxidizing conditions. The latest sample has about eight percent hematite and four percent magnetite. The drilled rocks at Yellowknife Bay and on the way to Mount Sharp contain at most about one percent hematite and much higher amounts of magnetite.

"There's more oxidation involved in the new sample," said CheMin Deputy Principal Investigator David Vaniman of the Planetary Science Institute in Tucson, Arizona.

The sample is only partially oxidized, and preservation of magnetite and olivine indicates a gradient of oxidation levels. That gradient could have provided a chemical energy source for microbes.

The Pahrump HIlls outcrop includes multiple layers uphill from its lowest layer, where the Confidence Hills sample was drilled. The layers vary in texture and may also vary in concentrations of hematite and other minerals. The rover team is now using Curiosity to survey the outcrop and assess possible targets for close inspection and drilling.

The mission may spend weeks to months at Pahrump Hills before proceeding farther up the stack of geological layers forming Mount Sharp. Those higher layers include an erosion-resistant band of rock higher on Mount Sharp with such a strong orbital signature of hematite, it is called "Hematite Ridge." The target drilled at Pahrump Hills is much softer and more deeply eroded than Hematite Ridge.
Another NASA Mars rover, Opportunity, made a key discovery of hematite-rich spherules on a different part of Mars in 2004. That finding was important as evidence of a water-soaked history that produced those mineral concretions. The form of hematite at Pahrump Hills is different and is most important as a clue about oxidation conditions. Plenty of other evidence in Gale Crater has testified to the ancient presence of water.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1746
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 11/13/2014 10:06 pm
11.10.2014
Source: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Newest NASA Mars Orbiter Demonstrates Relay Prowess

The newest node in NASA's Mars telecommunications network -- a radio aboard the MAVEN orbiter custom-designed for data links with robots on the surface of Mars -- handled a copious 550 megabits during its first relay of real Mars data.

MAVEN's Electra UHF radio received the transmission from NASA's Curiosity Mars rover on Nov. 6, using an adaptive data rate as the orbiter passed through the sky over the rover. The data that MAVEN relayed to NASA's Deep Space Network of large dish antennas on Earth included several images of terrain that Curiosity has been examining at the base of Mars' Mount Sharp. The test also included relaying data to Curiosity from Earth via MAVEN.

MAVEN (for Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN) entered orbit around Mars on Sept. 21. The orbiter is finishing a commissioning phase -- including calibration of its science instruments and fine tuning of its orbit -- before its prime science phase starts. MAVEN will investigate the upper atmosphere of Mars to provide understanding about processes that led to the loss of much of the original Martian atmosphere.

Two older NASA orbiters, Mars Odyssey and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, currently provide data relay for NASA's two active Mars rovers while also continuing to study Mars. Using relay via orbiters, compared with the rovers' capability to transmit directly to Earth, greatly increases science data return from the Martian surface.

MAVEN will be available during its prime science mission to provide relay services if issues arise with the other orbiters, and it may routinely provide relay support during an anticipated extended mission.

The Electra design is also on UHF radios aboard Curiosity and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. It includes relay-enhancing features such as the ability to automatically adjust data rate to signal strength as the distance to the rover changes during the orbiter's overflight. MAVEN's orbit is more elongated than the orbits of either Mars Odyssey or Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. During the Nov. 6 test, MAVEN's distance from Curiosity ranged from about 680 miles to 2,300 miles (1,110 to 3,700 kilometers), farther than is typical in communication sessions between the Curiosity rover and the other orbiters.

MAVEN's principal investigator is based at the University of Colorado's Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, and NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the MAVEN project. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, supplied and operates MAVEN's Electra payload and provides Deep Space Network support for the mission.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1750
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 11/18/2014 11:56 pm
Second Time Through, Mars Rover Examines Chosen Rocks

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=4378

Quote
NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has returned to the bottom of a three-story-slope to conduct close-up examinations of targets identified by an initial scouting climb.

Photo Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 11/19/2014 12:09 am
11.18.2014
Source: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Second Time Through, Mars Rover Examines Chosen Rocks

NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has returned to the bottom of a three-story-slope to conduct close-up examinations of targets identified by an initial scouting climb.


NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has completed a reconnaissance "walkabout" of the first outcrop it reached at the base of the mission's destination mountain and has begun a second pass examining selected rocks in the outcrop in more detail.

Exposed layers on the lower portion of Mount Sharp are expected to hold evidence about dramatic changes in the environmental evolution of Mars. That was a major reason NASA chose this area of Mars for this mission. The lowermost of these slices of time ascending the mountain includes a pale outcrop called "Pahrump Hills." It bears layers of diverse textures that the mission has been studying since Curiosity acquired a drilled sample from the outcrop in September.

In its first pass up this outcrop, Curiosity drove about 360 feet (110 meters), and scouted sites ranging about 30 feet (9 meters) in elevation. It evaluated potential study targets from a distance with mast-mounted cameras and a laser-firing spectrometer.

"We see a diversity of textures in this outcrop -- some parts finely layered and fine-grained, others more blocky with erosion-resistant ledges," said Curiosity Deputy Project Scientist Ashwin Vasavada of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California. "Overlaid on that structure are compositional variations. Some of those variations were detected with our spectrometer. Others show themselves as apparent differences in cementation or as mineral veins. There's a lot to study here."

During a second pass up the outrcrop, the mission is using a close-up camera and spectrometer on the rover's arm to examine selected targets in more detail. The second-pass findings will feed into decisions about whether to drill into some target rocks during a third pass, to collect sample material for onboard laboratory analysis.

"The variations we've seen so far tell us that the environment was changing over time, both as the sediments were laid down and also after they hardened into bedrock," Vasavada said. "We have selected targets that we think give us the best chance of answering questions about how the sediments were deposited -- in standing water? flowing water? sand blowing in the wind? -- and about the composition during deposition and later changes."

The first target in the second pass is called "Pelona," a fine-grained, finely layered rock close to the September drilling target at the base of Pahrump Hills outcrop. The second is a more erosion-resistant ledge called "Pink Cliffs."

Before examining Pelona, researchers used Curiosity's wheels as a tool to expose a cross section of a nearby windblown ripple of dust and sand. One motive for this experiment was to learn why some ripples that Curiosity drove into earlier this year were more difficult to cross than anticipated.

While using the rover to investigate targets in Pahrump Hills, the rover team is also developing a work-around for possible loss of use of a device used for focusing the telescope on Curiosity's Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) instrument, the laser-firing spectrometer.

Diagnostic data from ChemCam suggest weakening of the instrument's smaller laser. This is a continuous wave laser used for focusing the telescope before the more powerful laser is fired. The main laser induces a spark on the target it hits; light from the spark is received though the telescope and analyzed with spectrometers to identify chemical elements in the target. If the smaller laser has become too weak to continue using, the ChemCam team plans to test an alternative method: firing a few shots from the main laser while focusing the telescope, before performing the analysis. This would take advantage of more than 2,000 autofocus sequences ChemCam has completed on Mars, providing calibration points for the new procedure.

Curiosity landed on Mars in August 2012, but before beginning the drive toward Mount Sharp, the rover spent much of the mission's first year productively studying an area much closer to the landing site, but in the opposite direction. The mission accomplished its science goals in that Yellowknife Bay area. Analysis of drilled rocks there disclosed an ancient lakebed environment that, more than three billion years ago, offered ingredients and a chemical energy gradient favorable for microbes, if any existed there.

Curiosity spent its second year driving more than 5 miles (8 kilometers) from Yellowknife Bay to the base of Mount Sharp, with pauses at a few science waypoints.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1753
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 12/03/2014 11:22 pm
NASA to Hold Dec. 8 Media Teleconference on Mars Rover Curiosity Observations

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=4396

NASA will host a media teleconference at 9 a.m. PST (noon EST) Monday, Dec. 8, to discuss geological observations made by NASA's Mars rover Curiosity.

Teleconference participants will be:

-- Michael Meyer, Mars Exploration Program lead scientist at NASA Headquarters in Washington

-- Sanjeev Gupta, Curiosity science team member at Imperial College in London

-- John Grotzinger, Curiosity project scientist at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California

-- Ashwin Vasavada, Curiosity deputy project scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena

Curiosity landed on Mars in 2012 in a crater 96 miles (154 kilometers) in diameter, dubbed Gale Crater. Researchers have since been using the rover to investigate the Red Planet to determine current environmental conditions and hunt for clues about the environments of ancient Mars. The rover currently is examining geological layers at the base of a layered mountain in the middle of the crater.

Audio of the teleconference will be streamed live at:

http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio

Visuals for the teleconference will be posted at the start of the event at:

http://go.nasa.gov/curiositytelecon

The teleconference and visuals will be streamed together at:

http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl

For information about NASA's Curiosity rover mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/msl

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 12/05/2014 08:17 pm
NASA to Hold Dec. 8 Media Teleconference on Mars Rover Curiosity Observations

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=4396

NASA will host a media teleconference at 9 a.m. PST (noon EST) Monday, Dec. 8, to discuss geological observations made by NASA's Mars rover Curiosity.

Teleconference participants will be:

-- Michael Meyer, Mars Exploration Program lead scientist at NASA Headquarters in Washington

-- Sanjeev Gupta, Curiosity science team member at Imperial College in London

-- John Grotzinger, Curiosity project scientist at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California

-- Ashwin Vasavada, Curiosity deputy project scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena

Curiosity landed on Mars in 2012 in a crater 96 miles (154 kilometers) in diameter, dubbed Gale Crater. Researchers have since been using the rover to investigate the Red Planet to determine current environmental conditions and hunt for clues about the environments of ancient Mars. The rover currently is examining geological layers at the base of a layered mountain in the middle of the crater.

Audio of the teleconference will be streamed live at:

http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio

Visuals for the teleconference will be posted at the start of the event at:

http://go.nasa.gov/curiositytelecon

The teleconference and visuals will be streamed together at:

http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl

For information about NASA's Curiosity rover mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/msl

Given the make up of the team present (Mars program lead, Curosity PS, Deputy PSI and Long Term Planner)  I would guess the conference is about where they go next.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 12/05/2014 08:33 pm
11.18.2014
Source: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Second Time Through, Mars Rover Examines Chosen Rocks

NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has returned to the bottom of a three-story-slope to conduct close-up examinations of targets identified by an initial scouting climb.....

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1753

Given the complexity of the outcrop I find it surprising they didn't do the drive round before collecting the sample.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 12/08/2014 09:01 pm
December 8, 2014

RELEASE 14-326
NASA’s Curiosity Rover Finds Clues to How Water Helped Shape Martian Landscape

Observations by NASA’s Curiosity Rover indicate Mars' Mount Sharp was built by sediments deposited in a large lake bed over tens of millions of years.

This interpretation of Curiosity’s finds in Gale Crater suggests ancient Mars maintained a climate that could have produced long-lasting lakes at many locations on the Red Planet.

"If our hypothesis for Mount Sharp holds up, it challenges the notion that warm and wet conditions were transient, local, or only underground on Mars,” said Ashwin Vasavada, Curiosity deputy project scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. “A more radical explanation is that Mars' ancient, thicker atmosphere raised temperatures above freezing globally, but so far we don't know how the atmosphere did that."

Why this layered mountain sits in a crater has been a challenging question for researchers. Mount Sharp stands about 3 miles (5 kilometers) tall, its lower flanks exposing hundreds of rock layers. The rock layers – alternating between lake, river and wind deposits -- bear witness to the repeated filling and evaporation of a Martian lake much larger and longer-lasting than any previously examined close-up.

"We are making headway in solving the mystery of Mount Sharp," said Curiosity Project Scientist John Grotzinger of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California. "Where there's now a mountain, there may have once been a series of lakes."

Curiosity currently is investigating the lowest sedimentary layers of Mount Sharp, a section of rock 500 feet (150 meters) high dubbed the Murray formation. Rivers carried sand and silt to the lake, depositing the sediments at the mouth of the river to form deltas similar to those found at river mouths on Earth. This cycle occurred over and over again.

"The great thing about a lake that occurs repeatedly, over and over, is that each time it comes back it is another experiment to tell you how the environment works," Grotzinger said. "As Curiosity climbs higher on Mount Sharp, we will have a series of experiments to show patterns in how the atmosphere and the water and the sediments interact. We may see how the chemistry changed in the lakes over time. This is a hypothesis supported by what we have observed so far, providing a framework for testing in the coming year."

After the crater filled to a height of at least a few hundred yards and the sediments hardened into rock, the accumulated layers of sediment were sculpted over time into a mountainous shape by wind erosion that carved away the material between the crater perimeter and what is now the edge of the mountain.

On the 5-mile (8-kilometer) journey from Curiosity’s 2012 landing site to its current work site at the base of Mount Sharp, the rover uncovered clues about the changing shape of the crater floor during the era of lakes.

"We found sedimentary rocks suggestive of small, ancient deltas stacked on top of one another," said Curiosity science team member Sanjeev Gupta of Imperial College in London. "Curiosity crossed a boundary from an environment dominated by rivers to an environment dominated by lakes."

Despite earlier evidence from several Mars missions that pointed to wet environments on ancient Mars, modeling of the ancient climate has yet to identify the conditions that could have produced long periods warm enough for stable water on the surface.

NASA's Mars Science Laboratory Project uses Curiosity to assess ancient, potentially habitable environments and the significant changes the Martian environment has experienced over millions of years. This project is one element of NASA's ongoing Mars research and preparation for a human mission to the planet in the 2030s.

"Knowledge we're gaining about Mars' environmental evolution by deciphering how Mount Sharp formed will also help guide plans for future missions to seek signs of Martian life," said Michael Meyer, lead scientist for NASA's Mars Exploration Program at the agency's headquarters in Washington.


http://www.nasa.gov/press/2014/december/nasa-s-curiosity-rover-finds-clues-to-how-water-helped-shape-martian-landscape/
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 12/08/2014 09:05 pm
video link to higher quality videos:
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/videos/

(low quality attached)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 12/08/2014 10:20 pm
Curiosity Rover Report: The Making of Mount Sharp (Dec. 8, 2014)

Published on Dec 8, 2014
Layers of intrigue: See how a Martian mountain inside of a crater came to be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oS99yR1cooE
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 12/08/2014 11:49 pm
Data trumps modelling every time.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: John44 on 12/09/2014 12:57 pm
NASA Teleconference - Mars Rover Curiosity Observations December 8
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9205
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 12/10/2014 10:32 pm
It will be great when this is published.  So far nothing from Kimberly has been or is listed as being in press.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: eeergo on 12/16/2014 07:06 pm
Unexpected 10x spike in methane levels:

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=4413
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 12/16/2014 07:30 pm
It's so frustrating that they can't tell if it's the type of Methane that you would expect to see produced by biology as there just isn't enough of it being detected for Curiosity to analysis it.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 12/16/2014 08:03 pm
This is a a major development, probably the biggest science discovery of the mission so far. Possibly of any surface mission to Mars.

There is significant methane activity at specific locations and/or times. This result is peer reviewed.

There is also confirmed detection of organics at Cumberland, publication is pending.

If Viking had made these discoveries the opinion would likely to have been that it had detected life on Mars.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 12/16/2014 08:04 pm
It's so frustrating that they can't tell if it's the type of Methane that you would expect to see produced by biology as there just isn't enough of it being detected for Curiosity to analysis it.
It's important to remember that even if they could measure the isotope ratios, it wouldn't be definitive. Also, they will attempt to measure them if there is a big enough spike.

The webcast of the AGU press conference can be replayed at http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/56542721

The methane result is a nice surprise (to me anyway). My money was on the earlier detections of time varying methane being spurious.

It's also good news for ISRO's MOM: Assuming MSM is working and sensitive enough, time and regionally varying concentrations of methane give them a chance to make a really significant contribution to Mars science. Up to now it looked like they might just be left with confirming the early null result from MSL (edit: a null result would still have been valuable scientifically of course, but far less exciting.)

edit:
The science papers are available from http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/mission/science/researchpapers/

Some nice background articles
Lee Billings on sciam http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/nasa-rover-finds-mysterious-methane-emissions-on-mars/

Mars scientist Nicholas Heavens blog http://dawninhampton.blogspot.com/2014/12/like-bad-penny-methane-on-mars.html
Title: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 12/16/2014 08:37 pm
I wonder if this will in any way influence which landing site of the four remaining candidates they pick for the ExoMars rover.

I know that it can't go near Gale crater as it cannot land with enough precision for such a site not too be to dangerous for it.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: RotoSequence on 12/16/2014 09:33 pm
Now that an active methane source is confirmed to exist on Mars, where do we go from here?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 12/16/2014 10:19 pm
Now that an active methane source is confirmed to exist on Mars, where do we go from here?
Wait for ExoMars to reach the planet.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: TomH on 12/16/2014 10:29 pm
Methane spike as reported in Science:

http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2014/12/15/science.1261713
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 12/16/2014 10:43 pm


The team responsible for the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument suite on NASA's Curiosity rover has made the first definitive detection of organic molecules at Mars. Organic molecules are the building blocks of all known forms of terrestrial life, and consist of a wide variety of molecules made primarily of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. However, organic molecules can also be made by chemical reactions that don't involve life, and there is not enough evidence to tell if the matter found by the team came from ancient Martian life or from a non-biological process. Examples of non-biological sources include chemical reactions in water at ancient Martian hot springs or delivery of organic material to Mars by interplanetary dust or fragments of asteroids and comets.
The surface of Mars is currently inhospitable to life as we know it, but there is evidence that the Red Planet once had a climate that could have supported life billions of years ago. For example, features resembling dry riverbeds and minerals that only form in the presence of liquid water have been discovered on the Martian surface. The Curiosity rover with its suite of instruments including SAM was sent to Mars in 2011 to discover more about the ancient habitable Martian environment by examining clues in the chemistry of rocks and the atmosphere.

The organic molecules found by the team were in a drilled sample of the Sheepbed mudstone in Gale crater, the landing site for the Curiosity rover. Scientists think the crater was once the site of a lake billions of years ago, and rocks like mudstone formed from sediment in the lake. Moreover, this mudstone was found to contain 20 percent smectite clays. On Earth, such clays are known to provide high surface area and optimal interlayer sites for the concentration and preservation of organic compounds when rapidly deposited under reducing chemical conditions.

While the team can't conclude that there was life at Gale crater, the discovery shows that the ancient environment offered a supply of reduced organic molecules for use as building blocks for life and an energy source for life. Curiosity's earlier analysis of this same mudstone revealed that the environment offered water and chemical elements essential for life and a different chemical energy source.

"We think life began on Earth around 3.8 billion years ago, and our result shows that places on Mars had the same conditions at that time - liquid water, a warm environment, and organic matter," said Caroline Freissinet of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. "So if life emerged on Earth in these conditions, why not on Mars as well?" Freissinet is lead author of a paper on this research submitted to the Journal of Geophysical Research-Planets.

The organic molecules found by the team also have chlorine atoms, and include chlorobenzene and several dichloroalkanes, such as dichloroethane, dichloropropane and dichlorobutane. Chlorobenzene is the most abundant with concentrations between 150 and 300 parts-per-billion. Chlorobenzene is not a naturally occurring compound on Earth. It is used in the manufacturing process for pesticides (insecticide DDT), herbicides, adhesives, paints and rubber. Dichloropropane is used as an industrial solvent to make paint strippers, varnishes and furniture finish removers, and is classified as a carcinogen.

It's possible that these chlorine-containing organic molecules were present as such in the mudstone. However, according to the team, it's more likely that a different suite of precursor organic molecules was in the mudstone, and that the chlorinated organics formed from reactions inside the SAM instrument as the sample was heated for analysis. Perchlorates (a chlorine atom bound to four oxygen atoms) are abundant on the surface of Mars. It's possible that as the sample was heated, chlorine from perchlorate combined with fragments from precursor organic molecules in the mudstone to produce the chlorinated organic molecules detected by SAM.
In 1976, the Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer instrument on NASA's Viking landers detected two simple chlorinated hydrocarbons after heating Martian soils for analysis (chloromethane and dichloromethane). However they were not able to rule out that the compounds were derived from the instrument itself, according to the team. While sources within the SAM instrument also produce chlorinated hydrocarbons, they don't make more than 22 parts-per-billion of chlorobenzene, far below the amounts detected in the mudstone sample, giving the team confidence that organic molecules really are present on Mars.

The SAM instrument suite was built at NASA Goddard with significant elements provided by industry, university, and national and international NASA partners.

For this analysis, the Curiosity rover sample acquisition system drilled into a mudstone and filtered fine particles of it through a sieve, then delivered a portion of the sample to the SAM laboratory. SAM detected the compounds using its Evolved Gas Analysis (EGA) mode by heating the sample up to about 875 degrees Celsius (around 1,600 degrees Fahrenheit) and then monitoring the volatiles released from the sample using a quadrupole mass spectrometer, which identifies molecules by their mass using electric fields. SAM also detected and identified the compounds using its Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer (GCMS) mode. In this mode, volatiles are separated by the amount of time they take to travel through a narrow tube (gas chromatography - certain molecules interact with the sides of the tube more readily and thus travel more slowly) and then identified by their signature mass fragments in the mass spectrometer.

The first evidence for elevated levels of chlorobenzene and dichloroalkanes released from the mudstone was obtained on Curiosity Sol 290 (May 30, 2013) with the third analysis of the Cumberland sample at Sheepbed. The team spent over a year carefully analyzing the result, including conducting laboratory experiments with instruments and methods similar to SAM, to be sure that SAM could not be producing the amount of organic material detected.

"The search for organics on Mars has been extremely challenging for the team," said Daniel Glavin of NASA Goddard, a co-author on the paper. "First, we need to identify environments in Gale crater that would have enabled the concentration of organics in sediments. Then they need to survive the conversion of sediment to rock, where pore fluids and dissolved substances may oxidize and destroy organics. Organics can then be destroyed during exposure of rocks at the surface of Mars to intense ionizing radiation and oxidants. Finally, to identify any organic compounds that have survived, we have to deal with oxychlorine compounds and possibly other strong oxidants in the sample which will react with and combust organic compounds to carbon dioxide and chlorinated hydrocarbons when the samples are heated by SAM."

As part of Curiosity's plan for exploration, an important strategic goal was to sample rocks that represent different combinations of the variables thought to control organic preservation. "The SAM and Mars Science Laboratory teams have worked very hard to achieve this result," said John Grotzinger of Caltech, Mars Science Laboratory's Project Scientist. "Only by drilling additional rock samples in different locations, and representing different geologic histories were we able to tease out this result. At the time we first saw evidence of these organic molecules in the Cumberland sample it was uncertain if they were derived from Mars, however, additional drilling has not produced the same compounds as might be predicted for contamination, indicating that the carbon in the detected organic molecules is very likely of Martian origin."

NASA's Mars Science Laboratory Project is using Curiosity to assess ancient habitable environments and major changes in Martian environmental conditions. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, a division of Caltech, built the rover and manages the project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington.

NASA provided support for the development and operation of SAM. SAM-Gas Chromatograph was supported by funds from the French Space Agency (CNES). Individual team members were supported by the NASA Postdoctoral Program and the Mars Science Laboratory Participating Scientist Program. Data from these SAM experiments are archived in the Planetary Data System (pds.nasa.gov).

For images and video, refer to:

http://www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/mars-organic-matter

this article:
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1766

youtube video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UN0Zj4SIz1A

image caption:
The Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) is a powerful set of three instruments onboard the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Curiosity rover that work together to investigate the chemistry of the Martian surface and atmosphere within Gale Crater. Credit: NASA/GSFC
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 12/16/2014 10:44 pm
Now that an active methane source is confirmed to exist on Mars, where do we go from here?

1) Keep monitoring with Curiosity
2) Reexamine old data from MEx and terrestrial telescopes
3) Define MEx, Maven and MOM observation campaigns in the light of the transient and localised nature of the methane.
4) Look forward to the 2016 ExoMars orbiter
5) Consider implcations for the ExoMars and 2020 rover mission, and perhaps the Chinese and Indian rovers as well.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bubbinski on 12/17/2014 01:23 am
Exciting news. 

Could a "Wolf Trap" like instrument (mentioned by Carl Sagan as being left off Viking) be incorporated into the 2020 rover, ExoMars, or some other follow on mission?

Edited to add: could methane detections factor into where these future missions land?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Danderman on 12/17/2014 01:29 am
Could be some sort of outgassing from geological activity.

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: meekGee on 12/17/2014 01:39 am
IIRC there were observations from Earth telescopes that claimed to have detected Methane.

This can be an opportunity, perhaps, to give high priority to a re-observation, so the instruments can be calibrated against each other.

If planetary alignment is favorable, etc.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 12/17/2014 02:10 am
Now that an active methane source is confirmed to exist on Mars, where do we go from here?
One question right now is whether SAM saw was a small release from a nearby source or a larger release further away. The SAM team prefers the former, because if there were large releases, the background would be expected to be higher. OTOH, if the earlier MEx and Earth based detections were real, that argues for larger releases and faster than expected sinks. There's also a camp suggesting that the SAM detections could be Florida air they brought along contamination.

Both MOM MSM and ExoMars trace gas orbiter should be able to map methane occurrence at decent resolution from orbit, which should address those questions.

It's not clear to me what MSM detection limits are. If the ~7pbb SAM detected was a the peak of a very localized event, MSM might not be able to detect it. If they can though, it seems like there's a great opportunity for collaboration: Beyond the value of simultaneous observations, SAM runs are expensive, so being alerted when there was methane in the area would be extremely valuable.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: notsorandom on 12/17/2014 11:12 am

It's not clear to me what MSM detection limits are. If the ~7pbb SAM detected was a the peak of a very localized event, MSM might not be able to detect it. If they can though, it seems like there's a great opportunity for collaboration: Beyond the value of simultaneous observations, SAM runs are expensive, so being alerted when there was methane in the area would be extremely valuable.
The only references I can find for the sensitivity of the MSM instrument is "several ppb".
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 12/17/2014 07:39 pm

It's not clear to me what MSM detection limits are. If the ~7pbb SAM detected was a the peak of a very localized event, MSM might not be able to detect it. If they can though, it seems like there's a great opportunity for collaboration: Beyond the value of simultaneous observations, SAM runs are expensive, so being alerted when there was methane in the area would be extremely valuable.
The only references I can find for the sensitivity of the MSM instrument is "several ppb".

The Webster etal 2014 paper reports background at 0.69 ppb, so detection limits are below that.  An earlier paper (Webster etal 2013) reported no methane detected above instrument limits of 0.18 ppb.

The reported spikes of 7.2 ppb are therefore 40X the detection limit.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 12/17/2014 07:45 pm

It's not clear to me what MSM detection limits are. If the ~7pbb SAM detected was a the peak of a very localized event, MSM might not be able to detect it. If they can though, it seems like there's a great opportunity for collaboration: Beyond the value of simultaneous observations, SAM runs are expensive, so being alerted when there was methane in the area would be extremely valuable.
The only references I can find for the sensitivity of the MSM instrument is "several ppb".

The Webster etal 2014 paper reports background at 0.69 ppb, so detection limits are below that.  An earlier paper (Webster etal 2013) reported no methane detected above instrument limits of 0.18 ppb.

The reported spikes of 7.2 ppb are therefore 40X the detection limit.
That's SAM, my comment was regarding MOM MSM for possible followup and coordinated observations.

Like notsorandom, I've seen stuff saying it's in the several parts per billion range (e.g. http://www.isro.org/mars/payload.aspx), but nothing really specific.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 12/17/2014 07:53 pm
Sorry, misunderstood.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Moe Grills on 12/19/2014 09:16 pm
It's so frustrating that they can't tell if it's the type of Methane that you would expect to see produced by biology as there just isn't enough of it being detected for Curiosity to analysis it.
It's important to remember that even if they could measure the isotope ratios, it wouldn't be definitive. Also, they will attempt to measure them if there is a big enough spike.

The webcast of the AGU press conference can be replayed at http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/56542721

The methane result is a nice surprise (to me anyway). My money was on the earlier detections of time varying methane being spurious.

It's also good news for ISRO's MOM: Assuming MSM is working and sensitive enough, time and regionally varying concentrations of methane give them a chance to make a really significant contribution to Mars science. Up to now it looked like they might just be left with confirming the early null result from MSL (edit: a null result would still have been valuable scientifically of course, but far less exciting.)

edit:
The science papers are available from http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/mission/science/researchpapers/

Some nice background articles
Lee Billings on sciam http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/nasa-rover-finds-mysterious-methane-emissions-on-mars/

Mars scientist Nicholas Heavens blog http://dawninhampton.blogspot.com/2014/12/like-bad-penny-methane-on-mars.html

  OK! The only way to eliminate ambiguity is? Is to send humans to that location on Mars.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 12/19/2014 10:07 pm
It's so frustrating that they can't tell if it's the type of Methane that you would expect to see produced by biology as there just isn't enough of it being detected for Curiosity to analysis it.
It's important to remember that even if they could measure the isotope ratios, it wouldn't be definitive. Also, they will attempt to measure them if there is a big enough spike.

Isotope ratios are generally definitive of biogenic activity.  Not in every case of course, but in most cases.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 12/20/2014 01:36 am
Isotope ratios are generally definitive of biogenic activity.  Not in every case of course, but in most cases.
On Earth, yes. On Mars... there are so many more unknowns it seems like a much harder case to make. It could be strongly suggestive (and super exciting) but calling it proof of life would be going out on a limb.

I've heard the MSL team asked about it a few times (including the recent press conference, ~43 minutes in) and every time they say they wouldn't consider it definitive.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 12/20/2014 08:42 pm
Isotope ratios are generally definitive of biogenic activity.  Not in every case of course, but in most cases.
On Earth, yes. On Mars... there are so many more unknowns it seems like a much harder case to make. It could be strongly suggestive (and super exciting) but calling it proof of life would be going out on a limb.

I've heard the MSL team asked about it a few times (including the recent press conference, ~43 minutes in) and every time they say they wouldn't consider it definitive.

The MSL team are publically hedging their bets and being conservative.  If they really thought that carbon isotopes aren't going to tell us anything, they wouldn't be measuring them, or sending such complex and finicy instruments as mass spectrometers. 

As for the "Mars is different" bit, I disagree. The reason why biogenic processes almost always have a strong negative D13 value is because of basic thermodynamics. Mars does not have unique thermodynamics.  We know that carbon isotopes systems behave the same as those on Earth from studies of organic and inorganic carbon in martian meteorites.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 12/21/2014 01:58 am
If they really thought that carbon isotopes aren't going to tell us anything, they wouldn't be measuring them, or sending such complex and finicy instruments as mass spectrometers.
Errr.. not being definitive is not the same as telling us nothing, and there are plenty of good reasons to send fancy instruments and measure carbon isotopes even if you can't definitively answer that question.
Quote
As for the "Mars is different" bit, I disagree. The reason why biogenic processes almost always have a strong negative D13 value is because of basic thermodynamics.
One problem is knowing the ratio in whatever the methane was made from. Modern Mars atmospheric CO2 is almost certainly enriched with 13C due to atmospheric loss*. Can you tell the difference between biogenic methane produced from relatively modern atmosphere vs ancient aboigenic methane?

An extreme result with a high SNR could point very strongly one way or the other, but there's plenty of room for one that is only suggestive and fits both in the error bars.

* SAM puts the current value at +45, but there is disagreement with other measurements. See attached figure from http://www.sciencemag.org/content/341/6153/1238937
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 12/21/2014 08:12 am
If they really thought that carbon isotopes aren't going to tell us anything, they wouldn't be measuring them, or sending such complex and finicy instruments as mass spectrometers.
Errr.. not being definitive is not the same as telling us nothing, and there are plenty of good reasons to send fancy instruments and measure carbon isotopes even if you can't definitively answer that question.

And the biggest  of those is being able to constrain formative processes of carbon bearing compounds.

Quote
Quote
As for the "Mars is different" bit, I disagree. The reason why biogenic processes almost always have a strong negative D13 value is because of basic thermodynamics.
One problem is knowing the ratio in whatever the methane was made from. Modern Mars atmospheric CO2 is almost certainly enriched with 13C due to atmospheric loss*. Can you tell the difference between biogenic methane produced from relatively modern atmosphere vs ancient aboigenic methane?

We would need enough methane or other organics to do it, but we should be able to.

Mars atmospheric C13 ratios seem to be variable, with values as depleted as -2.5 per million (Phoenix) to +45 to +46 (Curiosity), Viking measured +11 per mill and gas inclusions in Mars meteorites +15 per million.  Terrestrial atmospheric carbon is somewhat lighter and has a smaller range about -4 to -12 per mill.

Inorganic carbon in Mars meteorites is in the range of +25 to +65 per mill, magmatic organic carbon is +16 per mill.  Mantle carbon from Earth is -4 to -11.  Edit:  I am not sure where the light values the Leshin quotes come from.  I will check the sources later today.

Terrestrial biogenic carbon is usually -16 to -50 (sometimes up to -80) per mill.  So biogenic processes on Earth cause a shift of between 5 to 70 per mill.  If this were to happen on Mars using the known inorganic reservoirs we can predict that some, though probably not all martian biogenic organic carbon (if it exists) will show values similar to terrestrial biogenic organic carbon, with values in the -10 to-40 range.

Interestingly, this is what we see.  A recent paper by Lin et al. on the Tissint meteorite, which is probably the closest sample we have to martian regolith suggests that  there is a population of martian organic compounds with values of -10 to -35 per mill, this is very similar toTissint is the closest sample we have to a martian regolith, these biogenic like signatures are almost certainly endogenous, sandwiched between two shock events and containing a deuterium enrichment similar to what we see for other martian materials and very different to terrestrial organics. 

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/JB095iB09p14789/abstract

These values are also distinctive from almost all organic matter in carbonaceous chondrites, which are typically -10 to +40 per mill, with the exception of the insoluble organic component in some.

So while not conclusive (what is?) I think we can be confident that, should there be (or have been) biogenic processes on Mars, then it is possible for least some to  show similar highly depleted DC13 values to terrestrial biogenic carbon.  Certainly we see such values already in Tissint, so Curosity should be able to, if it can get enough organics.  We can't rule out some unusual inorganic process, but it would have to be something very unusual and very different to anything we have seen before.

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 12/21/2014 07:55 pm
We would need enough methane or other organics to do it, but we should be able to.
I would say we might be able to do it, depending on the the actual value of the result.
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Mars atmospheric C13 ratios seem to be variable, with values as depleted as -2.5 per million (Phoenix) to +45 to +46 (Curiosity), Viking measured +11 per mill and gas inclusions in Mars meteorites +15 per million.  Terrestrial atmospheric carbon is somewhat lighter and has a smaller range about -4 to -12 per mill.
(pedantic typo alert: per mil. = ‰ = per thousand.)

It's not clear how much of that variability is real.  The Viking measurements had pretty large error bars.

SAM TLS and QMS results agree very well and should be very accurate, so if I was going to bet, I'd put my money on them, but the disagreement with Phoenix is puzzling. AFAIK that much regional or temporal variation wouldn't really be expected, but OTOH having a significant part of the atmosphere freeze and sublimate every year is outside our normal experience...

A couple of papers on atmosphere isotopes from 2013 discuss some of these issues:
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/341/6143/260
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/341/6143/263

(find full text may be found by googling the titles)

One open question from those is seasonal variation. I'd expect the MSL team to publish atmosphere results for a full Mars year (or more) at some point, but if they have I wasn't able to find it.

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So while not conclusive (what is?) I think we can be confident that, should there be (or have been) biogenic processes on Mars, then it is possible for least some to  show similar highly depleted DC13 values to terrestrial biogenic carbon.
I agree with this completely. The point I was trying to make is that the is a lot of room to be a good, high SNR measurement of the D13C in methane and still get an inconclusive result. You'd only have a strong case if the actual value fairly extreme.

On a different note, a recent, highly speculative paper published in Astrobiology suggests Curiosity may have already seen microbial mats:
http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/ast.2014.1218

I wouldn't bet much on this one, but Noffke is an expert on these structures on Earth, not some random crank.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Moe Grills on 12/24/2014 09:16 pm
Hop? Dalhousie?  Both of you have ignored the NEED for a manned mission to Mars to settle these issues and return protected geo-samples and gas samples for definitive study back here on earth.

Yes there are issues of theoretical contamination on anything returned to earth from Mars.
But don't you think human beings are smart enough to have learned lessons from the ALH8001 controversy?
IMHO I think there was no contamination worth mentioning in those Martian meteorites, but that's another story.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 12/25/2014 11:37 pm
Sorry for the slow response, it’s been like Christmas here ;)

We would need enough methane or other organics to do it, but we should be able to.
I would say we might be able to do it, depending on the actual value of the result.

I can live with that

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Mars atmospheric C13 ratios seem to be variable, with values as depleted as -2.5 per million (Phoenix) to +45 to +46 (Curiosity), Viking measured +11 per mill and gas inclusions in Mars meteorites +15 per million.  Terrestrial atmospheric carbon is somewhat lighter and has a smaller range about -4 to -12 per mill.
(pedantic typo alert: per mil. = ‰ = per thousand.)

It's not clear how much of that variability is real.  The Viking measurements had pretty large error bars.

That’s true, however the Viking values (with errors) overlap thoseof both multiple telescopic measurements and Phoenix.  It’s the Curosity results that stand out.  I have yet to see this properly discussed.

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SAM TLS and QMS results agree very well and should be very accurate, so if I was going to bet, I'd put my money on them, but the disagreement with Phoenix is puzzling. AFAIK that much regional or temporal variation wouldn't really be expected, but OTOH having a significant part of the atmosphere freeze and sublimate every year is outside our normal experience...

I agree, this is very strange.

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A couple of papers on atmosphere isotopes from 2013 discuss some of these issues:
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/341/6143/260
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/341/6143/263

(find full text may be found by googling the titles)


Thanks.  I had already read those papers, however  Mahaffy etal (2013) say they are similar to Viking when they are most clearly not. Webster etal (2013) recognises the differences, and (of course) says Curiosity is more accurate, based on gas inclusions in Mars meteorites.  However the paper cite cites to support this is 30 years old.  My library on gas inclusions in Mars meteorites is rather small, I will look into this in ten days when I can access my work library again.  Bogard etal 92001) mentioned that the impact glass data shows a great range, but does not go into it.

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One open question from those is seasonal variation. I'd expect the MSL team to publish atmosphere results for a full Mars year (or more) at some point, but if they have I wasn't able to find it.

The recent methane paper by Webster et al. covers a Martian year, but I don’t think any isotope measurements of the amosphere have been done with enough frequency to givean annual cycle.

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So while not conclusive (what is?) I think we can be confident that, should there be (or have been) biogenic processes on Mars, then it is possible for least some to  show similar highly depleted DC13 values to terrestrial biogenic carbon.
I agree with this completely. The point I was trying to make is that the is a lot of room to be a good, high SNR measurement of the D13C in methane and still get an inconclusive result. You'd only have a strong case if the actual value fairly extreme.

I agree
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 12/25/2014 11:48 pm
I separated this comment out because it is a different issue.

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On a different note, a recent, highly speculative paper published in Astrobiology suggests Curiosity may have already seen microbial mats:
http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/ast.2014.1218

I wouldn't bet much on this one, but Noffke is an expert on these structures on Earth, not some random crank.

Intriguing, isn’t it? I got the journal alert when this came out, Noffke’s work is of course familiar to me.  It is certainly most interesting, and I can see what she drew the tentative suggestions she did.

The main problem I have is these are just general images, from two years ago, with no follow up at the time.  They are now so far away that no follow up is possible.  The best that can be hoped for is that any future suggestive features of this type will have more attention given to them.

Certainly there are  at least two people on the Curiosity team who are very familiar with microbial features – John Grotzinger and Abby Allwood.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 12/25/2014 11:54 pm
Hop? Dalhousie?  Both of you have ignored the NEED for a manned mission to Mars to settle these issues and return protected geo-samples and gas samples for definitive study back here on earth.

Yes there are issues of theoretical contamination on anything returned to earth from Mars.
But don't you think human beings are smart enough to have learned lessons from the ALH8001 controversy?
IMHO I think there was no contamination worth mentioning in those Martian meteorites, but that's another story.

You are right of course.  I am a strong advocate of crewed missions.  But we have to work with the data we have, not what we would like.  And this is a Curiosity thread after all :).

But even with returned samples there may well be debate.  Even now, some people still refuse to admit that the 3.4 Ga stromatolites in the Pilbara are biogenic, despite more than 40 years of work on them!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bob Shaw on 12/26/2014 12:01 am
Hop? Dalhousie?  Both of you have ignored the NEED for a manned mission to Mars to settle these issues and return protected geo-samples and gas samples for definitive study back here on earth.

Yes there are issues of theoretical contamination on anything returned to earth from Mars.
But don't you think human beings are smart enough to have learned lessons from the ALH8001 controversy?
IMHO I think there was no contamination worth mentioning in those Martian meteorites, but that's another story.

Back contamination to Earth really isn't that likely; FORWARD contamination which obscures/destroys or even eats Martian relict or perhaps current biology is far more of a problem. Truth to tell, we may already be too late, between meteorites and early spacecraft. Life on Mars may actually be evidence of life on Earth.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 12/26/2014 12:50 am
Hop? Dalhousie?  Both of you have ignored the NEED for a manned mission to Mars to settle these issues and return protected geo-samples and gas samples for definitive study back here on earth.

Yes there are issues of theoretical contamination on anything returned to earth from Mars.
But don't you think human beings are smart enough to have learned lessons from the ALH8001 controversy?
IMHO I think there was no contamination worth mentioning in those Martian meteorites, but that's another story.

Back contamination to Earth really isn't that likely; FORWARD contamination which obscures/destroys or even eats Martian relict or perhaps current biology is far more of a problem. Truth to tell, we may already be too late, between meteorites and early spacecraft. Life on Mars may actually be evidence of life on Earth.

We have yet to find any part of Mars where terrestrial life can thrive.  There are some potential areas but we haven't landed there yet.

http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/ast.2014.1227
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bob Shaw on 12/26/2014 12:58 am
Oh, certainly! But, at the point where life is (perhaps) found you may be sure that the long knives will be out for it, with forward contamination as the chief accusation. See also Lake Vostok...
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 12/26/2014 01:04 am
Oh, certainly! But, at the point where life is (perhaps) found you may be sure that the long knives will be out for it, with forward contamination as the chief accusation. See also Lake Vostok...

It depends on it's biochemistry.  if it has a different chemical basis then it can't be contamination.

If it is DNA based then the degree of similarity with terrestrial organisms should tell whether or not it is from here and how long ago. 

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 12/26/2014 06:48 pm
The main problem I have is these are just general images, from two years ago, with no follow up at the time.  They are now so far away that no follow up is possible.  The best that can be hoped for is that any future suggestive features of this type will have more attention given to them.
Yeah, hard to see it going beyond an intriguing possibility unless they find a similar features again.

There was reportedly serious discussion in the team whether they should just spend the whole primary mission in Glenelg.

There's an interview with Noffke about this paper at http://wowsignal.libsyn.com/burst-3-miss-on-mars
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Certainly there are  at least two people on the Curiosity team who are very familiar with microbial features – John Grotzinger and Abby Allwood.
Dawn Sumner is another: http://mygeologypage.ucdavis.edu/sumner/Home.html
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 12/26/2014 09:37 pm
The main problem I have is these are just general images, from two years ago, with no follow up at the time.  They are now so far away that no follow up is possible.  The best that can be hoped for is that any future suggestive features of this type will have more attention given to them.
Yeah, hard to see it going beyond an intriguing possibility unless they find a similar features again.

One can be hopeful.  Microbial mats are very common in terrestrial sediments, even the oldest.  one would prefer stromatolites of course, as they are even more distinctive.


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There was reportedly serious discussion in the team whether they should just spend the whole primary mission in Glenelg.

Interesting, I wonder whether there were early indications to wheel damage influencing this decision?  Glenelg was interesting, but not that interesting, IMHO, enough to cancel going to Mt Sharp.

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There's an interview with Noffke about this paper at http://wowsignal.libsyn.com/burst-3-miss-on-mars

Thanks, it is always interesting to hear what people sound like, not matter how much of their stuff you have read.  She says that the Glenelg features are not easy to see, which is fair enough.
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Certainly there are  at least two people on the Curiosity team who are very familiar with microbial features – John Grotzinger and Abby Allwood.
Dawn Sumner is another: http://mygeologypage.ucdavis.edu/sumner/Home.html

I am less familiar with her work but she is indeed.

Attached is a modern mat I photographed near Israelite Bay WA
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 12/26/2014 10:18 pm
Interesting, I wonder whether there were early indications to wheel damage influencing this decision?
I'm going from memory, and may have given the wrong impression. IIRC in one of the press conferences Grotzinger said something along the lines of how they had found a habitable environment clays, etc. which was the primary goal, so they asked the team if they should dig in there rather than going to Mt Sharp, but the consensus was to go.

So "seriously" as in it was a real option, not necessarily that it was a close decision.

My feeling is the severity of the wheel issue wasn't apparent until they were on the way, although it's hard to be certain since there was a long time between when they started worrying and when they acknowledged it publicly.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 12/26/2014 10:25 pm
Interesting, I wonder whether there were early indications to wheel damage influencing this decision?
I'm going from memory, and may have given the wrong impression. IIRC in one of the press conferences Grotzinger said something along the lines of how they had found a habitable environment clays, etc. which was the primary goal, so they asked the team if they should dig in there rather than going to Mt Sharp, but the consensus was to go.

So "seriously" as in it was a real option, not necessarily that it was a close decision.

My feeling is the severity of the wheel issue wasn't apparent until they were on the way, although it's hard to be certain since there was a long time between when they started worrying and when they acknowledged it publicly.

That makes sense.  They had travelled less than a km then, the wheel problem didn't show up until they had done a kilometre or so more.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bob Shaw on 12/26/2014 11:27 pm
Oh, certainly! But, at the point where life is (perhaps) found you may be sure that the long knives will be out for it, with forward contamination as the chief accusation. See also Lake Vostok...

It depends on it's biochemistry.  if it has a different chemical basis then it can't be contamination.

If it is DNA based then the degree of similarity with terrestrial organisms should tell whether or not it is from here and how long ago. 


Oh, true in both cases. But...

If the chemical basis is the same, it *can* be contamination, but still might not be, inasmuch as life chemistry might well reinvent the wheel in all sorts of places. Ideally, we really want some nice, well-adapted RNA organisms or their traces, even if the DNA guys ate them later - not a wholly unlikely outcome, either! Would fossil metabolites of RNA organisms demonstrate different chirality to DNA critters (eg perhaps none at all), and would these perhaps be detectable? That would be a serious result if discovered! It might even be worth looking at Pre-Cambrian rocks on Earth (and, as I've oft repeated, on the Moon when we eventually start to strip mine it).

If it is DNA based, then the best we can hope for is the date of a last common ancestor, and as crust material flows back and forth across the Inner Solar System then that might not help.

As for forward contamination, the Soviet landers (yes, plural - just because we only have an idea of what happened to one of them doesn't mean at least one of the others didn't land, even if in (ahem) a disassembled condition) and parachutes don't appear to have been sterilised; efforts were made with Viking, but not so much with subsequent US landers, deliberate or not. In some respects, a visit to the Mars-3 site by a nice, sterile sample-return vehicle might be seriously interesting, and might even prove that there is life on Earth, and even (briefly) on Mars...

Finally:

We do already have an example of a life-bearing object suffering a meteoric-like entry into a planetary atmosphere, and the inhabitants of said object not only surviving, but breeding: the famous Columbia worms. OK, we're not talking about lengthy exposure to space conditions, but we've already seen the unexpected survival of reasonably advanced organisms, which might make it even more likely that tougher varmints could do their thing!

Just sayin'...
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bob Shaw on 12/30/2014 01:15 am
I've downloaded and read the paper: Ancient Sedimentary Structures in the < 3.7 Ga Gillespie Lake Member, Mars, That Resemble Macroscopic Morphology, Spatial Associations, and Temporal Succession in Terrestrial Microbialites and it's certainly persuasive. I never expected to see morphological, rather than chemical, evidence of past Martian life, however! She's almost suggesting something as grossly physical as stromatolites, rather than strangely differentiated layers. My gut feeling is that the jury is out, but if another, similar, formation is found then Nora Noffke's stimulating interpretation will be well on the way to vindication. As ever, the key with such matters is as much prediction as interpretation: when you turn the corner are the structures as predicted, or was your prediction lacking?

Needless to say, I'd be delighted if evidence of more microbial mats are found!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 12/30/2014 08:48 am
Is it too much of a reach to suggest that at one in their early evolution that Mars & Earth were identical in their potential for life to evolve on them?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bob Shaw on 12/30/2014 02:45 pm
Yes.

They were always different (Mars has no tides, with all that implies about organisms suffering natural selection, and a host of other differences, too).

The question really boils down to the *similarities*, of which there are many - were they similar enough?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 12/30/2014 04:33 pm
In relation to early life it would be interesting to see if we could pin down exactly when plate tectonics got started on Earth & if a similar process ever existed on Mars at a similar point in time.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Torbjorn Larsson, OM on 12/31/2014 01:52 am
Glad to see Noffke's paper discussed! There is some slight and cautious blog activity out there...

I'm not as conversant with stromatolites as Dalhousie (astrobiology a recent hobby). But if some people refuse to see all stromatolites as bigenic the microbialites are much more testable since there isn't any abiotic similars (according to Noffke). And besides the 3 macrosignatures (morphology, association and succession) she lists 9 microsignatures that are checked (for confirmation).

Since Earth geology is much more complex (~4000 vs ~1000 minerals according to Hazen), the final item on Noffke's diagnostic list, differentiation between biotic and abiotic signatures should morally be quick. Perhaps the rovers together has massed enough material to check that point.

Ideally, we really want some nice, well-adapted RNA organisms or their traces, even if the DNA guys ate them later - not a wholly unlikely outcome, either! Would fossil metabolites of RNA organisms demonstrate different chirality to DNA critters (eg perhaps none at all), and would these perhaps be detectable? That would be a serious result if discovered! It might even be worth looking at Pre-Cambrian rocks on Earth (and, as I've oft repeated, on the Moon when we eventually start to strip mine it).

If it is DNA based, then the best we can hope for is the date of a last common ancestor, and as crust material flows back and forth across the Inner Solar System then that might not help.

I would claim that the situation is reversed.

If the emerging thermodynamics of replicators is correct, the NET is driven by replication (so you don't dissociate as fast as you replicate) and exponential growth (so evolution can happen). That puts severe constraints on early biological takeover. RNA is the only known polymer that can make the replicator bound with early inefficient metabolic NET engines (electron bifurcators). And it in turn is chemically constrained to use 4 bases out of a very limited set, to balance replication vs enzymatic efficiency.

On the other hand, RNA cells are not necessarily chirally constrained, selfish ribozymes that co-evolve to replicate the opposite chirality is smaller and more efficient than a monochiral cell. It is first with the evolution of protein translation that chiral symmetry has to be broken.

The chemical constraints are loosened then replication and translation separates. There are many potential alternatives to DNA, but it is a simple enough modification of RNA so quite likely.

But here is the kicker, independent of above discussed chemical constraint: we can trace ancestry through phylogenies all the way to the DNA LUCA. (And in the case of tRNA and the rRNA preserved core back to the RNA UCA lineage.) We can see differences between ancestors of genes and easily distinguish between different roots in DNA (or analog) cells.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Torbjorn Larsson, OM on 12/31/2014 02:18 am
Is it too much of a reach to suggest that at one in their early evolution that Mars & Earth were identical in their potential for life to evolve on them?

I don't think so. In many ways they were alike. The main differences was minor:

- Mars aggregated within ~ 1 million years*, while Earth & Moon coalesced after ~ 100 million years when Tellus and Theia collided.

- Earth global ocean at 4.4 billion year was ~ 5 km deep in latest estimates, while if Mars global ocean (if it existed) was a mere 0.5 km or so. Seems Curiosity can confirm a later northern ocean, or at least a vast amount of crater lakes, any of which would be enough for life emergence. If the lake it sees have unbroken, not dried up, sediments, it is longlived and needed a humid atmosphere for that.

Especially for the geology that life most likely descend from, submarine hydrothermal systems, these bodies were very much alike. (And so likely are Europa.)

* It used to be 3-4 million years as estimate, but recent observations indicates planets are very much formed already within 1 million years.

Tidbits:

- Early Earth plate tectonics were more convection and so called sagduction than the subduction we recognize today. The earliest continents were assembled out of island arc segments that arose out of ocean plates subduction, and are at most 4 billion years old. (The non-oceanic-crust Isua rocks dates up to 4.0 billion years, the oceanic-crust Isua rocks dates to 4.2 billion years AFAIK.)

People have started to claim that life arose at ~ 4.4 billion years as we know we had an ocean, and the archaea-bacteria split prefers to be dated at 4 billion years. That is, life got started before plate tectonics as we know it.

Mars likely had very little of anything, its crust solidified fast.

- I don't see how tides would affect evolution at large as it started out in the deep. Except that an absence would have delayed the advance to land a minute bit. (More available nutrients as detritus in a tidal zone.)

It affected particulars of diversity, certainly. But now we are talking complex multicellulars that Mars never evolved (if it had life) - no oxygen.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 12/31/2014 03:13 am
If the chemical basis is the same, it *can* be contamination, but still might not be, inasmuch as life chemistry might well reinvent the wheel in all sorts of places. Ideally, we really want some nice, well-adapted RNA organisms or their traces, even if the DNA guys ate them later - not a wholly unlikely outcome, either! Would fossil metabolites of RNA organisms demonstrate different chirality to DNA critters (eg perhaps none at all), and would these perhaps be detectable? That would be a serious result if discovered! It might even be worth looking at Pre-Cambrian rocks on Earth (and, as I've oft repeated, on the Moon when we eventually start to strip mine it).

Nucleic acids don’t survive long after death geologically speaking.  We will only find it in living or recently living material.  No chance of indigenous material in Precambrian rocks or in lunar samples.


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If it is DNA based, then the best we can hope for is the date of a last common ancestor, and as crust material flows back and forth across the Inner Solar System then that might not help.

Meteoritic transfers are rare, so any non anthropogenic transfer will show last contact the order of several My if not much earlier.  Naturally occurring transfer from early to Mars would still be a major discovery.

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As for forward contamination, the Soviet landers (yes, plural - just because we only have an idea of what happened to one of them doesn't mean at least one of the others didn't land, even if in (ahem) a disassembled condition) and parachutes don't appear to have been sterilised; efforts were made with Viking, but not so much with subsequent US landers, deliberate or not. In some respects, a visit to the Mars-3 site by a nice, sterile sample-return vehicle might be seriously interesting, and might even prove that there is life on Earth, and even (briefly) on Mars...

Components of Russian landers were sterilised and then assembled in clean rooms, which makes them cleaner than any US mission since Viking.


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We do already have an example of a life-bearing object suffering a meteoric-like entry into a planetary atmosphere, and the inhabitants of said object not only surviving, but breeding: the famous Columbia worms. OK, we're not talking about lengthy exposure to space conditions, but we've already seen the unexpected survival of reasonably advanced organisms, which might make it even more likely that tougher varmints could do their thing!

Don’t think the Columbia nematodes are particularly relevant.  They were much better protected inside the spacecraft structure than microbes travelling to Mars and, apart from a few minutes falling through the upper atmosphere, were never in an inhospitable environment. 

This is very different to any microbes going to Mars, which have to survive the trip there and a very hostile surface.  The latest work indicates that there are no confirmed locations on Mars where terrestrial microbes could thrive, although some slope sites remain a possibility.  See Rummel http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/ast.2014.1227?journalCode=ast
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 12/31/2014 03:29 am
Glad to see Noffke's paper discussed! There is some slight and cautious blog activity out there...

I'm not as conversant with stromatolites as Dalhousie (astrobiology a recent hobby). But if some people refuse to see all stromatolites as bigenic the microbialites are much more testable since there isn't any abiotic similars (according to Noffke). And besides the 3 macrosignatures (morphology, association and succession) she lists 9 microsignatures that are checked (for confirmation).

I would say that stromatolites are much easier to recognise, MISS are quite subtle in non-carbonate lithologies.   if people quibble over Archean stroms they will certainly reject supposed MISS.

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Since Earth geology is much more complex (~4000 vs ~1000 minerals according to Hazen), the final item on Noffke's diagnostic list, differentiation between biotic and abiotic signatures should morally be quick. Perhaps the rovers together has massed enough material to check that point.

Hazen's hypothesis is interesting but hard to test.

The detailed work described by Noffke to demonstrate biogenicity (equally applicable to the more easily recognised stromatolites) could only be done on returned samples, and probably would require a great many of them, e.g. from a crewed mission.

To date only a three mineralogy results have been published by the Curiosity team, two from the Yellowknife Bay area.  Unlike the MERs, Curiosity lacks a non-contact way of determining mineralogy.  It can only determine mineralogy on drilled samples which are processed through the CheMin instrument.  Because of technical issues this has rarely been used (five times so far in total).

Quote
If the emerging thermodynamics of replicators is correct, the NET is driven by replication (so you don't dissociate as fast as you replicate) and exponential growth (so evolution can happen). That puts severe constraints on early biological takeover. RNA is the only known polymer that can make the replicator bound with early inefficient metabolic NET engines (electron bifurcators). And it in turn is chemically constrained to use 4 bases out of a very limited set, to balance replication vs enzymatic efficiency.

On the other hand, RNA cells are not necessarily chirally constrained, selfish ribozymes that co-evolve to replicate the opposite chirality is smaller and more efficient than a monochiral cell. It is first with the evolution of protein translation that chiral symmetry has to be broken.

The chemical constraints are loosened then replication and translation separates. There are many potential alternatives to DNA, but it is a simple enough modification of RNA so quite likely.

But here is the kicker, independent of above discussed chemical constraint: we can trace ancestry through phylogenies all the way to the DNA LUCA. (And in the case of tRNA and the rRNA preserved core back to the RNA UCA lineage.) We can see differences between ancestors of genes and easily distinguish between different roots in DNA (or analog) cells.

Interesting update, thanks.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 12/31/2014 03:42 am
Since Noffke mentioned Carbla Point at Shark Bay, I can't resist some photos of microbial mats and stroms from the next point south, Goat Point (Carbla is even better but I have not been back with a digital camera).  For the non-geologists, stromatolites are domes, mats are flat (more or less).

If you want to read more about this marvellous world heritage area, the definitive report can be downloaded from http://www.dmp.wa.gov.au/17940.aspx#19545 (free)

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 12/31/2014 11:24 am
Please remember this is an update thread
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 12/31/2014 10:06 pm
Back to sleep then. 
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 01/01/2015 06:40 pm
Back to sleep then. 

The thread created for the MSL feature article would be just as appropriate a thread for much of the discussioon here:

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=36444.0
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 01/14/2015 10:28 pm
01.14.2015
Crystal-Rich Rock 'Mojave' is Next Mars Drill Target

A rock target where NASA's Curiosity Mars rover is using its sample-collection drill this week may have a salty story to tell.
This target, called "Mojave," displays copious slender features, slightly smaller than grains of rice, that appear to be mineral crystals. A chance to learn their composition prompted the Curiosity science team to choose Mojave as the next rock-drilling target for the 29-month-old mission investigating Mars' Gale Crater. The features might be a salt mineral left behind when lakewater evaporated.
This week, Curiosity is beginning a "mini-drill" test to assess the rock's suitability for deeper drilling, which collects a sample for onboard laboratory analysis.

A weeklong pause in science operations to install a new version of rover flight software is scheduled to begin early next week, possibly before completion of the drilling and sample delivery. This is the fourth new version of the onboard software since the rover's August 2012 landing.

The Mojave drilling begins Curiosity's third round of investigating the basal layer of Mount Sharp exposed at an area called "Pahrump Hills." In the first round, the rover drove about 360 feet (110 meters) and scouted sites ranging about 30 feet (9 meters) in elevation. Then it followed a similar path, investigating selected sites in more detail. That second pass included inspection of Mojave in November 2014 with the dust-removal brush, close-up camera and Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer on the rover's arm. The results put Mojave at the head of the list of targets for the rover's most intensive inspection, using laboratory instruments that ingest powdered rock collected by the drill.

"The crystal shapes are apparent in the earlier images of Mojave, but we don't know what they represent," said Curiosity Project Scientist Ashwin Vasavada at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California. "We're hoping that mineral identifications we get from the rover's laboratory will shed more light than we got from just the images and bulk chemistry."

Curiosity's Chemistry and Mineralogy instrument, or CheMin, can identify specific minerals in rock powder from a drilled sample. Analysis of the drill hole and drill tailings may also reveal whether the crystals are only at the surface, like a salty crust, or are also deeper in the rock.

"There could be a fairly involved story here," Vasavada said. "Are they salt crystals left from a drying lake? Or are they more pervasive through the rock, formed by fluids moving through the rock? In either case, a later fluid may have removed or replaced the original minerals with something else."

Curiosity's work at Pahrump Hills may include drilling one or more additional rocks before heading to higher layers of Mount Sharp.

Next week's planned software revision, like the mission's earlier ones, adds protections against vulnerabilities identified in rover testbed activities on Earth. It also adds improvements to make planning drives more efficient.

"The files have already been uplinked and are sitting in the rover's file system to be ready for the installation," said JPL's Danny Lam, the deputy engineering operations chief leading the upgrade process.

One change in the new software is to enable use of the rover's gyroscope-containing "inertial measurement unit" at the same time as the rover's drill, for better capability to sense slippage of the rover during a drilling operation. Another is a set of improvements to the rover's ability to autonously identify and drive in good terrain.

NASA's Mars Science Laboratory Project is using Curiosity to assess ancient habitable environments and major changes in Martian environmental conditions. JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, built the rover and manages the project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1771
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: edkyle99 on 01/22/2015 01:54 pm
Nice summary of recent activity.  "Whale Rock" is interesting, among other things, and a dirtier rover selfie.
http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2015/01211113-curiosity-update-sols-814.html

 - Ed Kyle
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 01/24/2015 08:05 pm
There was a "perspective" by Kevin Zahnle in Science on the methane results http://www.sciencemag.org/content/347/6220/370.short

Unfortunately does not seem to be available outside the paywall.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 01/31/2015 11:33 pm
From earlier discussion of isotope ratios:
One open question from those is seasonal variation. I'd expect the MSL team to publish atmosphere results for a full Mars year (or more) at some point, but if they have I wasn't able to find it.

An LPSC abstract says they do indeed see seasonal variation:
http://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2015/pdf/3005.pdf

Quote
Results of our analyses reveal variations in both 𝛿18O and 𝛿13C that suggest a seasonal trend in the isotopic composition of atmospheric CO2. We will examine this finding particularly in the context of isotopic fractionation expected during CO2 condensation and sublimation cycles [15] and discuss implications for the martian atmosphere.

It also appears part of the reason it took so long is related to MTBSTFA again:
Quote
Interferences at m/z 12 and 13 have been more problematic in atmospheric experiments performed since SAM began analyzing solid samples, which introduced products of derivatization reagent N-methyl-N-(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)-trifluoro-acetamide (MTBSTFA) into the gas manifold

There's a whole session dedicated to Curiosity of course:
http://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2015/pdf/sess102.pdf

Full program http://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2015/
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 02/04/2015 06:12 pm
Curiosity Rover at 'Pahrump Hills'

http://www.nasa.gov/jpl/mro/pia19114/#.VNJup53F-kE

Photo Credit: JPL
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 03/05/2015 03:16 am
Short circuit
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1783
Quote
NASA's Curiosity Mars rover is expected to remain stationary for several days of engineering analysis following an onboard fault-protection action on Feb. 27 that halted a process of transferring sample material between devices on the rover's robotic arm.

Telemetry received from the rover indicated that a transient short circuit occurred and the vehicle followed its programmed response, stopping the arm activity underway at the time of the irregularity in the electric current.

Update:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=4504
Quote
Managers of NASA's Curiosity Mars rover mission expect to approve resumption of rover arm movements as early as next week while continuing analysis of what appears to be an intermittent short circuit in the drill.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 03/12/2015 09:58 pm
03.12.2015
Rover Arm Delivers Rock Powder Sample

MARS SCIENCE LABORATORY MISSION STATUS REPORT

NASA's Curiosity Mars rover used its robotic arm Wednesday, March 11, to sieve and deliver a rock-powder sample to an onboard instrument. The sample was collected last month before the team temporarily suspended rover arm movement pending analysis of a short circuit.

The Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) analytical instrument inside the rover received the sample powder. This sample comes from a rock target called "Telegraph Peak," the third target drilled during about six months of investigating the "Pahrump Hills" outcrop on Mount Sharp. With this delivery completed, the rover team plans to drive Curiosity away from Pahrump Hills in coming days.

"That precious Telegraph Peak sample had been sitting in the arm, so tantalizingly close, for two weeks. We are really excited to get it delivered for analysis," said Curiosity Project Scientist Ashwin Vasavada of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California.

The rover experienced a short circuit on Feb. 27 while using percussion action in its drill to shake sample powder from the drill into a sample-processing device on the arm. Subsequent testing at JPL and on Curiosity has identified the likely cause as a transient short in the motor for the drill's percussion action. During several tests on the rover in the past 10 days, the short was reproduced only one time -- on March 5. It lasted less than one one-hundredth of a second and did not stop the motor. Ongoing analysis will help the rover team develop guidelines for best use of the drill at future rock targets.

The rover's path toward higher layers of Mount Sharp will take it first through a valley called "Artist's Drive," heading southwestward from Pahrump Hills. The sample-processing device on the arm is carrying Telegraph Peak sample material at the start of the drive, for later delivery into the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) suite of instruments. The delivery will occur after SAM prepares for receiving the sample.

Curiosity's drill has used a combination of rotary and percussion action to collect samples from six rock targets since the rover landed inside Gale Crater in 2012. The first sampled rock, "John Klein," in the Yellowknife Bay area near the landing site, provided evidence for meeting the mission's primary science goal. Analysis of that sample showed that early Mars offered environmental conditions favorable for microbial life, including the key elemental ingredients for life and a chemical energy source such as used by some microbes on Earth. In the layers of lower Mount Sharp, the mission is pursuing evidence about how early Mars environments evolved from wetter to drier conditions.

http://mars.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1787
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: bolun on 03/20/2015 03:13 pm
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-31988540

Quote
A fatty acid might be among organic molecules discovered on Mars by Nasa's Curiosity rover.

However, it's not possible at this stage to determine whether the compound has a biological or non-biological origin.

And contamination could still be responsible for the finding.

The results come from Curiosity's SAM instrument, and were presented at the 46th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (LPSC) in Texas.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 03/20/2015 05:26 pm
Interesting but it's a real shame that the instrument is suffering from an ongoing contamination issue. Which likely means that any results produced are unfortunately going to be subject of dispute.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 03/20/2015 08:04 pm
Not sure if it is an ongoing issue, Cumberland was one of the first samples analysed.  It's taken this long to release the results, even as an abstract.

But it is good they are showing appropriate caution.  Many people seem to see the presence of organics on Mars (never mind life) as an extraordinary claim, requiring extraordinary evidence.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 03/20/2015 09:10 pm
Not sure if it is an ongoing issue, Cumberland was one of the first samples analysed.  It's taken this long to release the results, even as an abstract.

But it is good they are showing appropriate caution.  Many people seem to see the presence of organics on Mars (never mind life) as an extraordinary claim, requiring extraordinary evidence.
It feels rather like they are fitting together a thousand piece jigsaw puzzle one painstaking part at a time. What the final picture will be is probably still too early to say.:) But if I was a betting person, which I'm not, I would say there is possible slight growing trend in these results pointing in one direction.

By the way it's funny whenever we get an announcement like this someone online always seems to bring up the 'disputed' Viking experiment results.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 03/24/2015 02:10 am
Pre-print from the RAD team "Variations of dose rate observed by MSL/RAD in transit to Mars"
 http://arxiv.org/abs/1503.06631
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 03/24/2015 07:46 pm
Suspected nitrate detection in early SAM runs

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=4516
Quote
A team using the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument suite aboard NASA's Curiosity rover has made the first detection of nitrogen on the surface of Mars from release during heating of Martian sediments.

The nitrogen was detected in the form of nitric oxide, and could be released from the breakdown of nitrates during heating.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 03/24/2015 08:10 pm
The amount detected, ~1000 ppm, is between 10 and twenty times what is found in most natural soils on Earth.  It's one measurement, so whether this is typical or a typical remains to be seen.

Nitrate is sometimes 10-20 this value in some hyper-arid deserts on Earth - Atacama, Namib, etc. Whether the deposition mechanism is the same remains to be seen.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 03/25/2015 12:29 am
It's one measurement, so whether this is typical or a typical remains to be seen.
According to the press release it was seen in both Rocknest and drilled samples from Yellowknife bay. Rocknest is expected to be fairly representative of global dust, though I'd assume there's some room for local variation.

The paper is "Evidence for indigenous nitrogen in sedimentary and aeolian deposits from the Curiosity rover investigations at Gale crater, Mars" http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2015/03/18/1420932112.abstract (paywall)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 03/28/2015 05:45 pm
03.27.2015
Scars on Mars from 2012 Rover Landing Fade -- Usually


A series of observations from Mars orbit show how dark blast zones that were created during the August 2012 landing of NASA's Curiosity rover have faded inconsistently.
The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter made the observations on multiple dates from landing to last month. After fading for about two years, the pace of change slowed and some of the scars may have even darkened again.

The images track changes in blast zones at four locations caused by different pieces of Curiosity hardware, such as the heat shield and the descent stage. The four series, each with images from five to seven different dates since landing.


NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, who has used similar blast zones to find fresh meteor impact sites on Mars. "We expected to see them fade as the wind moved the dust around during the months and years after landing, but we've been surprised to see that the rate of change doesn't appear to be consistent."

One purpose for repeated follow-up imaging of Curiosity's landing area has been to check whether scientists could model the fading and predict how long it would take for the scars to disappear. Daubar's work on this aids preparations for NASA's next Mars lander, InSight, on track for launch in March 2016. The InSight mission will deploy a heat probe that will hammer itself a few yards, or meters, deep into the ground to monitor heat coming from the interior of the planet. The brightness of the ground affects temperature below ground, because a dark surface warms in sunshine more than a bright one does.

HiRISE is one of six instruments with which NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has been studying Mars since 2006.

NASA's Mars Science Laboratory Project has been using the Curiosity rover to examine ancient Martian environments favorable for microbial life.

With three active NASA Mars orbiters and two Mars rovers, NASA seeks to characterize and understand Mars as a dynamic system, including its present and past environment, climate cycles, geology and biological potential. In parallel on its journey to Mars, NASA is developing the capabilities needed for human missions there.

The University of Arizona, Tucson, operates HiRISE, which was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. of Boulder, Colorado. JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project, the Mars Science Laboratory Project and the InSight Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, built the orbiter and collaborates with JPL to operate it.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1793
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 04/02/2015 04:26 pm
Curiosity Sees Prominent Mineral Veins on Mount Sharp, Mars

http://www.nasa.gov/content/curiosity-sees-prominent-mineral-veins-on-mount-sharp-mars/

http://www.nasa.gov/jpl/msl/nasas-curiosity-eyes-prominent-mineral-veins-on-mars/

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 04/13/2015 05:11 pm
Curiosity rover finds water below surface of Mars.

http://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/apr/13/nasas-curiosity-rover-finds-water-below-surface-of-mars
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 05/09/2015 12:55 am
05.08.2015
Quick Detour by NASA Mars Rover Checks Ancient Valley

Fast Facts:
-- Detailed new panoramas show hills near and far along Curiosity's route.
-- Rover inspected a site where a valley was cut into bedrock, then refilled.
-- A site of that type had not been seen previously on Mars.

Researchers slightly detoured NASA's Curiosity Mars rover from the mission's planned path in recent days for a closer look at a hillside site where an ancient valley had been carved out and refilled.
The rover made observations and measurements there to address questions about how the channel formed and filled. Then it resumed driving up Mount Sharp, where the mission is studying the rock layers. The layers reveal chapters in how environmental conditions and the potential to support microbial life changed in Mars' early history.

Two new panoramas of stitched-together telephoto images from Curiosity's Mast Camera (Mastcam) present the increasingly hilly region the rover has been investigating, and more distant portions of Mount Sharp. These large images are online, with pan and zoom controls for exploring them, at:

mars.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/deepzoom/PIA19397 (http://mars.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/deepzoom/PIA19397)
mars.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/deepzoom/PIA19398 (http://mars.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/deepzoom/PIA19398)

Curiosity has been exploring on Mars since 2012. It reached the base of Mount Sharp last year after fruitfully investigating outcrops closer to its landing site and then trekking to the mountain. The main mission objective now is to examine successively higher layers of Mount Sharp. Curiosity spent several months examining the lowest levels of the mountain's basal geological unit, the Murray formation, at an outcrop called "Pahrump Hills." Then it set off toward a site called "Logan Pass," where the team anticipates a first chance to place the contact-science instruments at the end of the rover's arm onto a darker geological unit overlying or within the Murray formation.
"In pictures we took on the way from Pahrump Hills toward Logan Pass, some of the geologists on the team noticed a feature that looked like what's called an 'incised valley fill,' which is where a valley has been cut into bedrock and then filled in with other sediment," said Curiosity Project Scientist Ashwin Vasavada of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California.

This unusual geometry of the rock layers was noted on the side of a rise called "Mount Shields," which sits northwest of the planned route to Logan Pass. The team chose in late April to divert the rover to the base of Mount Shields.

"We wanted to investigate what cut into the mudstone bedrock, and what process filled it back in," Vasavada said. "The fill material looks like sand. Was the sand transported by wind or by water? What were the relative times for when the mudstone formed, when the valley was cut into it, when the cut was filled in?

"It's exciting to see this on Mars for the first time," he continued. "Features like this on Earth capture evidence of change. What in the environment changed to go from depositing one kind of sediment, to eroding it away in a valley, to then depositing a different kind of sediment? It's a fascinating puzzle that Mars has left for us."

Scientists are examining the evidence collected at Mount Shields as the rover approaches its next study area, at Logan Pass

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1809
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 05/11/2015 02:55 am
Curiosity Rover Report (May 8, 2015): Rover Road Trip

Published on May 8, 2015
Getting a head start on summer, Curiosity is planning a road trip to Logan’s Pass on Mars. Just like Earthlings, the rover relies on a highway map and takes scenic detours along the way.

https://youtu.be/MLFwOBnyvio
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 05/12/2015 11:52 pm
05.09.2015
NASA's Curiosity Rover Views Serene Sundown on Mars

The sun dips to a Martian horizon in a blue-tinged sky in images sent home to Earth this week from NASA's Curiosity Mars rover.
A series of images is combined into an animation at:
http://mars.nasa.gov/multimedia/images/?ImageID=7188 (http://mars.nasa.gov/multimedia/images/?ImageID=7188)

For a single-frame scenic view, see:

http://mars.nasa.gov/multimedia/images/?ImageID=7189 (http://mars.nasa.gov/multimedia/images/?ImageID=7189)

Curiosity used its Mast Camera (Mastcam) to record the sunset during an evening of skywatching on April 15, 2015.

The imaging was done between dust storms, but some dust remained suspended high in the atmosphere. The sunset observations help researchers assess the vertical distribution of dust in the atmosphere.

"The colors come from the fact that the very fine dust is the right size so that blue light penetrates the atmosphere slightly more efficiently," said Mark Lemmon of Texas A&M University, College Station, the Curiosity science-team member who planned the observations. "When the blue light scatters off the dust, it stays closer to the direction of the sun than light of other colors does. The rest of the sky is yellow to orange, as yellow and red light scatter all over the sky instead of being absorbed or staying close to the sun."

Just as colors are made more dramatic in sunsets on Earth, Martian sunsets make the blue near the sun's part of the sky much more prominent, while normal daylight makes the rusty color of the dust more prominent.

Since its August 2012 landing inside Mars' Gale Crater, Curiosity has been studying the planet's ancient and modern environments.

Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego, built and operates Curiosity's Mastcam. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, built the rover and manages the project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1810
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 07/07/2015 07:11 pm
An update on the wheel wear situation and the actions taken to mitigate the issue.

Quote
Curiosity’s two front wheels began accumulating damage early in the mission.That wear and tear continues, and now the rover’s two middle wheels are showing major damage, Erickson said.

But “the rear wheels are still almost pristine,” he said.

To help cope with the wheel situation, Curiosity engineers are looking at software changes on the vehicle, “to try and make things a little bit better,” Erickson said. “They’ve had some good tests, but it’s not ready for prime time yet.”

The software could provide situational awareness to the wheels, Erickson said, matching wheel drive with electrical current, depending on what terrain the rover faces.

There remain uncertainties about how much overall wheel life is left on Curiosity, Erickson said. One helpful remedy is to carefully guide the robot through less-damaging terrain, he said.

- See more at: http://spacenews.com/mars-rover-curiosity-dealing-with-wheel-damage/#sthash.XreQbioI.dpuf
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 07/14/2015 10:58 am
Possibly the biggest discovery yet, and quite revolutionary across the board.

http://www.lanl.gov/discover/news-release-archive/2015/July/07.13-curiosity-finds-mars-primitive-continental-crust%20.php

Link to abstract http://www.nature.com/ngeo/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/ngeo2474.html
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 08/03/2015 09:51 pm
Curiosity Rover Report (August 2015): Three Years on Mars!

Published on Aug 3, 2015
After three action-packed years on Mars, the Curiosity rover is ready to take on higher slopes of Mount Sharp.

https://youtu.be/Txti0XLxOzI
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 08/04/2015 06:37 am
Curiosity Discovers Mars Rock Like None Before, Sets Drill Campaign

Quote
On the eve of the 3rd anniversary since her nail biting touchdown inside Gale Crater, NASA’s car sized Curiosity Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover has discovered a new type of Martian rock that’s surprisingly rich in silica – and unlike any other targets found before.

Excited by this new science finding on Mars, Curiosity’s handlers are now gearing the robot up for her next full drill campaign today, July 31 (Sol 1060) into a rock target called “Buckskin” – which lies at the base of Mount Sharp, the huge layered mountain that is the primary science target of this Mars rover mission.

“The team selected the “Buckskin” target to drill,” says Lauren Edgar, Research Geologist at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center and an MSL science team member, in a mission update.

“It’s another exciting day on Mars!”

http://www.universetoday.com/121597/curiosity-discovers-mars-rock-like-none-before-sets-drill-campaign/
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 08/04/2015 10:55 am
Curiosity Discovers Mars Rock Like None Before, Sets Drill Campaign

Quote
On the eve of the 3rd anniversary since her nail biting touchdown inside Gale Crater, NASA’s car sized Curiosity Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover has discovered a new type of Martian rock that’s surprisingly rich in silica – and unlike any other targets found before.

Excited by this new science finding on Mars, Curiosity’s handlers are now gearing the robot up for her next full drill campaign today, July 31 (Sol 1060) into a rock target called “Buckskin” – which lies at the base of Mount Sharp, the huge layered mountain that is the primary science target of this Mars rover mission.

“The team selected the “Buckskin” target to drill,” says Lauren Edgar, Research Geologist at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center and an MSL science team member, in a mission update.

“It’s another exciting day on Mars!”

http://www.universetoday.com/121597/curiosity-discovers-mars-rock-like-none-before-sets-drill-campaign/

Sixth hole in three years!  Plus one scoop.  People planning MSR on Curiosity performance please note the implications!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 08/04/2015 02:23 pm

Curiosity Discovers Mars Rock Like None Before, Sets Drill Campaign

Quote
On the eve of the 3rd anniversary since her nail biting touchdown inside Gale Crater, NASA’s car sized Curiosity Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover has discovered a new type of Martian rock that’s surprisingly rich in silica – and unlike any other targets found before.

Excited by this new science finding on Mars, Curiosity’s handlers are now gearing the robot up for her next full drill campaign today, July 31 (Sol 1060) into a rock target called “Buckskin” – which lies at the base of Mount Sharp, the huge layered mountain that is the primary science target of this Mars rover mission.

“The team selected the “Buckskin” target to drill,” says Lauren Edgar, Research Geologist at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center and an MSL science team member, in a mission update.

“It’s another exciting day on Mars!”

http://www.universetoday.com/121597/curiosity-discovers-mars-rock-like-none-before-sets-drill-campaign/

Sixth hole in three years!  Plus one scoop.  People planning MSR on Curiosity performance please note the implications!

How much lower is the drilling rate than what was expected before launch?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: meekGee on 08/07/2015 05:40 pm
Is the low drill rate a result of a performance issue?

Or is it that they only drill when they feel it is justified?    As a strategy, it makes more sense to save capabilities till later in the mission.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 08/07/2015 08:44 pm
Is the low drill rate a result of a performance issue?

Or is it that they only drill when they feel it is justified?    As a strategy, it makes more sense to save capabilities till later in the mission.
Operations have clearly been slower than pre-launch estimates. The number of times they can use the drill (in percussion mode at least) is also likely quite limited, see http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2015/04101658-curiosity-update-sols-896-949.html
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Phil Stooke on 08/07/2015 08:55 pm
We should assume that the mission will last a decade or more, and this is an extremely target-rich environment.  And it was a go-to site - the main science targets were outside the ellipse, so they had to wait.  Considering we had three drill operations in Pahrump Hills and one here, we're doing pretty well.  The people running the mission know what they are doing. 

Imagine how Apollo would have fared if it had to face the amount of back-seat driving we get now.  Not too well.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: whitelancer64 on 08/07/2015 09:02 pm
Is the low drill rate a result of a performance issue?

Or is it that they only drill when they feel it is justified?    As a strategy, it makes more sense to save capabilities till later in the mission.

They do only drill when it's justified, also running the sample analysis equipment is very energy intensive and the rover can't do much else when it's doing that. They have been much more focused on getting to the foothills of Mt. Sharp up to this point, there has been less of the drill work when they're focused on driving. Since the terrain proved to be much more tricky than anticipated, it took longer (about an Earth year longer) to get to this area than was previously anticipated. However, now that they are approaching the primary science area I would expect the rover to do more of what it has been doing lately: scouting around, then the science team picks targets to study in depth, then move uphill, repeat.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 08/08/2015 10:24 am

We should assume that the mission will last a decade or more, and this is an extremely target-rich environment.  And it was a go-to site - the main science targets were outside the ellipse, so they had to wait.  Considering we had three drill operations in Pahrump Hills and one here, we're doing pretty well.  The people running the mission know what they are doing. 

Imagine how Apollo would have fared if it had to face the amount of back-seat driving we get now.  Not too well.

I am not sure that kind of attitude is required here in response to people asking a simple couple of questions. And if we are going to be pedantic about this don't forget who paid for this mission, that's right the taxpayer.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 08/08/2015 06:40 pm
08.05.2015
New Online Exploring Tools Bring NASA's Journey to Mars to New Generation


On the three-year anniversary of the Mars landing of NASA's Curiosity rover, NASA is unveiling two new online tools that open the mysterious terrain of the Red Planet to a new generation of explorers, inviting the public to help with its journey to Mars.

Mars Trek is a free, Web-based application that provides high-quality, detailed visualizations of the planet using real data from 50 years of NASA exploration and allowing astronomers, citizen scientists and students to study the Red Planet's features.

Experience Curiosity allows viewers to journey along with the one-ton rover on its Martian expeditions. The program simulates Mars in 3-D based on actual data from Curiosity and NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), giving users first-hand experience in a day in the life of a Mars rover.

A NASA team already is using Mars Trek to aid in the selection of possible landing sites for the agency's Mars 2020 rover, and the application will be used as part of NASA's newly announced process to examine and select candidate sites for the first human exploration mission to Mars in the 2030s.

"This tool has opened my eyes as to how we should first approach roaming on another world, and now the public can join in on the fun," said Jim Green, director of NASA's Planetary Science Division in Washington. "Our robotic scientific explorers are paving the way, making great progress on the journey to Mars. Together, humans and robots will pioneer Mars and the solar system."

Mars Trek has interactive maps, which include the ability to overlay a range of data sets generated from instruments aboard spacecraft orbiting Mars, and analysis tools for measuring surface features. Standard keyboard gaming controls are used to maneuver the users across Mars' surface, and 3-D printer-exportable topography allows users to print physical models of surface features.

Mars Trek was developed by NASA's Lunar Mapping and Modeling Project, which provides mission planners, lunar scientists and the public with analysis and data visualization tools for our moon.

Experience Curiosity also uses real science data to create a realistic and game-ready rover model based entirely on real mechanisms and executed commands. Users can manipulate the rover's tools and view Mars through each of its cameras.

"We've done a lot of heavy 3-D processing to make Experience Curiosity work in a browser. Anybody with access to the Web can take a journey to Mars," said Kevin Hussey, manager of the Visualization Applications and Development group at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, which manages and operates the Curiosity rover.

Curiosity's adventures on the Red Planet began in the early morning hours of Aug. 6, 2012, Eastern time (evening of Aug. 5, Pacific time), when a landing technique called the sky-crane maneuver deposited the rover in the 96-mile-wide (154-kilometer-wide) Gale Crater. From there, the rover began investigating its new home, discovering it had landed near an ancient lakebed sprinkled with organic material. Billions of years ago, fresh water would have flowed into this lake, offering conditions favorable for microbial life.

"At three years old, Curiosity already has had a rich and fascinating life. This new program lets the public experience some of the rover's adventures first-hand," said Jim Erickson, the project manager for the mission at JPL.

NASA has been on Mars for five decades with robotic explorers, and August traditionally has been a busy month for exploration of the planet. Viking 2 was put into orbit around Mars 39 years ago on Aug. 7, 1976, making NASA's second successful landing on the Martian surface weeks later. Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter was launched on Aug. 12, 2005, and still is in operation orbiting Mars. And Tuesday, Aug. 4, marked the eight-year anniversary of the launch of the Phoenix mission to the north polar region of the Red Planet.

NASA's orbiters and rovers have changed the way we look at Mars and enable continued scientific discoveries that one day will pave the way for astronauts to explore the Red Planet.

More information about NASA's journey to Mars is available online at:
https://www.nasa.gov/topics/journeytomars

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1847
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: the_other_Doug on 08/09/2015 03:23 am
Imagine how Apollo would have fared if it had to face the amount of back-seat driving we get now.  Not too well.

Oh, I dunno, Phil -- ever take a look at Charlie Duke being told to pick up "Big Muley" at Plum Crater on EVA-1 of Apollo 16?  That was back-seat geologizing... er, driving... if ever I've seen it.

:D

"I'm just teasin', Houston..."
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Scylla on 08/19/2015 05:08 pm
NASA Mars Rover Moves Onward After 'Marias Pass' Studies

NASA's Curiosity Mars rover is driving toward the southwest after departing a region where for several weeks it investigated a geological contact zone and rocks that are unexpectedly high in silica and hydrogen content. The hydrogen indicates water bound to minerals in the ground.

In this "Marias Pass" region, Curiosity successfully used its drill to sample a rock target called "Buckskin" and then used the camera on its robotic arm for multiple images to be stitched into a self-portrait at the drilling site. The new Curiosity selfie from a dramatically low angle is online at:

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/spaceimages/details.php?id=pia19808

The rover finished activities in Marias Pass on Aug. 12 and headed onward up Mount Sharp, the layered mountain it reached in September 2014. In drives on Aug. 12, 13, 14 and 18, it progressed 433 feet (132 meters), bringing Curiosity's total odometry since its August 2012 landing to 6.9 miles (11.1 kilometers).

Curiosity is carrying with it some of the sample powder drilled from Buckskin. The rover's internal laboratories are analyzing the material. The mission's science team members seek to understand why this area bears rocks with significantly higher levels of silica and hydrogen than other areas the rover has traversed.

Silica, monitored with Curiosity's laser-firing Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) instrument, is a rock-forming chemical containing silicon and oxygen, commonly found on Earth as quartz. Hydrogen in the ground beneath the rover is monitored by the rover's Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN) instrument. It has been detected at low levels everywhere Curiosity has driven and is interpreted as the hydrogen in water molecules or hydroxyl ions bound within or absorbed onto minerals in the rocks and soil.

"The ground about 1 meter beneath the rover in this area holds three or four times as much water as the ground anywhere else Curiosity has driven during its three years on Mars," said DAN Principal Investigator Igor Mitrofanov of Space Research Institute, Moscow. DAN first detected the unexpectedly high level of hydrogen using its passive mode. Later, the rover drove back over the area using DAN in active mode, in which the instrument shoots neutrons into the ground and detects those that bounce off the subsurface, but preferentially interacting with hydrogen. The measurements confirmed hydrated material covered by a thin layer of drier material.

Curiosity initially noted the area with high silica and hydrogen on May 21 while climbing to a site where two types of sedimentary bedrock lie in contact with each other. Such contact zones can hold clues about ancient changes in environment, from conditions that produced the older rock type to conditions that produced the younger one. This contact is the lure that led the rover team to choose Marias Pass as a route toward higher layers of Mount Sharp. Pale mudstone, like bedrock the mission examined for the first several months after reaching Mount Sharp at an area called "Pahrump Hills," forms one side of the contact. The overlying side is darker, finely bedded sandstone.

Curiosity examined the Marias Pass contact zone closely with instruments mounted on its mast and arm. The unusual levels of silica and hydrogen in rocks passed during the climb prompted a choice to backtrack to examine that area and acquire a drilled sample.

Buckskin was the first rock drilled by Curiosity since an electrical circuit in the drill's percussion mechanism exhibited a small, transient short circuit in February during transfer of sample powder from the third target drilled in the Pahrump Hills area.

"We were pleased to see no repeat of the short circuit during the Buckskin drilling and  sample transfer," said Steven Lee, deputy project manager for Curiosity at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California. "It could come back, but we have made changes in fault protection to continue safely drilling even in the presence of small shorts. We also improved drill percuss circuit telemetry to gain more diagnostic information from any future occurrences."

Curiosity reached the base of Mount Sharp after two years of fruitfully investigating outcrops closer to its landing site and trekking to the mountain. The main mission objective now is to examine layers of lower Mount Sharp for ancient habitable environments and evidence about how early Mars environments evolved from wetter to drier conditions.

JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, built the rover and manages the project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington.

Several images with links to specific articles about them. I'll leave it to the readers to post any of these if they want to.😸
http://www.nasa.gov/jpl/msl/nasa-mars-rover-moves-onward-after-marias-pass-studies
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Norm38 on 09/15/2015 02:52 pm
Now that Curiosity is getting into an area of much more interesting, and rugged, terrain, has anyone seen any updated route maps showing the path the rover is expected to take over the next few months.  Not sure how closely they're going to hold to past projections that are over a year old now.

I'm wondering if they're going to stick to the high ground, or start to move down into that big valley with the mesas.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 09/15/2015 03:43 pm

Now that Curiosity is getting into an area of much more interesting, and rugged, terrain, has anyone seen any updated route maps showing the path the rover is expected to take over the next few months.  Not sure how closely they're going to hold to past projections that are over a year old now.

I'm wondering if they're going to stick to the high ground, or start to move down into that big valley with the mesas.

But you have to keep in mind its battered wheels in anything like this.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Norm38 on 09/15/2015 04:04 pm
I'd seen said before that the thin material between the spars is not structural and was expected to get damaged.  But yes, they have stated that they are being careful and seeing a smoother, safer route.
But my question is unchanged.  Given all the experience gained over the past year, what is the projected route forward at this time?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 09/16/2015 12:00 pm
Emily at the Planetary Society let slip that maybe they were not planning to go to Mt Sharp after all.  Certainly a lot of effort has been spent over the past year in just the last km or so.  Either it is really interesting, or they don't expect to get much further and are maximising science. However the rate of publication remains disappointing
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: sghill on 09/25/2015 06:08 pm
Emily at the Planetary Society let slip that maybe they were not planning to go to Mt Sharp after all.  Certainly a lot of effort has been spent over the past year in just the last km or so.  Either it is really interesting, or they don't expect to get much further and are maximising science. However the rate of publication remains disappointing

They are going to be standing at attention in front of Congress if that story about not going to Mt. Sharp is anywhere close to true.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 09/26/2015 12:15 am
Emily at the Planetary Society let slip that maybe they were not planning to go to Mt Sharp after all.  Certainly a lot of effort has been spent over the past year in just the last km or so.  Either it is really interesting, or they don't expect to get much further and are maximising science. However the rate of publication remains disappointing

They are going to be standing at attention in front of Congress if that story about not going to Mt. Sharp is anywhere close to true.

"we're really not journeying to Mt Sharp anymore, are we?"

http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?s=&showtopic=7988&view=findpost&p=218809



Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 09/26/2015 04:05 am

"we're really not journeying to Mt Sharp anymore, are we?"

http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?s=&showtopic=7988&view=findpost&p=218809
Nothing was "let slip", you are just misinterpreting the statement. It's about a thread title on UMSF, not the ultimate destination. as is clear from the following post: http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?s=&showtopic=7988&view=findpost&p=218840

"Well, according to the mission, we arrived at Mount Sharp as we approached Pahrump Hills, and the rocks we're driving on now are basal to Mount Sharp. But I won't rename the old thread."

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: NovaSilisko on 09/26/2015 04:36 am
Perhaps related, a tweet from Emily a while ago said the team has never been planning on really climbing much of the mountain:

Quote
@elakdawalla Emily Lakdawalla retweeted Massimo
The plan has never been to climb all that much of the mountain -- most interesting (watery) rocks are nearer base.

https://twitter.com/elakdawalla/status/644951466382262273
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 09/26/2015 06:55 pm
Perhaps related, a tweet from Emily a while ago said the team has never been planning on really climbing much of the mountain:
Right, from the beginning, there's never been hasn't been much serious talk about going much higher than the clay/sulfate transition, and a lot of the really interesting stuff is lower than that. This is shown in the attached from the extended mission proposal.

edit:
Correction: IIRC there was some talk of maybe eventually getting to the top of the sulfate layers, but that would be after multiple extended missions.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 09/26/2015 10:39 pm
This seems as good a place as any:

NASA to Announce Mars Mystery Solved
Sept. 24, 2015

NASA will detail a major science finding from the agency’s ongoing exploration of Mars during a news briefing at 11:30 a.m. EDT on Monday, Sept. 28 at the James Webb Auditorium at NASA Headquarters in Washington. The event will be broadcast live on NASA Television and the agency's website.

News conference participants will be:

·         Jim Green, director of planetary science at NASA Headquarters

·         Michael Meyer, lead scientist for the Mars Exploration Program at NASA Headquarters

·         Lujendra Ojha of the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta

·         Mary Beth Wilhelm of NASA’s Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California and the Georgia Institute of Technology

·         Alfred McEwen, principal investigator for the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) at the University of Arizona in Tucson

A brief question-and-answer session will take place during the event with reporters on site and by phone. Members of the public also can ask questions during the briefing using #AskNASA.

To participate in the briefing by phone, reporters must email their name, media affiliation and telephone number to Steve Cole at [email protected] by 9 a.m. EDT on Monday.

For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and to view the news briefing, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv

For more information about NASA's journey to Mars:

https://www.nasa.gov/topics/journeytomars
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 09/26/2015 10:57 pm
This seems as good a place as any:
Also discussed in the MRO thread http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=1835.msg1429346#msg1429346

I don't see any indication that this connected to Curiosity, MRO seems more likely based on the presenters (edit: of course, data from both could be involved). As far as I can tell Wilhelm is the only one associated with Curiosity, but also works with MRO data.  Ojha's research focuses on RSLs, which may be a clue. McEwen is of course Mr. HiRISE ;)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 09/27/2015 12:21 am
Perhaps related, a tweet from Emily a while ago said the team has never been planning on really climbing much of the mountain:
Right, from the beginning, there's never been hasn't been much serious talk about going much higher than the clay/sulfate transition, and a lot of the really interesting stuff is lower than that. This is shown in the attached from the extended mission proposal.

edit:
Correction: IIRC there was some talk of maybe eventually getting to the top of the sulfate layers, but that would be after multiple extended missions.

The top of the clay-sulphate transition is about 900m higher than where the rover is now.  So still a substantial climb.

Currently, more than halfway into the extended mission, Curiosity is about about the point next to the first set of numbers. So they are well behind that prediction.

There has been a long history of excessive optimism over what would be achieved emanating from the Curiosity team.  Expectations prior to launch were that it would have covered the round it has in only a few months.  These were cut back before landing, but still well in excess of what was achieved. 

All this was pointed out in a highly critical external review, which JPL seem to have shrugged off.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: the_other_Doug on 09/27/2015 01:20 am
Perhaps related, a tweet from Emily a while ago said the team has never been planning on really climbing much of the mountain:
Right, from the beginning, there's never been hasn't been much serious talk about going much higher than the clay/sulfate transition, and a lot of the really interesting stuff is lower than that. This is shown in the attached from the extended mission proposal.

edit:
Correction: IIRC there was some talk of maybe eventually getting to the top of the sulfate layers, but that would be after multiple extended missions.

The top of the clay-sulphate transition is about 900m higher than where the rover is now.  So still a substantial climb.

Currently, more than halfway into the extended mission, Curiosity is about about the point next to the first set of numbers. So they are well behind that prediction.

There has been a long history of excessive optimism over what would be achieved emanating from the Curiosity team.  Expectations prior to launch were that it would have covered the round it has in only a few months.  These were cut back before landing, but still well in excess of what was achieved. 

All this was pointed out in a highly critical external review, which JPL seem to have shrugged off.

I think you have to take into account that the Curiosity team has had to make choices as they go along their traverse and see new and fascinating/important things that demand they stop and investigate.

There has never been a "we go to the specified stops and stay there for the specified times and arrive at the specified locations on the specified dates" kind of agenda for Curiosity.  It has always been a plan-as-you-go kind of approach, where the team weighs the important new discoveries to be made on whatever new terrain they find themselves, versus the potential discoveries to be made at places farther along the route.

A tremendous amount of information has come from the investigations thus far.  The primary mission of MSL, to characterize an environment that could have supported life back 3 billion years ago, was achieved in the first few months during its investigations at Yellowknife Bay.  Everything that has come since has been gravy.

Thus, while there are many interesting terrains yet to come, there was never a mission objective that said "We will climb Mt. Sharp and look around Gale from its peak and we will have failed if we don't achieve this."  There was never much interest in Sharp's upper slopes, which are bland and homogeneous-looking, and it's quite likely that Curiosity will get to the various terrain layers that were originally planned to be explored on the lower slopes.

It simply doesn't make sense to rush along, ignoring the wealth of data you're driving past, just to make an arbitrary location by an arbitrary date.  I think the MSL team is doing it right.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 09/27/2015 04:57 am
Perhaps related, a tweet from Emily a while ago said the team has never been planning on really climbing much of the mountain:
Right, from the beginning, there's never been hasn't been much serious talk about going much higher than the clay/sulfate transition, and a lot of the really interesting stuff is lower than that. This is shown in the attached from the extended mission proposal.

edit:
Correction: IIRC there was some talk of maybe eventually getting to the top of the sulfate layers, but that would be after multiple extended missions.

The top of the clay-sulphate transition is about 900m higher than where the rover is now.  So still a substantial climb.

Currently, more than halfway into the extended mission, Curiosity is about about the point next to the first set of numbers. So they are well behind that prediction.

There has been a long history of excessive optimism over what would be achieved emanating from the Curiosity team.  Expectations prior to launch were that it would have covered the round it has in only a few months.  These were cut back before landing, but still well in excess of what was achieved. 

All this was pointed out in a highly critical external review, which JPL seem to have shrugged off.

I think you have to take into account that the Curiosity team has had to make choices as they go along their traverse and see new and fascinating/important things that demand they stop and investigate.

There has never been a "we go to the specified stops and stay there for the specified times and arrive at the specified locations on the specified dates" kind of agenda for Curiosity.  It has always been a plan-as-you-go kind of approach, where the team weighs the important new discoveries to be made on whatever new terrain they find themselves, versus the potential discoveries to be made at places farther along the route.

A tremendous amount of information has come from the investigations thus far.  The primary mission of MSL, to characterize an environment that could have supported life back 3 billion years ago, was achieved in the first few months during its investigations at Yellowknife Bay.  Everything that has come since has been gravy.

Thus, while there are many interesting terrains yet to come, there was never a mission objective that said "We will climb Mt. Sharp and look around Gale from its peak and we will have failed if we don't achieve this."  There was never much interest in Sharp's upper slopes, which are bland and homogeneous-looking, and it's quite likely that Curiosity will get to the various terrain layers that were originally planned to be explored on the lower slopes.

It simply doesn't make sense to rush along, ignoring the wealth of data you're driving past, just to make an arbitrary location by an arbitrary date.  I think the MSL team is doing it right.

No objections with how it's done.  However massive objections with the constant over promising compared to what is being delivered. 
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 09/27/2015 05:09 am
Perhaps related, a tweet from Emily a while ago said the team has never been planning on really climbing much of the mountain:
Right, from the beginning, there's never been hasn't been much serious talk about going much higher than the clay/sulfate transition, and a lot of the really interesting stuff is lower than that. This is shown in the attached from the extended mission proposal.

edit:
Correction: IIRC there was some talk of maybe eventually getting to the top of the sulfate layers, but that would be after multiple extended missions.

The top of the clay-sulphate transition is about 900m higher than where the rover is now.  So still a substantial climb.

Currently, more than halfway into the extended mission, Curiosity is about about the point next to the first set of numbers. So they are well behind that prediction.

There has been a long history of excessive optimism over what would be achieved emanating from the Curiosity team.  Expectations prior to launch were that it would have covered the round it has in only a few months.  These were cut back before landing, but still well in excess of what was achieved. 

All this was pointed out in a highly critical external review, which JPL seem to have shrugged off.

I think you have to take into account that the Curiosity team has had to make choices as they go along their traverse and see new and fascinating/important things that demand they stop and investigate.

There has never been a "we go to the specified stops and stay there for the specified times and arrive at the specified locations on the specified dates" kind of agenda for Curiosity.  It has always been a plan-as-you-go kind of approach, where the team weighs the important new discoveries to be made on whatever new terrain they find themselves, versus the potential discoveries to be made at places farther along the route.

A tremendous amount of information has come from the investigations thus far.  The primary mission of MSL, to characterize an environment that could have supported life back 3 billion years ago, was achieved in the first few months during its investigations at Yellowknife Bay.  Everything that has come since has been gravy.

Thus, while there are many interesting terrains yet to come, there was never a mission objective that said "We will climb Mt. Sharp and look around Gale from its peak and we will have failed if we don't achieve this."  There was never much interest in Sharp's upper slopes, which are bland and homogeneous-looking, and it's quite likely that Curiosity will get to the various terrain layers that were originally planned to be explored on the lower slopes.

It simply doesn't make sense to rush along, ignoring the wealth of data you're driving past, just to make an arbitrary location by an arbitrary date.  I think the MSL team is doing it right.

No objections with how it's done.  However I do object with the constant over promising compared to what is being delivered. Its unnecessary and counterproductive.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 10/10/2015 08:53 pm
Recent science paper Deposition, exhumation, and paleoclimate of an ancient lake deposit, Gale crater, Mars  (http://www.sciencemag.org/content/350/6257/aac7575) (paywall) (NASA news release (http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1865))

BBC report has a really nice interview covering the background:
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-34490337

edit:
Paper is now available sans paywall on the MSL site: http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/mission/science/researchpapers/
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 10/12/2015 08:45 pm
Recent science paper Deposition, exhumation, and paleoclimate of an ancient lake deposit, Gale crater, Mars  (http://www.sciencemag.org/content/350/6257/aac7575) (paywall) (NASA news release (http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1865))

BBC report has a really nice interview covering the background:
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-34490337

Very good paper, and a big step towards bringing the science up to date to where the rover is on the ground a few months ago.  I would agree with most of it.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: zubenelgenubi on 11/19/2015 07:46 pm
11.16.2015
NASA's Curiosity Mars Rover Heads Toward Active Dunes

Curiosity Rover Will Study Dunes on Route up Mountain (http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/images/?ImageID=7540)
caption: This Sept. 25, 2015, view from the Mast Camera on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover shows a dark sand dune in the middle distance. The rover's examination of dunes on the way toward higher layers of Mount Sharp will be the first in-place study of an active sand dune anywhere other than Earth. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

On its way to higher layers of the mountain where it is investigating how Mars' environment changed billions of years ago, NASA's Curiosity Mars rover will take advantage of a chance to study some modern Martian activity at mobile sand dunes.

Orbital View of Dune That Curiosity Will Visit (http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/images/?ImageID=7541)
caption: This view taken from orbit around Mars shows the sand dune that will be the first to be visited by NASA's Curiosity Mars Rover along its route to higher layers of Mount Sharp. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona

In the next few days, the rover will get its first close-up look at these dark dunes, called the "Bagnold Dunes," which skirt the northwestern flank of Mount Sharp. No Mars rover has previously visited a sand dune, as opposed to smaller sand ripples or drifts. One dune Curiosity will investigate is as tall as a two-story building and as broad as a football field. The Bagnold Dunes are active: Images from orbit indicate some of them are migrating as much as about 3 feet (1 meter) per Earth year. No active dunes have been visited anywhere in the solar system besides Earth.

"We've planned investigations that will not only tell us about modern dune activity on Mars but will also help us interpret the composition of sandstone layers made from dunes that turned into rock long ago," said Bethany Ehlmann of the California Institute of Technology and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, both in Pasadena, California.

As of Monday, Nov. 16, Curiosity has about 200 yards or meters remaining to drive before reaching "Dune 1." The rover is already monitoring the area's wind direction and speed each day and taking progressively closer images, as part of the dune research campaign. At the dune, it will use its scoop to collect samples for the rover's internal laboratory instruments, and it will use a wheel to scuff into the dune for comparison of the surface to the interior.

Curiosity has driven about 1,033 feet (315 meters) in the past three weeks, since departing an area where its drill sampled two rock targets just 18 days apart. The latest drilled sample, "Greenhorn," is the ninth since Curiosity landed in 2012 and sixth since reaching Mount Sharp last year. The mission is studying how Mars' ancient environment changed from wet conditions favorable for microbial life to harsher, drier conditions.

Before Curiosity's landing, scientists used images from orbit to map the landing region's terrain types in a grid of 140 square quadrants, each about 0.9 mile (1.5 kilometers) wide. Curiosity entered its eighth quadrant this month. It departed one called Arlee, after a geological district in Montana, and drove into one called Windhoek, for a geological district in Namibia. Throughout the mission, the rover team has informally named Martian rocks, hills and other features for locations in the quadrant's namesake area on Earth. There's a new twist for the Windhoek Quadrant: scientists at the Geological Society of Namibia and at the Gobabeb Research and Training Center in Namibia have provided the rover team with a list of Namibian geological place names to use for features in this quadrant. The Windhoek theme was chosen for this sand-dune-bearing quadrant because studies of the Namib Desert have aided interpretation of dune and playa environments on Mars.

What distinguishes actual dunes from windblown ripples of sand or dust, like those found at several sites visited previously by Mars rovers, is that dunes form a downwind face steep enough for sand to slide down. The effect of wind on motion of individual particles in dunes has been studied extensively on Earth, a field pioneered by British military engineer Ralph Bagnold (1896-1990). Curiosity's campaign at the Martian dune field informally named for him will be the first in-place study of dune activity on a planet with lower gravity and less atmosphere.

Observations of the Bagnold Dunes with the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter indicate that mineral composition is not evenly distributed in the dunes. The same orbiter's High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment has documented movement of Bagnold Dunes.

"We will use Curiosity to learn whether the wind is actually sorting the minerals in the dunes by how the wind transports particles of different grain size," Ehlmann said.

As an example, the dunes contain olivine, a mineral in dark volcanic rock that is one of the first altered into other minerals by water. If the Bagnold campaign finds that other mineral grains are sorted away from heavier olivine-rich grains by the wind's effects on dune sands, that could help researchers evaluate to what extent low and high amounts of olivine in some ancient sandstones could be caused by wind-sorting rather than differences in alteration by water.

Glimpse of 'Bagnold Dunes' Edging Mount Sharp (http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/images/?ImageID=7539)
caption: The dark band in the lower portion of this Martian scene is part of the "Bagnold Dunes" dune field lining the northwestern edge of Mount Sharp. The scene combines multiple images taken with the Mast Camera on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover on Sept. 25, 2015. The view is toward south-southeast. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

Ehlmann and Nathan Bridges of the Johns Hopkins University's Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland, lead the Curiosity team's planning for the dune campaign.

"These dunes have a different texture from dunes on Earth," Bridges said. "The ripples on them are much larger than ripples on top of dunes on Earth, and we don't know why. We have models based on the lower air pressure. It takes a higher wind speed to get a particle moving. But now we'll have the first opportunity to make detailed observations."

JPL, managed by Caltech for NASA, built Curiosity and manages the project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. For more information about Curiosity, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/msl (http://www.nasa.gov/msl)
http://mars.nasa.gov/msl/ (http://mars.nasa.gov/msl/)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 11/24/2015 04:24 am
Who was Ralph Bagnold?  A legend, and a singularly appropriate name for these dunes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Alger_Bagnold

He could probably have taught JPL a thing or two about desert travel and would be amazed at the Curiosity rover.

http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/168046/

In 1975, at an age of 79, he co-authored a paper with Carl Sagan on martian dunes.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 12/15/2015 11:53 pm
Curiosity Rover Report (Dec. 15, 2015): First Visit to Martian Dunes

Published on Dec 15, 2015
Curiosity performs the first investigation of active sand dunes on another planet. Studying the Bagnold Dunes on Mars will help scientists understand the physics of Martian dunes and how they move.

https://youtu.be/ur_TeOs3S64
Title: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 12/21/2015 08:50 pm
Mars Rover Finds Changing Rocks, Surprising Scientists

Quote
What has caught the attention of Dr. Vasavada and his colleagues lately is silica, a class of minerals made of silicon and oxygen. The evidence points to the action of liquid water even after the lakes disappeared.

“Groundwater passed through the rock multiple times, leaving different chemical signatures behind,” Dr. Vasavada said.

Quote
So we all placed friendly bets on what sort of silica phase we would find,” said Elizabeth Rampe, another member of the science team for Curiosity. “But we could never have predicted this result.”

It was tridymite, a mineral that is rare on Earth and has never seen before on Mars. “And we actually found a lot of it,” Dr. Rampe said.

On Earth, tridymite generally forms at high temperatures in volcanic or metamorphic rocks, not a finely layered sedimentary rock like Buckskin. That may tell something about the origin of the sediments, or it is possible that tridymite forms through a different process on Mars.

In the younger sandstone, the scientists found a different type of silica known as Opal-A along fractures in the rocks.

The scientists hypothesize two possibilities: acidic water washed away the other elements, or neutral water washed in silica that accumulated in the sandstone. “They both involve liquid water,” said Albert Yen of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, another science team member. “We’re just trying to figure out the flavor of the water.”

The scientists did not present new findings on organics, the carbon-based molecules that could serve as the building blocks for life. Dr. Vasavada said that signs of organics had been spotted, but the scientists were still analyzing them.

“Stay tuned,” he said. “There are organics in several of these samples we’ve been seeing lately.”

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/12/18/science/mars-rover-finds-changing-rocks-surprising-scientists.html (http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/12/18/science/mars-rover-finds-changing-rocks-surprising-scientists.html)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 12/22/2015 09:39 am
Mars Rover Finds Changing Rocks, Surprising Scientists

Quote
What has caught the attention of Dr. Vasavada and his colleagues lately is silica, a class of minerals made of silicon and oxygen. The evidence points to the action of liquid water even after the lakes disappeared.

“Groundwater passed through the rock multiple times, leaving different chemical signatures behind,” Dr. Vasavada said.

Quote
So we all placed friendly bets on what sort of silica phase we would find,” said Elizabeth Rampe, another member of the science team for Curiosity. “But we could never have predicted this result.”

It was tridymite, a mineral that is rare on Earth and has never seen before on Mars. “And we actually found a lot of it,” Dr. Rampe said.

On Earth, tridymite generally forms at high temperatures in volcanic or metamorphic rocks, not a finely layered sedimentary rock like Buckskin. That may tell something about the origin of the sediments, or it is possible that tridymite forms through a different process on Mars.

In the younger sandstone, the scientists found a different type of silica known as Opal-A along fractures in the rocks.

The scientists hypothesize two possibilities: acidic water washed away the other elements, or neutral water washed in silica that accumulated in the sandstone. “They both involve liquid water,” said Albert Yen of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, another science team member. “We’re just trying to figure out the flavor of the water.”

The scientists did not present new findings on organics, the carbon-based molecules that could serve as the building blocks for life. Dr. Vasavada said that signs of organics had been spotted, but the scientists were still analyzing them.

“Stay tuned,” he said. “There are organics in several of these samples we’ve been seeing lately.”

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/12/18/science/mars-rover-finds-changing-rocks-surprising-scientists.html (http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/12/18/science/mars-rover-finds-changing-rocks-surprising-scientists.html)

Not mentioned is that tridymite is also a component of another form of opal, opal-CT, where the C stands for a second silica polymorph, cristabolite.  This has yet to be found.  However both opal A and opal CT form through low temperature diagenesis as well as through hydrothermal leaching.
Title: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 12/26/2015 07:59 pm
Quote
Just in time for the holidays, NASA’s Curiosity rover is celebrating Christmas 2015 at a Red Planet Paradise – spectacular “Namib Dune.” And she marked the occasion by snapping her first ever color self-portrait with the mast mounted high resolution Mastcam 34 mm camera.

Heretofore Curiosity has taken color self portraits with the MAHLI camera mounted at the end of the 7-foot-long (2-meter-long) robotic arm, and black and white self portraits with the mast mounted navcam camera.

The new Mastcam color self portrait was taken just days ago on December 19, and includes the first ever color images of the rover deck. Previously, Curiosity has used the Mastcam color camera to take tens of thousands of exquisite high resolution panoramic images of the magnificent looking Martian terrain, but not the entire rover deck which includes the inlet ports for the pair of chemistry labs in the robots belly.

Curiosity arrived at the outskirts of Namib Dune in mid-December. And as the images show Namib Dune is humongous and unlike anything encountered before by Curiosity. See our exclusive photo mosaics above and below from the image processing team of Ken Kremer and Marco Di Lorenzo.

Why snap a Mastcam self portrait now? Because there’s unique science to be gained from the Red Planets swirling winds whipping up dust and sand particles with the rover now at the edge of the giant dune field at the foothills of Mount Sharp, and to check for buildup of particles on the rover deck.

“The plan includes a Mastcam image of the rover deck to monitor the movement of particles,” wrote MSL science team member Lauren Edgar, Research Geologist at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center, in a mission update.

Namib Dune is part of a massive field of spectacular rippled dark sand dunes, known as the “Bagnold Dunes” – located at the base of Mount Sharp and range up to two stories tall.

The six wheeled rover was dispatched to the dunes to conduct humanity’s first up-close investigation of currently active sand dunes anywhere beyond Earth.

“Namib is an Aeolian paradise,” wrote Edgar.

“The view at Namib Dune is pretty spectacular. We’ve received a lot of beautiful Mastcam and Navcam images.”

Article & image gallery on the link.

http://www.universetoday.com/123963/boeing-starliner/
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 01/07/2016 12:21 am
01.04.2016
Rover Rounds Martian Dune to Get to the Other Side

NASA's Curiosity Mars rover, partway through the first up-close study ever conducted of extraterrestrial sand dunes, is providing dramatic views of a dune's steep face, where cascading sand has sculpted very different textures than the wavy ripples visible on the dune's windward slope.

Panoramic scenes dominated by the steep face of a dune called "Namib Dune" are online at these sites:

http://mars.nasa.gov/multimedia/images/?ImageID=7627
http://mars.nasa.gov/multimedia/images/?ImageID=7623

Researchers are using Curiosity to examine examples of the Bagnold Dunes, a band of dark sand dunes lining the northwestern flank of Mt. Sharp, the layered mountain the rover is climbing. A characteristic that sets true dunes apart from other wind-shaped bodies of sand, such as drifts and ripples previously visited by Mars rovers, is a steep, downwind slope known as the slip face. Here, sand blowing across the windward side of the dune suddenly becomes sheltered from the wind by the dune itself. The sand falls out of the air and builds up on the slope until it becomes steepened and flows in mini-avalanches down the face.

The mission's dune-investigation campaign is designed to increase understanding about how wind moves and sorts grains of sand, in an environment with less gravity and much less atmosphere than well-studied dune fields on Earth. The Bagnold Dunes are active. Sequential images taken from orbit over the course of multiple years show that some of these dunes are migrating by as much as a yard, or meter, per Earth year.

Curiosity has not caught a sand slide in action, but the rover's images of the Namib Dune slip face show where such slides have occurred recently. These dunes likely are most active in Mars' southern summer, rather than in the current late-fall season.

A few days of rover operations were affected in December due to an arm-motion fault, diagnosed as a minor software issue. Normal use of the arm resumed Dec. 23.

Curiosity has been working on Mars since early August 2012. It reached the base of Mount Sharp in 2014 after fruitfully investigating outcrops closer to its landing site and then trekking to the mountain. The main mission objective now is to examine successively higher layers of Mount Sharp.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1882
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: sghill on 02/01/2016 01:55 pm
As much as I scoff at the endless selfies sent back from Curiosity.  The new "super selfie" it beamed back is terrific.

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/sandy-selfie-sent-from-nasa-mars-rover

"The latest self-portrait from NASA's Curiosity Mars rover shows the car-size mobile laboratory beside a dark dune where it has been scooping and sieving samples of sand.

The new selfie combines 57 images taken by the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) camera at the end of Curiosity's arm on Jan. 19.

The rover has been investigating a group of active sand dunes for two months, studying how the wind moves and sorts sand particles on Mars. The site is part of Bagnold Dune Field, which lines the northwestern flank of Mars' Mount Sharp.

When the component images were taken, the rover had scuffed the edge of "Namib Dune" and collected the first of three scoops of sand from that dune. It used its scoop later to collect a second sample on Jan. 19, and a third on Jan. 22."

You can really see the heavy damage on the leading wheel in the image!

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 04/10/2016 05:03 am
Three consecutive drives cut short because of RTG problem

http://astrogeology.usgs.gov/news/astrogeology/sols-1303-1304-driving-again

http://astrogeology.usgs.gov/news/astrogeology/sols-1305-1306-deja-vu

http://astrogeology.usgs.gov/news/astrogeology/sols-1307-1308-deja-vu-all-over-again
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 05/11/2016 07:03 pm
Curiosity Rover Report (May 11, 2016): Mars Weather Report

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Published on May 11, 2016
After two Martian years, NASA's Curiosity Mars rover is more than a geologist, scientist and explorer. It’s a weather reporter, too!

See the changing seasons on Mars, and find out about clouds, frost and methane on the Red Planet.

https://youtu.be/-mkA6uxBI2Y
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 06/10/2016 01:22 am
Sols 1364-1365: Analyzing drill sample

Mon, 06 Jun 2016

The Oudam drill campaign continues to go well, with sample acquired and ready for analysis.  Planning is now restricted, so we are planning 2 sols today.  On Sol 1364, ChemCam will acquire passive spectra of the drill tailings and a LIBS raster of the wall of the drill hole.  Later that afternoon, the unsieved portion of the drill sample will be dumped on the ground and imaged by MAHLI from 25 cm to support future planning.  After dark, MAHLI will take pictures of the inside of the drill hole, the tailings, and the CheMin inlet using its LEDs for illumination.  The APXS will then be placed on the drill tailings for an overnight integration.

Early on Sol 1365, the Right Mastcam will extend the mosaic of Hartmann's Valley, adding 22 images.  That afternoon, the APXS will be retracted and vibrated to clean it, then the arm will be moved out of the way for ChemCam and Mastcam observations of the drill tailings.  Navcam will search for clouds both near the horizon and at zenith.  Finally, CheMin will analyze the drill sample overnight.

by Ken Herkenhoff


http://mars.nasa.gov/msl/mission/mars-rover-curiosity-mission-updates/
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 06/10/2016 01:23 am
Sols 1366-1367: Opportunistic contact science

Wed, 08 Jun 2016

The day started off with some changes to the sol path due to some holes in the downlink.  Unfortunately some engineering camera and MAHLI images from Sol 1364 were not fully transmitted, so the team worked quickly to rearrange the intended activities this week.  Fortunately that also meant that we could add in some opportunistic DRT, MAHLI and APXS activities on Sol 1366.

The two-sol plan starts off with ChemCam and Mastcam observations of the Oudam drill hole and tailings, and the nearby target “Omulonga.” We’ll also acquire some Mastcam and Navcam observations to monitor the atmosphere.  In the afternoon of the first sol, we’ll use the DRT, MALHI and APXS to characterize the bedrock target “Aubures” to look for variations in texture and chemistry within the Murray formation.  On the second sol we’ll acquire a 360 degree Mastcam mosaic for geologic context, and a routine SAM electrical baseline test to monitor instrument health.  Hopefully the Navcam images will be retransmitted so we can continue with our drill site characterization activities later this week!

By Lauren Edgar

--Lauren is a Research Geologist at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center and a member of the MSL science team.

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 06/23/2016 12:07 am
NASA Scientists Discover Unexpected Mineral on Mars


http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=6540&utm_source=iContact&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=NASAJPL&utm_content=daily20160622

Quote
In July 2015, on Sol 1060 (the number of Martian days since landing), the rover collected powder drilled from rock at a location named "Buckskin." Analyzing data from an X-ray diffraction instrument on the rover that identifies minerals, scientists detected significant amounts of a silica mineral called tridymite.

This detection was a surprise to the scientists, because tridymite is generally associated with silicic volcanism, which is known on Earth but was not thought to be important or even present on Mars.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 06/26/2016 08:50 pm
For completeness  http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1915

Quote
NASA Weighs Use of Rover to Image Potential Mars Water Sites
...
The features of interest have been observed by NASA’s High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO). They appear as dark lines that appear to ebb and flow over time. Planetary scientists think these gullies or recurring slope lineae (RSLs) may appear seasonally as a form of briny water at or near the surface of the Red Planet under warmer conditions.

There are two RSL candidates that may be within Curiosity’s reach, on the side of the 3.1-mile-high (5-kilometer-high) Mount Sharp. The rover’s Remote Micro-Imager (part of ChemCam) would be the main instrument for imaging the possible sites. The goal would be to study the regions over time to see if there are any changes and to rule out other causes for the changes, such as dry avalanches.
...


Thread http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=40602.0
Title: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 07/06/2016 07:29 pm
Curiosity Rover Enters Precautionary Safe Mode

The team operating NASA's Curiosity Mars rover is taking steps to return the rover to full activity following a precautionary stand-down over the Fourth of July weekend.

Curiosity is now communicating with ground controllers and is stable. The rover put itself into safe mode on July 2, ceasing most activities other than keeping itself healthy and following a prescribed sequence for resuming communications.

Engineers are working to determine the cause of safe-mode entry. Preliminary information indicates an unexpected mismatch between camera software and data-processing software in the main computer. The near-term steps toward resuming full activities begin with requesting more diagnostic information from Curiosity.

Curiosity has entered safe mode three times previously, all during 2013.

The rover landed in Mars' Gale Crater in August 2012. During its first year on Mars, the mission achieved its goal by determining that, more than 3 billion years ago, the region offered fresh-water lakes and rivers with environmental conditions well-suited to supporting microbial life, if life has ever existed on Mars. In continuing investigations, the mission is learning more about the ancient wet environments and how and when they evolved to drier and less habitable conditions.

NASA last week approved an additional two-year extension, beginning Oct. 1, 2016, for the Mars Science Laboratory Project, which developed and operates Curiosity.

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, manages the project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. JPL is a division of Caltech in Pasadena. For more information about Curiosity, visit:

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=6559
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 07/21/2016 07:44 pm
NASA Mars Rover Can Choose Laser Targets on Its Own

NASA's Mars rover Curiosity is now selecting rock targets for its laser spectrometer -- the first time autonomous target selection is available for an instrument of this kind on any robotic planetary mission.

Using software developed at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, Curiosity is now frequently choosing multiple targets per week for a laser and a telescopic camera that are parts of the rover's Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) instrument. Most ChemCam targets are still selected by scientists discussing rocks or soil seen in images the rover has sent to Earth, but the autonomous targeting adds a new capability.

During Curiosity's nearly four years on Mars, ChemCam has inspected multiple points on more than 1,400 targets by detecting the color spectrum of plasmas generated when laser pulses zap a target -- more than 350,000 total laser shots at about 10,000 points in all. ChemCam's spectrometers record the wavelengths seen through a telescope while the laser is firing. This information enables scientists to identify the chemical compositions of the targets. Through the same telescope, the instrument takes images that are of the highest resolution available from the rover's mast.

AEGIS software, for Autonomous Exploration for Gathering Increased Science, had previously been used on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity, though less frequently and for a different type of instrument. That rover uses the software to analyze images from a wide-angle camera as the basis for autonomously selecting rocks to photograph with a narrower-angle camera. Development work on AEGIS won a NASA Software of the Year Award in 2011.

"This autonomy is particularly useful at times when getting the science team in the loop is difficult or impossible -- in the middle of a long drive, perhaps, or when the schedules of Earth, Mars and spacecraft activities lead to delays in sharing information between the planets," said robotics engineer Tara Estlin, the leader of AEGIS development at JPL.

The most frequent application of AEGIS uses onboard computer analysis of images from Curiosity's stereo Navigation Camera (Navcam), which are taken routinely at each location where the rover ends a drive. AEGIS selects a target and directs ChemCam pointing, typically before the Navcam images are transmitted to Earth. This gives the team an extra jump in assessing the rover's latest surroundings and planning operations for upcoming days.

To select a target autonomously, the software's analysis of images uses adjustable criteria specified by scientists, such as identifying rocks based on their size or brightness. The criteria can be changed depending on the rover's surroundings and the scientific goals of the measurements.

Another AEGIS mode starts with images from ChemCam's own Remote Micro-Imager, rather than the Navcam, and uses image analysis to hone pointing of the laser at fine-scale targets chosen in advance by scientists. For example, scientists might select a threadlike vein or a small concretion in a rock, based on images received on Earth. AEGIS then controls the laser sharpshooting.

"Due to their small size and other pointing challenges, hitting these targets accurately with the laser has often required the rover to stay in place while ground operators fine tune pointing parameters," Estlin said. "AEGIS enables these targets to be hit on the first try by automatically identifying them and calculating a pointing that will center a ChemCam measurement on the target."

From the top of Curiosity's mast, the instrument can analyze the composition of a rock or soil target from up to about 23 feet (7 meters) away.

"AEGIS brings an extra opportunity to use ChemCam, to do more, when the interaction with scientists is limited," said ChemCam Science Operation Lead Olivier Gasnault, at the Research Institute in Astrophysics and Planetology (IRAP), of France's National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) and the University of Toulouse, France. "It does not replace an existing mode, but complements it."

The U.S. Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico leads the U.S. and French team that jointly developed and operates ChemCam. IRAP is a co-developer and shares operation of the instrument with France's national space agency (CNES), NASA and Los Alamos.

The Curiosity mission is using ChemCam and other instruments on the rover as the vehicle investigates geological layers on lower Mount Sharp. The rover's extended mission is analyzing evidence about how the environment in this part of Mars changed billions of years ago from conditions well suited to microbial life -- if life ever existed on Mars -- to dry, inhospitable conditions. For more information about Curiosity, visit:

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl


News Media Contact

Guy Webster
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
818-354-6278
[email protected]

Dwayne Brown / Laurie Cantillo
NASA Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1726 / 202-358-1077
[email protected] / [email protected]

2016-193

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2016-193&rn=news.xml&rst=6575
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 08/05/2016 12:23 am
Curiosity Rover Report (August 5, 2016): Four Years on Mars

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Published on Aug 4, 2016
After four years on Mars, Curiosity rover and her operations team are now seasoned explorers, anxious to climb to greater heights on Mount Sharp.

https://youtu.be/E6t1kxX-EpI?t=001

https://youtu.be/E6t1kxX-EpI
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 08/05/2016 12:39 am
NASA Rover Game Released for Curiosity's Anniversary

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=6585
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 08/14/2016 08:40 pm
The Pyramids of Mars.

https://mobile.twitter.com/elakdawalla/status/764320706431586304/photo/1
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 08/24/2016 05:02 am
Curiosity Rover Report (August 5, 2016): Four Years on Mars

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Published on Aug 4, 2016
After four years on Mars, Curiosity rover and her operations team are now seasoned explorers, anxious to climb to greater heights on Mount Sharp.

Actually Curiosity is only a machine somewhat the worse for wear.  It is the team who are the seasoned explorers ;)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 10/04/2016 08:25 pm
10.03.2016
NASA's Curiosity Rover Begins Next Mars Chapter

After collecting drilled rock powder in arguably the most scenic landscape yet visited by a Mars rover, NASA's Curiosity mobile laboratory is driving toward uphill destinations as part of its two-year mission extension that commenced Oct. 1.

The destinations include a ridge capped with material rich in the iron-oxide mineral hematite, about a mile-and-a-half (two-and-a-half kilometers) ahead, and an exposure of clay-rich bedrock beyond that.

These are key exploration sites on lower Mount Sharp, which is a layered, Mount-Rainier-size mound where Curiosity is investigating evidence of ancient, water-rich environments that contrast with the harsh, dry conditions on the surface of Mars today.

"We continue to reach higher and younger layers on Mount Sharp," said Curiosity Project Scientist Ashwin Vasavada, of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California. "Even after four years of exploring near and on the mountain, it still has the potential to completely surprise us."

Hundreds of photos Curiosity took in recent weeks amid a cluster of mesas and buttes of diverse shapes are fresh highlights among the more than 180,000 images the rover has taken since landing on Mars in August 2012. Newly available vistas include the rover's latest self-portrait from the color camera at the end of its arm and a scenic panorama from the color camera at the top of the mast.


"Bidding good-bye to 'Murray Buttes,' Curiosity's assignment is the ongoing study of ancient habitability and the potential for life," said Curiosity Program Scientist Michael Meyer at NASA Headquarters, Washington. "This mission, as it explores the succession of rock layers, is reading the 'pages' of Martian history -- changing our understanding of Mars and how the planet has evolved. Curiosity has been and will be a cornerstone in our plans for future missions."

The component images of the self-portrait were taken near the base of one of the Murray Buttes, at the same site where the rover used its drill on Sept. 18 to acquire a sample of rock powder. An attempt to drill at this site four days earlier had halted prematurely due to a short-circuit issue that Curiosity had experienced previously, but the second attempt successfully reached full depth and collected sample material. After departing the buttes area, Curiosity delivered some of the rock sample to its internal laboratory for analysis.

Curiosity's Rock or Soil Sampling Sites on Mars, Through September 2016
Curiosity's Rock or Soil Sampling Sites on Mars, Through September 2016
This graphic maps locations of the sites where NASA's Curiosity Mars rover collected its first 18 rock or soil samples for laboratory analysis inside the vehicle. It also presents images of the drilled holes where 14 rock-powder samples were acquired, most recently at "Quela," on Sept. 18, 2016.

This latest drill site -- the 14th for Curiosity -- is in a geological layer about 600 feet (180 meters) thick, called the Murray formation. Curiosity has climbed nearly half of this formation's thickness so far and found it consists primarily of mudstone, formed from mud that accumulated at the bottom of ancient lakes. The findings indicate that the lake environment was enduring, not fleeting. For roughly the first half of the new two-year mission extension, the rover team anticipates investigating the upper half of the Murray formation.
"We will see whether that record of lakes continues further," Vasavada said. "The more vertical thickness we see, the longer the lakes were present, and the longer habitable conditions existed here. Did the ancient environment change over time? Will the type of evidence we've found so far transition to something else?"

The "Hematite Unit" and "Clay Unit" above the Murray formation were identified from Mars orbiter observations before Curiosity's landing. Information about their composition, from the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer aboard NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, made them high priorities as destinations for the rover mission. Both hematite and clay typically form in wet environments.

Vasavada said, "The Hematite and the Clay units likely indicate different environments from the conditions recorded in older rock beneath them and different from each other. It will be interesting to see whether either or both were habitable environments."

NASA approved Curiosity's second extended mission this summer on the basis of plans presented by the rover team. Additional extensions for exploring farther up Mount Sharp may be considered in the future. The Curiosity mission has already achieved its main goal of determining whether the landing region ever offered environmental conditions that would have been favorable for microbial life, if Mars has ever hosted life. The mission found evidence of ancient rivers and lakes, with a chemical energy source and all of the chemical ingredients necessary for life as we know it.

The mission is also monitoring the modern environment of Mars, including natural radiation levels. Along with other robotic missions to the Red Planet, it is an important piece of NASA's Journey to Mars, leading toward human crew missions in the 2030s. JPL, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate and built the project's Curiosity rover. For more information about Curiosity, visit:

http://mars.nasa.gov/msl

Guy Webster
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
818-354-6278
[email protected]

Dwayne Brown / Laurie Cantillo
NASA Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1726 / 202-358-1077
[email protected] / [email protected]

http://marsmobile.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1936
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 11/14/2016 09:59 pm
11.02.2016
Curiosity Mars Rover Checks Odd-looking Iron Meteorite

Laser-zapping of a globular, golf-ball-size object on Mars by NASA's Curiosity rover confirms that it is an iron-nickel meteorite fallen from the Red Planet's sky.

Iron-nickel meteorites are a common class of space rocks found on Earth, and previous examples have been seen on Mars, but this one, called "Egg Rock," is the first on Mars examined with a laser-firing spectrometer. To do so, the rover team used Curiosity's Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) instrument.

Scientists of the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) project, which operates the rover, first noticed the odd-looking rock in images taken by Curiosity's Mast Camera (Mastcam) at a site the rover reached by an Oct. 27 drive.

"The dark, smooth and lustrous aspect of this target, and its sort of spherical shape attracted the attention of some MSL scientists when we received the Mastcam images at the new location," said ChemCam team member Pierre-Yves Meslin, at the Research Institute in Astrophysics and Planetology (IRAP), of France's National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) and the University of Toulouse, France.

ChemCam found iron, nickel and phosphorus, plus lesser ingredients, in concentrations still being determined through analysis of the spectrum of light produced from dozens of laser pulses at nine spots on the object. The enrichment in both nickel and phosphorus at some of the same points suggests the presence of an iron-nickel-phosphide mineral that is rare except in iron-nickel meteorites, Meslin said.

Iron meteorites typically originate as core material of asteroids that melt, allowing the molten metal fraction of the asteroid's composition to sink to the center and form a core.

"Iron meteorites provide records of many different asteroids that broke up, with fragments of their cores ending up on Earth and on Mars," said ChemCam team member Horton Newsom of the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque. "Mars may have sampled a different population of asteroids than Earth has."

In addition, the study of iron meteorites found on Mars -- including examples found previously by Mars rovers -- can provide information about how long exposure to the Martian environment has affected them, in comparison with how Earth's environment affects iron meteorites. Egg Rock may have fallen to the surface of Mars many millions of years ago. Researchers will be analyzing the ChemCam data from the first few laser shots at each target point and data from subsequent shots at the same point, to compare surface versus interior chemistry.

Egg Rock was found along the rover's path up a layer of lower Mount Sharp called the Murray formation, where sedimentary rocks hold records of ancient lakebed environments on Mars. The main science goal for Curiosity's second extended mission, which began last month, is to investigate how ancient environmental conditions changed over time. The mission has already determined that this region once offered conditons favorable for microbial life, if any life ever existed on Mars.

Curiosity was launched five years ago this month, on Nov. 26, 2011, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. It landed inside Gale Crater, near the foot of Mount Sharp, in August 2012.

The rover remains in good condition for continuing its investigations, after working more than twice as long as its originally planned prime mission of about 23 months, though two of its 10 science instruments have recently shown signs of potentially reduced capability. The neutron-generating component of Curiosity's Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN) instrument, designed for working through the prime mission, is returning data showing reduced voltage. Even if DAN could no longer generate neutrons, the instrument could continue to check for water molecules in the ground by using its passive mode. The performance of the wind-sensing capability from Curiosity's Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS) is also changing, though that instrument still returns other Mars-weather data daily, such as temperatures, humidity and pressure. Analysis is in progress for fuller diagnosis of unusual data from DAN, which was provided by Russia, and REMS, provided by Spain.

The U.S. Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory in Los Alamos, New Mexico, developed ChemCam in partnership with scientists and engineers funded by the French national space agency (CNES). Mastcam was built by Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, Washington, and built the project's Curiosity rover. For more information about Curiosity, visit:

http://mars.nasa.gov/msl[/b]
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: zubenelgenubi on 12/13/2016 05:17 pm
American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting 2016 press conferences:
http://fallmeeting.agu.org/2016/media-center/press-conferences/#curiosity

Quote
News from Gale Crater: Recent findings from NASA’s Curiosity Mars Rover
Tuesday, 13 December
11:30 a.m.

NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover continues to investigate higher and younger strata on the central mountain of Gale Crater, adding information about water-rich ancient environments in this part of Mars. Since reaching the base of the mountain two years ago, the rover has examined more than half the vertical extent of a 180-meter-thick geological formation that provides a record of long-lived lake and groundwater environments. Analysis of rock composition at multiple sites is providing new evidence about how the environmental conditions evolved over time, including factors favorable for life, if it ever was present. Some ingredients may foreshadow what the mission will find at planned destinations farther up the mountain.

Participants:
Joy Crisp, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, U.S.A.;
Thomas Bristow, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, U.S.A.;
Patrick Gasda, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, U.S.A.;
John Grotzinger, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, U.S.A.

Sessions: P21D, P23B
***

Watch at: https://livestream.com/accounts/2831286/events/6704756

Press conferences will be archived on the AGU YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/user/AGUvideos/videos).
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 12/13/2016 07:42 pm
Mars Rock-Ingredient Stew Seen as Plus for Habitability
Now and Long Ago at Gale Crater, Mars
This pair of drawings depicts the same location at Gale Crater on at two points in time: now and billions of years ago. Water moving beneath the ground, as well as water above the surface in ancient rivers and lakes, provided favorable conditions for microbial life, if Mars has ever hosted life. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
› Full image and caption | Additional images
Fast Facts:

› NASA's Curiosity Mars rover is finding patterns of change in rock composition at higher, younger layers of a mountain.

› Ancient Mars sedimentary basins with groundwater were chemically active, a factor favorable for possible life.

› Curiosity found boron on Mars, a first for this very soluble element.

NASA's Curiosity rover is climbing a layered Martian mountain and finding evidence of how ancient lakes and wet underground environments changed, billions of years ago, creating more diverse chemical environments that affected their favorability for microbial life.

Hematite, clay minerals and boron are among the ingredients found to be more abundant in layers farther uphill, compared with lower, older layers examined earlier in the mission. Scientists are discussing what these and other variations tell about conditions under which sediments were initially deposited, and about how groundwater moving later through the accumulated layers altered and transported ingredients.

Effects of this groundwater movement are most evident in mineral veins. The veins formed where cracks in the layers were filled with chemicals that had been dissolved in groundwater. The water with its dissolved contents also interacted with the rock matrix surrounding the veins, altering the chemistry both in the rock and in the water.

"There is so much variability in the composition at different elevations, we've hit a jackpot," said John Grotzinger, of Caltech in Pasadena, California. He and other members of Curiosity's science team presented an update about the mission Tuesday, Dec. 13, in San Francisco during the fall meeting of the American Geophysical Union. As the rover examines higher, younger layers, researchers are impressed by the complexity of the lake environments when clay-bearing sediments were being deposited, and also the complexity of the groundwater interactions after the sediments were buried.

'Chemical Reactor'

"A sedimentary basin such as this is a chemical reactor," Grotzinger said. "Elements get rearranged. New minerals form and old ones dissolve. Electrons get redistributed. On Earth, these reactions support life."

Whether Martian life has ever existed is still unknown. No compelling evidence for it has been found. When Curiosity landed in Mars' Gale Crater in 2012, the mission's main goal was to determine whether the area ever offered an environment favorable for microbes.

The crater's main appeal for scientists is geological layering exposed in the lower portion of its central mound, Mount Sharp. These exposures offer access to rocks that hold a record of environmental conditions from many stages of early Martian history, each layer younger than the one beneath it. The mission succeeded in its first year, finding that an ancient Martian lake environment had all the key chemical ingredients needed for life, plus chemical energy available for life. Now, the rover is climbing lower on Mount Sharp to investigate how ancient environmental conditions changed over time.

"We are well into the layers that were the main reason Gale Crater was chosen as the landing site," said Curiosity Deputy Project Scientist Joy Crisp of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, in Pasadena, California. "We are now using a strategy of drilling samples at regular intervals as the rover climbs Mount Sharp. Earlier we chose drilling targets based on each site's special characteristics. Now that we're driving continuously through the thick basal layer of the mountain, a series of drill holes will build a complete picture."

Four recent drilling sites, from "Oudam" this past June through "Sebina" in October, are each spaced about 80 feet (about 25 meters) apart in elevation. This uphill pattern allows the science team to sample progressively younger layers that reveal Mount Sharp's ancient environmental history.

Changing Environments

One clue to changing ancient conditions is the mineral hematite. It has replaced less-oxidized magnetite as the dominant iron oxide in rocks Curiosity has drilled recently, compared with the site where Curiosity first found lakebed sediments. "Both samples are mudstone deposited at the bottom of a lake, but the hematite may suggest warmer conditions, or more interaction between the atmosphere and the sediments," said Thomas Bristow of NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California. He helps operate the Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) laboratory instrument inside the rover, which identifies minerals in collected samples.

Chemical reactivity occurs on a gradient of chemical ingredients' strength at donating or receiving electrons. Transfer of electrons due to this gradient can provide energy for life. An increase in hematite relative to magnetite indicates an environmental change in the direction of tugging electrons more strongly, causing a greater degree of oxidation in iron.

Another ingredient increasing in recent measurements by Curiosity is the element boron, which the rover's laser-shooting Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) instrument has been detecting within mineral veins that are mainly calcium sulfate. "No prior mission has detected boron on Mars," said Patrick Gasda of the U.S. Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico. "We're seeing a sharp increase in boron in vein targets inspected in the past several months." The instrument is quite sensitive; even at the increased level, boron makes up only about one-tenth of one percent of the rock composition.

'Dynamic System'

Boron is famously associated with arid sites where much water has evaporated away -- think of the borax that mule teams once hauled from Death Valley. However, environmental implications of the minor amount of boron found by Curiosity are less straightforward than for the increase in hematite.

Scientists are considering at least two possibilities for the source of boron that groundwater left in the veins. Perhaps evaporation of a lake formed a boron-containing deposit in an overlying layer, not yet reached by Curiosity, then water later re-dissolved the boron and carried it down through a fracture network into older layers, where it accumulated along with fracture-filling vein minerals. Or perhaps changes in the chemistry of clay-bearing deposits, such as evidenced by the increased hematite, affected how groundwater picked up and dropped off boron within the local sediments.

"Variations in these minerals and elements indicate a dynamic system," Grotzinger said. "They interact with groundwater as well as surface water. The water influences the chemistry of the clays, but the composition of the water also changes. We are seeing chemical complexity indicating a long, interactive history with the water. The more complicated the chemistry is, the better it is for habitability. The boron, hematite and clay minerals underline the mobility of elements and electrons, and that is good for life."

Curiosity is part of NASA's ongoing Mars research and preparation for a human mission to Mars in the 2030s. Caltech manages JPL, and JPL manages the Curiosity mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. For more about Curiosity, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/msl

and

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/

Learn about NASA's Journey to Mars at:

http://www.nasa.gov/content/nasas-journey-to-mars/


News Media Contact

Laurie Cantillo / Dwayne Brown
NASA Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1077 / 202-358-1726
[email protected] / [email protected]

Guy Webster / DC Agle
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
818-354-6278 / 818-393-9011
[email protected] / [email protected]

Abigail Tabor
Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.
650-604-0643
[email protected]

Laura Mullane
Los Alamos National Research Laboratory, Los Alamos, N.M.
505-667-6012
[email protected]

2016-318
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Nomadd on 12/14/2016 01:03 am
Looks like the arm is acting up.

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/12/13/505466073/curiosity-rover-encounters-technical-difficulties-on-martian-mountain
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Sam Ho on 12/16/2016 09:54 pm
Looks like the arm is acting up.

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/12/13/505466073/curiosity-rover-encounters-technical-difficulties-on-martian-mountain
More specifically, the drill is acting up, and JPL doesn't want to move the arm or drive until the issue is understood.  The problem started on December 1.
Quote
Curiosity is at a site on lower Mount Sharp selected for what would be the mission's seventh sample-collection drilling of 2016. The rover team learned Dec. 1 that Curiosity did not complete the commands for drilling. The rover detected a fault in an early step in which the "drill feed" mechanism did not extend the drill to touch the rock target with the bit.

"We are in the process of defining a set of diagnostic tests to carefully assess the drill feed mechanism. We are using our test rover here on Earth to try out these tests before we run them on Mars," Curiosity Deputy Project Manager Steven Lee, at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, said Monday. "To be cautious, until we run the tests on Curiosity, we want to restrict any dynamic changes that could affect the diagnosis. That means not moving the arm and not driving, which could shake it."
http://mars.nasa.gov/news/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1954

It was mentioned on the update page on Sol 1537, and as of Sol 1551, testing is continuing.
Quote
Use of the arm and driving remain off limits while the drill continues to be diagnosed.
http://mars.nasa.gov/msl/mission/mars-rover-curiosity-mission-updates/
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 12/19/2016 09:01 pm
A general update including more on the drill issue.

http://astronomynow.com/2016/12/18/mars-rovers-drill-out-of-action/
Title: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 12/29/2016 06:44 pm
Internal debris may be causing problem with Mars rover’s drill

Quote
Engineers suspect a piece of foreign object debris may be intermittently stalling a motor needed to place the Curiosity Mars rover’s drill bit onto rocks, and the robot’s ground team is assessing the source of the potential contamination.

More importantly, Curiosity project manager Jim Erickson said, engineers are spending the holidays crunching data from a series of diagnostic tests conducted in recent weeks to analyze the drill’s behavior and determine a possible fix.

Quote
Ground controllers believe the drill problem is rooted in a brake on the drill feed mechanism, which is supposed to extend and place the drill bit on the surface of target rocks.

When Curiosity goes in to drill into Martian rocks, the rover extends its robotic arm and two prongs on each side of the drill bit press against the target. The drill feed motor then engages to push the bit onto the rock, then percussive and rotating mechanisms start boring into the target to collect a powder sample.

Erickson told Spaceflight Now that the drill problem, first encountered Dec. 1, has cropped up off and on, but ground controllers have only commanded the motor to move in tiny increments in their testing.

Rover drivers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, have also sent Curiosity on short trips and activated shakers inside the drill to test the feed motor’s response to motion, Erickson told Spaceflight Now in JPL’s “Mars yard” facility where engineers test out rover models in simulated Martian terrain.

The shakers are normally used to sort the powder sample acquired by the drill.

Experts believe they found a pattern in the way the drill feed motor behaves over time, Eriskson said, and the pattern observed so far matches what engineers would expect to see if a piece of foreign object debris, or FOD, was embedded somewhere inside the drill.

Quote
He described a “fishbone” diagram used by the investigation team, with arrows splitting off pointing to FOD of terrestrial and Martian origin. Then there’s another split in the fishbone, Erickson said, illustrating two more possibilities, assuming the contamination came from Earth.

“Was it something that the rover carried from Earth from before the launch, or was it generated after the launch?” Erickson asked.

Parts inside the drill may have rubbed together over the last four years since Curiosity’s landing on Mars in August 2012, creating shavings or fragments that are lodged inside the feed motor.

If operating the drill on Mars somehow created the FOD, engineers might be able to change the way they use the instrument, and improve the design of future drills, such as the device in development to fly on NASA’s Mars 2020 rover, a spacecraft largely based on Curiosity’s design and chassis.

Erickson said the rover team is still examining how to resume drilling with Curiosity, and it is too early to declare that engineers can fully correct the problem, or that the issue will prevent future drillings.

It may turn out that the stalled motor remains intermittent, he said, making it a nuisance for ground controllers commanding the rover, but not fatal for the future of the drill.

http://spaceflightnow.com/2016/12/29/internal-debris-may-be-causing-problem-with-mars-rovers-drill/
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 01/16/2017 05:04 pm
This is rather curious considering how rare they are on Earth that it keeps coming across metallic meteorites on Mars.

Mars Curiosity Rolls Up to Potential New Meteorite

Quote
Why no large stony meteorites have yet to be been found on Mars is puzzling. They should be far more common; like irons, stonies would also display beautiful thumprinting and dark fusion crust to boot. Maybe they simply blend in too well with all the other rocks littering the Martian landscape. Or perhaps they erode more quickly on Mars than the metal variety.

Every time a meteorite turns up on Mars in images taken by the rovers, I get a kick out of how our planet and the Red One not only share water, ice and wind but also getting whacked by space rocks.

http://www.universetoday.com/132852/mars-curiosity-rolls-cool-new-meteorite/
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 01/16/2017 08:45 pm
This is rather curious considering how rare they are on Earth that it keeps coming across metallic meteorites on Mars.



Not really surprising.  On Earth they rust quite quickly, on Mars they don't. Processes of erosion and deposition are also generally slower.  Iron meteorites look very different to martian rocks (or for that matter stony meteorites on the surface) and so stand out.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 01/18/2017 06:56 am
Mars Rover Curiosity Examines Possible Mud Cracks


Possible Mud Cracks Preserved in Martian Rock
The network of cracks in this Martian rock slab called "Old Soaker" may have formed from the drying of a mud layer more than 3 billion years ago. The view spans about 3 feet (90 centimeters) left-to-right and combines three images taken by the MAHLI camera on the arm of NASA's Curiosity Mars rover.
Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
Full image and caption
Mars Rover's Mastcam View of Possible Mud Cracks
This view of a Martian rock slab called "Old Soaker," which has a network of cracks that may have originated in drying mud, comes from the Mast Camera (Mastcam) on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover. It was taken on Dec. 20, 2016. The slab is about 4 feet long.
Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
Full image and caption
Possible Signs of Ancient Drying in Martian Rock
A grid of small polygons on the Martian rock surface near the right edge of this view may have originated as cracks in drying mud more than 3 billion years ago. Multiple Dec. 20, 2016, images from the Mastcam on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover were combined for this view of a rock called "Squid Cove."
Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
Full image and caption
Scientists used NASA's Curiosity Mars rover in recent weeks to examine slabs of rock cross-hatched with shallow ridges that likely originated as cracks in drying mud.

"Mud cracks are the most likely scenario here," said Curiosity science team member Nathan Stein. He is a graduate student at Caltech in Pasadena, California, who led the investigation of a site called "Old Soaker," on lower Mount Sharp, Mars.

If this interpretation holds up, these would be the first mud cracks -- technically called desiccation cracks -- confirmed by the Curiosity mission. They would be evidence that the ancient era when these sediments were deposited included some drying after wetter conditions. Curiosity has found evidence of ancient lakes in older, lower-lying rock layers and also in younger mudstone that is above Old Soaker.

"Even from a distance, we could see a pattern of four- and five-sided polygons that don't look like fractures we've seen previously with Curiosity," Stein said. "It looks like what you'd see beside the road where muddy ground has dried and cracked."

The cracked layer formed more than 3 billion years ago and was subsequently buried by other layers of sediment, all becoming stratified rock. Later, wind erosion stripped away the layers above Old Soaker. Material that had filled the cracks resisted erosion better than the mudstone around it, so the pattern from the cracking now appears as raised ridges.

The team used Curiosity to examine the crack-filling material. Cracks that form at the surface, such as in drying mud, generally fill with windblown dust or sand. A different type of cracking with plentiful examples found by Curiosity occurs after sediments have hardened into rock. Pressure from accumulation of overlying sediments can cause underground fractures in the rock. These fractures generally have been filled by minerals delivered by groundwater circulating through the cracks, such as bright veins of calcium sulfate.

Both types of crack-filling material were found at Old Soaker. This may indicate multiple generations of fracturing: mud cracks first, with sediment accumulating in them, then a later episode of underground fracturing and vein forming.

"If these are indeed mud cracks, they fit well with the context of what we're seeing in the section of Mount Sharp Curiosity has been climbing for many months," said Curiosity Project Scientist Ashwin Vasavada of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. "The ancient lakes varied in depth and extent over time, and sometimes disappeared. We're seeing more evidence of dry intervals between what had been mostly a record of long-lived lakes."

Besides the cracks that are likely due to drying, other types of evidence observed in the area include sandstone layers interspersed with the mudstone layers, and the presence of a layering pattern called cross-bedding. This pattern can form where water was flowing more vigorously near the shore of a lake, or from windblown sediment during a dry episode.

Scientists are continuing to analyze data acquired at the possible mud cracks and also watching for similar-looking sites. They want to check for clues not evident at Old Soaker, such as the cross-sectional shape of the cracks.

The rover has departed that site, heading uphill toward a future rock-drilling location. Rover engineers at JPL are determining the best way to resume use of the rover's drill, which began experiencing intermittent problems last month with the mechanism that moves the drill up and down during drilling.

Curiosity landed near Mount Sharp in 2012. It reached the base of the mountain in 2014 after successfully finding evidence on the surrounding plains that ancient Martian lakes offered conditions that would have been favorable for microbes if Mars has ever hosted life. Rock layers forming the base of Mount Sharp accumulated as sediment within ancient lakes billions of years ago.

On Mount Sharp, Curiosity is investigating how and when the habitable ancient conditions known from the mission's earlier findings evolved into conditions drier and less favorable for life. For more information about Curiosity, visit:

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl

Guy Webster
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
818-354-6278 / 818-393-9011
[email protected]

Laurie Cantillo / Dwayne Brown
NASA Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1077 / 202-358-1726
[email protected] / [email protected]

2017-009

Last Updated: Jan. 17, 2017
Editor: Martin Perez

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/mars-rover-curiosity-examines-possible-mud-cracks
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: John-H on 01/18/2017 10:02 pm
This is rather curious considering how rare they are on Earth that it keeps coming across metallic meteorites on Mars.



Not really surprising.  On Earth they rust quite quickly, on Mars they don't. Processes of erosion and deposition are also generally slower.  Iron meteorites look very different to martian rocks (or for that matter stony meteorites on the surface) and so stand out.

Mars has less atmosphere and objects would hit the ground faster.  Would stony meteorites disintegrate under these conditions?

John
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 01/20/2017 09:48 am
This is rather curious considering how rare they are on Earth that it keeps coming across metallic meteorites on Mars.



Not really surprising.  On Earth they rust quite quickly, on Mars they don't. Processes of erosion and deposition are also generally slower.  Iron meteorites look very different to martian rocks (or for that matter stony meteorites on the surface) and so stand out.

Mars has less atmosphere and objects would hit the ground faster.  Would stony meteorites disintegrate under these conditions?

John

They might fragment a bit more, being less tenacious than irons.  But stony meteorites are just mafic to ultramafic rocks, unless they were very different from the substrate without a close examination.

While probably impact ejecta rather than a meteorite, Bounce rock encountered by Oppotunityearly in the mission is an example of a rock that stood out from the surrounds.   
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Norm38 on 01/23/2017 09:10 pm
A positional update that is exciting to me.  Curiosity is now only about 100m from beginning to cross the long stretch of dunes that have lain between the rover and Mt. Sharp ever since landing.  In a couple of weeks Curiosity should finally be across and be ready to start climbing up to Hematite Ridge.

http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?showtopic=7442&st=915&start=915
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 02/07/2017 11:38 am
It's not just the drill there are issues with.

Quote
Curiosity update, sols 1548-1599: Serious drill brake problem as Curiosity drives through Murray red beds
Posted By Emily Lakdawalla

http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2017/02031109-curiosity-update-sols-1548-1599.html
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: FutureSpaceTourist on 02/24/2017 10:18 pm
Sometimes you just have to sit back and admire the view:

Quote
View from NASA's @MarsCuriosity rover on Feb. 20, 2017 (Sol 1615) #Mars

https://twitter.com/jpmajor/status/835260368012324864 (https://twitter.com/jpmajor/status/835260368012324864)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 03/03/2017 05:59 pm
CURIOSITY WATCHES A DUST DEVIL GO PAST

Actually watches quite a number of dust devils.

http://www.universetoday.com/133946/curiosity-watches-dust-devil-go-past/
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 03/22/2017 08:15 pm
MARS SCIENCE LABORATORY MISSION STATUS REPORT
A routine check of the aluminum wheels on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has found two small breaks on the rover's left middle wheel-the latest sign of wear and tear as the rover continues its journey, now approaching the 10-mile (16 kilometer) mark.
The mission's first and second breaks in raised treads, called grousers, appeared in a March 19 image check of the wheels, documenting that these breaks occurred after the last check, on Jan. 27.
"All six wheels have more than enough working lifespan remaining to get the vehicle to all destinations planned for the mission," said Curiosity Project Manager Jim Erickson at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California. "While not unexpected, this damage is the first sign that the left middle wheel is nearing a wheel-wear milestone,"
The monitoring of wheel damage on Curiosity, plus a program of wheel-longevity testing on Earth, was initiated after dents and holes in the wheels were seen to be accumulating faster than anticipated in 2013. Testing showed that at the point when three grousers on a wheel have broken, that wheel has reached about 60 percent of its useful life. Curiosity already has driven well over that fraction of the total distance needed for reaching the key regions of scientific interest on Mars' Mount Sharp.
Curiosity Project Scientist Ashwin Vasavada, also at JPL, said, "This is an expected part of the life cycle of the wheels and at this point does not change our current science plans or diminish our chances of studying key transitions in mineralogy higher on Mount Sharp."
Curiosity is currently examining sand dunes partway up a geological unit called the Murray formation. Planned destinations ahead include the hematite-containing "Vera Rubin Ridge," a clay-containing geological unit above that ridge, and a sulfate-containing unit above the clay unit.
The rover is climbing to sequentially higher and younger layers of lower Mount Sharp to investigate how the region's ancient climate changed billions of years ago. Clues about environmental conditions are recorded in the rock layers. During its first year on Mars, the mission succeeded at its main goal by finding that the region once offered environmental conditions favorable for microbial life, if Mars has ever hosted life. The conditions in long-lived ancient freshwater Martian lake environments included all of the key chemical elements needed for life as we know it, plus a chemical source of energy that is used by many microbes on Earth.
Through March 20, Curiosity has driven 9.9 miles (16.0 kilometers) since the mission's August 2012 landing on Mars. Studying the transition to the sulfate unit, the farthest-uphill destination, will require about 3.7 miles (6 kilometers) or less of additional driving. For the past four years, rover drive planners have used enhanced methods of mapping potentially hazardous terrains to reduce the pace of damage from sharp, embedded rocks along the rover's route.
Each of Curiosity's six wheels is about 20 inches (50 centimeters) in diameter and 16 inches (40 centimeters) wide, milled out of solid aluminum. The wheels contact ground with a skin that's about half as thick as a U.S. dime, except at thicker treads. The grousers are 19 zigzag-shaped treads that extend about a quarter inch (three-fourths of a centimeter) outward from the skin of each wheel. The grousers bear much of the rover's weight and provide most of the traction and ability to traverse over uneven terrain.
JPL, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages NASA's Mars Science Laboratory Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, and built the project's rover, Curiosity. For more information about the mission, visit:
http://mars.nasa.gov/msl/
2017-079
Guy Webster
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
818-354-6278
[email protected]

https://marsmobile.jpl.nasa.gov/news/2017/breaks-observed-in-rover-wheel-treads
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: FutureSpaceTourist on 03/23/2017 05:23 am
Here's the image that goes with the update.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 03/23/2017 06:36 am
Mars rover spots clouds shaped by gravity waves

Quote
Well into its fifth year, the rover has now shot more than 500 movies of the clouds above it, including the first ground-based view of martian clouds shaped by gravity waves, researchers reported here this week at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. The shots are the best record made so far of a mysterious recurring belt of equatorial clouds known to influence the martian climate.

Understanding these clouds will help inform estimates of ground ice depth and perhaps recurring slope lineae, potential flows of salty water on the surface, says John Moores, a planetary scientist at York University in Toronto, Canada, who led the study with his graduate student, Jake Kloos. “If we wish to understand the water story of Mars’s past,” Moores says, “we first need to [separate out] contributions from the present-day water cycle.”

http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/03/mars-rover-spots-clouds-shaped-gravity-waves
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 06/01/2017 10:24 am
‘HALOS’ DISCOVERED ON MARS WIDEN TIME FRAME FOR POTENTIAL LIFE

MIGRATING SILICA REVEALS LIQUID WATER LINGERED LONGER ON RED PLANET

Quote
WASHINGTON, DC — Lighter-toned bedrock that surrounds fractures and comprises high concentrations of silica — called “halos”— has been found in Gale crater on Mars, indicating that the planet had liquid water much longer than previously believed. The new finding is reported in a new paper published today in Geophysical Research Letters, a journal of the American Geophysical Union.

“The concentration of silica is very high at the centerlines of these halos,” said Jens Frydenvang, a scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory and the University of Copenhagen and lead author of the new study. “What we’re seeing is that silica appears to have migrated between very old sedimentary bedrock and into younger overlying rocks. The goal of NASA’s Curiosity rover mission has been to find out if Mars was ever habitable, and it has been very successful in showing that Gale crater once held a lake with water that we would even have been able to drink, but we still don’t know how long this habitable environment endured. What this finding tells us is that, even when the lake eventually evaporated, substantial amounts of groundwater were present for much longer than we previously thought—thus further expanding the window for when life might have existed on Mars.”

http://news.agu.org/press-release/halos-discovered-on-mars-widen-time-frame-for-potential-life/
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 06/04/2017 07:32 am
Curiosity Peels Back Layers on Ancient Martian Lake

A long-lasting lake on ancient Mars provided stable environmental conditions that differed significantly from one part of the lake to another, according to a comprehensive look at findings from the first three-and-a-half years of NASA's Curiosity rover mission.


https://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/curiosity-peels-back-layers-on-ancient-martian-lake
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: FutureSpaceTourist on 07/12/2017 01:30 pm
Quote
NASA’s new algorithm to conserve Curiosity’s wheels
by Lee Cavendish, 30 June 2017

The rough terrain of the Red Planet has produced problems for the Mars rover, but a new algorithm can now help reduce the effect

https://www.spaceanswers.com/solar-system/nasas-new-algorithm-to-conserve-curiositys-wheels/ (https://www.spaceanswers.com/solar-system/nasas-new-algorithm-to-conserve-curiositys-wheels/)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 08/02/2017 08:37 pm
Curiosity’s First Five Years of Science on Mars

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Published on Aug 2, 2017


Five years of Martian discoveries after seven minutes of terror.

https://youtu.be/IxvODcuFb1s?t=001

https://youtu.be/IxvODcuFb1s
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 08/02/2017 08:37 pm
Rover POV: Five Years of Curiosity Driving on Mars

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Published on Aug 2, 2017

Five years of images from the front left hazard avoidance camera (Hazcam) on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover were used to create this time-lapse movie. The inset map shows the rover's location in Mars' Gale Crater. Each image is labeled with the date it was taken, and its corresponding sol (Martian day), along with information about the rover's location at the time.

https://youtu.be/O0nPFaBU98k?t=001

https://youtu.be/O0nPFaBU98k
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 08/02/2017 08:38 pm
A Guide to Gale Crater

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Published on Aug 2, 2017

The Curiosity rover has taught us a lot about the history of Mars and its potential to support life.  Take a tour of its landing site, Gale Crater.

https://youtu.be/Q-uAz82sH-E?t=001

https://youtu.be/Q-uAz82sH-E
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 09/06/2017 10:27 pm
In situ detection of boron by ChemCam on Mars

Quote
Abstract

We report the first in situ detection of boron on Mars. Boron has been detected in Gale crater at levels <0.05 wt % B by the NASA Curiosity rover ChemCam instrument in calcium-sulfate-filled fractures, which formed in a late-stage groundwater circulating mainly in phyllosilicate-rich bedrock interpreted as lacustrine in origin. We consider two main groundwater-driven hypotheses to explain the presence of boron in the veins: leaching of borates out of bedrock or the redistribution of borate by dissolution of borate-bearing evaporite deposits. Our results suggest that an evaporation mechanism is most likely, implying that Gale groundwaters were mildly alkaline. On Earth, boron may be a necessary component for the origin of life; on Mars, its presence suggests that subsurface groundwater conditions could have supported prebiotic chemical reactions if organics were also present and provides additional support for the past habitability of Gale crater.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2017GL074480/abstract;jsessionid=1486F968F76584896B762BB83AFBA60A.f02t04
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 09/18/2017 08:24 pm
NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover climbing toward ridge top

Quote
NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity has begun the steep ascent of an iron-oxide-bearing ridge that’s grabbed scientists’ attention since before the car-sized rover’s 2012 landing.

“We’re on the climb now, driving up a route where we can access the layers we’ve studied from below,” said Abigail Fraeman, a Curiosity science-team member at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

“Vera Rubin Ridge” stands prominently on the northwestern flank of Mount Sharp, resisting erosion better than the less-steep portions of the mountain below and above it. The ridge, also called “Hematite Ridge,” was informally named earlier this year in honor of pioneering astrophysicist Vera Rubin.

“As we skirted around the base of the ridge this summer, we had the opportunity to observe the large vertical exposure of rock layers that make up the bottom part of the ridge,” said Fraeman, who organized the rover’s ridge campaign. “But even though steep cliffs are great for exposing the stratifications, they’re not so good for driving up.”

The ascent to the top of the ridge from a transition in rock-layer appearance at the bottom of it will gain about 213 feet (65 meters) of elevation — about 20 stories. The climb requires a series of drives totaling a little more than a third of a mile (570 meters). Before starting this ascent in early September, Curiosity had gained a total of about 980 feet (about 300 meters) in elevation in drives totaling 10.76 miles (17.32 kilometers) from its landing site to the base of the ridge.

Curiosity’s telephoto observations of the ridge from just beneath it show finer layering, with extensive bright veins of varying widths cutting through the layers.

“Now we’ll have a chance to examine the layers up close as the rover climbs,” Fraeman said.

https://astronomynow.com/2017/09/18/nasas-curiosity-mars-rover-climbing-toward-ridge-top/
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 10/26/2017 04:17 pm
Engineers hopeful Mars rover’s drill can return to service

Quote
Engineers have started testing a new way to use the Curiosity rover’s drill to bore into Martian rocks after a motor in the device stalled late last year, but ground teams are still months away from the first chance to resume drilling operations.

The rover has not used its drill since Dec. 1, 2016, when engineers noticed a problem with the drill feed mechanism, a motor which is supposed to extend the drill bit to touch the surface of Martian rocks. Two fang-like contact posts on each side of the drill bit press on the rock for stability, then the drill feed motor pushes the bit onto the rock before percussive and rotating mechanisms start boring into the target to collect a powder sample.

With the drill feed mechanism no longer reliably working, managers have decided to keep the drill bit in its extended position. That raises concerns over the stability of the drill while in use because the prong-like extensions on each side of the bit will no longer be in contact with the rock.

Curiosity touched its drill bit directly onto a Martian rock Oct. 17, according to a press release from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The rover was commanded to press the drill bit downward, then applied smaller sideways forces, according to a statement.

A force sensor took measurements during the test. Engineers want to avoid applying too much side force while the drill is in use to ensure the bit does not get stuck in the rock.

“This is the first time we’ve ever placed the drill bit directly on a Martian rock without stabilizers,” said JPL’s Douglas Klein, chief engineer for the mission’s return-to-drilling development. “The test is to gain better understanding of how the force/torque sensor on the arm provides information about side forces.”

https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/10/25/engineers-hopeful-mars-rovers-drill-can-return-to-service/
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ByStander on 10/27/2017 10:45 am
I can't find any version of Curiosity's traverse map more recent than sol 1830, which is 27 days out of date.

It looks like it's not being updated any more. Does anybody know what the reason is?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: dsmillman on 10/27/2017 03:47 pm
I can't find any version of Curiosity's traverse map more recent than sol 1830, which is 27 days out of date.

It looks like it's not being updated any more. Does anybody know what the reason is?

Try here:

http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?showtopic=7442&st=1080&start=1080
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ByStander on 10/28/2017 02:41 pm
Thank you.

I'm still puzzled that the 'official' map appears to be neglected. Raw images are still posted on most days, so they are still attending to the public-facing part of the project.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 01/31/2018 07:35 pm
https://youtu.be/U5nrrnAukwI

Curiosity at Martian Scenic Overlook from NASA JPL
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 02/13/2018 09:59 pm
Tiny Crystal Shapes Get Close Look From Mars Rover

 NEWS | February 8, 2018

Star-shaped and swallowtail-shaped tiny, dark bumps in fine-layered bright bedrock of a Martian ridge are drawing close inspection by NASA's Curiosity Mars rover.

This set of shapes looks familiar to geologists who have studied gypsum crystals formed in drying lakes on Earth, but Curiosity's science team is considering multiple possibilities for the origin of these features on "Vera Rubin Ridge" on Mars.

One uncertainty the rover's inspection may resolve is the timing of when the crystal-shaped features formed, relative to when layers of sediment accumulated around them. Another is whether the original mineral that crystallized into these shapes remains in them or was subsequently dissolved away and replaced by something else. Answers may point to evidence of a drying lake or to groundwater that flowed through the sediment after it became cemented into rock.

The rover team also is investigating other clues on the same area to learn more about the Red Planet's history. These include stick-shaped features the size of rice grains, mineral veins with both bright and dark zones, color variations in the bedrock, smoothly horizontal laminations that vary more than tenfold in thickness of individual layers, and more than fourfold variation in the iron content of local rock targets examined by the rover.

"There's just a treasure trove of interesting targets concentrated in this one area," said Curiosity Project Scientist Ashwin Vasavada of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California. "Each is a clue, and the more clues, the better. It's going to be fun figuring out what it all means."

Vera Rubin Ridge stands out as an erosion-resistant band on the north slope of lower Mount Sharp inside Gale Crater. It was a planned destination for Curiosity even before the rover's 2012 landing on the crater floor near the mountain. The rover began climbing the ridge about five months ago and has now reached the uphill, southern edge. Some features here might be related to a transition to the next destination area uphill, which is called the "Clay Unit" because of clay minerals detected from orbit.

The team drove the rover to a site called "Jura" in mid-January to examine an area where -- even in images from orbit -- the bedrock is noticeably pale and gray, compared to the red, hematite-bearing bedrock forming most of Vera Rubin Ridge.

"These tiny 'V' shapes really caught our attention, but they were not at all the reason we went to that rock," said Curiosity science-team member Abigail Fraeman of JPL. "We were looking at the color change from one area to another. We were lucky to see the crystals. They're so tiny, you don't see them until you're right on them."

The features are about the size of a sesame seed. Some are single elongated crystals. Commonly, two or more coalesce into V-shaped "swallowtails" or more complex "lark's foot" or star configurations. "These shapes are characteristic of gypsum crystals," said Sanjeev Gupta, a Curiosity science-team member at Imperial College, London, who has studied such crystals in rocks of Scotland. Gypsum is a form of calcium sulfate. "These can form when salts become concentrated in water, such as in an evaporating lake."

The finely laminated bedrock at Jura is thought to result from lakebed sedimentation, as has been true in several lower, older geological layers Curiosity has examined. However, an alternative to the crystals forming in an evaporating lake is that they formed much later from salty fluids moving through the rock. That is also a type of evidence Curiosity has documented in multiple geological layers, where subsurface fluids deposited features such as mineral veins.

Some rock targets examined in the Jura area have two-toned mineral veins that formed after the lake sediments had hardened into rock. Brighter portions contain calcium sulfate; darker portions contain more iron. Some of the features shaped like gypsum crystals appear darker than gypsum, are enriched in iron, or are empty. These are clues that the original crystallizing material may have been replaced or removed by later effects of underground water.

The small, stick-shaped features were first seen two days before Curiosity reached Jura. All raw images from Mars rovers are quickly posted online, and some showing the "sticks" drew news-media attention comparing them to fossils. Among the alternative possibilities is that they are bits of the dark vein material. Rover science team members have been more excited about the swallowtails than the sticks.

"So far on this mission, most of the evidence we've seen about ancient lakes in Gale Crater has been for relatively fresh, non-salty water," Vasavada said. "If we start seeing lakes becoming saltier with time, that would help us understand how the environment changed in Gale Crater, and it's consistent with an overall pattern that water on Mars became more scarce over time."

Such a change could be like the difference between freshwater mountain lakes, resupplied often with snowmelt that keeps salts diluted, and salty lakes in deserts, where water evaporates faster than it is replaced.

If the crystals formed inside hardened rock much later, rather than in an evaporating lake, they offer evidence about the chemistry of a wet underground environment.

"In either scenario, these crystals are a new type of evidence that builds the story of persistent water and a long-lived habitable environment on Mars," Vasavada said.

Variations in iron content in the veins, smaller features and surrounding bedrock might provide clues about conditions favorable for microbial life. Iron oxides vary in their solubility in water, with more-oxidized types generally less likely to be dissolved and transported. An environment with a range of oxidation states can provide a battery-like energy gradient exploitable by some types of microbes.

"In upper Vera Rubin Ridge, we see clues that there were fluids carrying iron and, through some mechanism, the iron precipitated out," Fraeman said. "There was a change in fluid chemistry that could be significant for habitability."

For more about NASA's Curiosity Mars rover mission, visit:

https://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 03/01/2018 07:54 pm
Curiosity Tests a New Way to Drill on Mars

NASA's Mars Curiosity rover has conducted the first test of a new drilling technique on the Red Planet since its drill stopped working reliably.

This early test produced a hole about a half-inch (1-centimeter) deep at a target called Lake Orcadie -- not enough for a full scientific sample, but enough to validate that the new method works mechanically. This was just the first in what will be a series of tests to determine how well the new drill method can collect samples. If this drill had achieved sufficient depth to collect a sample, the team would have begun testing a new sample delivery process, ultimately delivering to instruments inside the rover.

The drill is used for pulverizing rock samples into powder, which are then deposited into two of Curiosity's laboratory instruments, Sample Analysis at Mars, or SAM, and Chemistry and Mineralogy, or CheMin. Curiosity has used its drill to collect samples 15 times since landing in 2012. Then, in December of 2016, a key part of the drill stopped working. The drill was designed to use two finger-like stabilizers to steady itself against rock; a faulty motor prevented the drill bit from extending and retracting between these stabilizers.

After months of effort, Curiosity's engineering team was able to extend the drill all the way out past the stabilizers, but the motor issue persisted. The team posed a challenge for themselves: could they hack the space robot's drill so that it didn't require stabilizers?

Images of a new hole on upper Vera Rubin Ridge, Curiosity's current location, suggest this "MacGyvering" is paying off. By leaving the drill in an extended position, engineers were able to practice this freehand drilling for months during testing here on Earth. This hole at Lake Orcadie provides the first insights into how this operation will work in the Martian environment.

If the previous method was like a drill press, holding the bit steady as it extends into a surface, it's now more freehand. The NASA rover is using its entire arm to push the drill forward, re-centering itself while taking measurements with a force sensor. That sensor was originally included to stop the rover's arm if it received a high-force jolt. It now offers Curiosity a vital sense of touch, preventing the drill bit from drifting sideways too much and getting stuck in rock.

"We're now drilling on Mars more like the way you do at home," said Steven Lee, deputyprojectmanager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California. "Humans are pretty good at re-centering the drill, almost without thinking about it. Programming Curiosity to do this by itself was challenging -- especially when it wasn't designed to do that."

It hasn't been easy. JPL engineers spent many double-shifts testing the new method, including on weekends and holidays. They also had to perform "invasive surgery" on their testbed -- a near-exact replica of Curiosity -- installing a force sensor to match the one on Mars. The Earth-based testbed's sensor had stopped working before Curiosity's launch in 2012, but there had never been reason to replace it before now.

"This is a really good sign for the new drilling method," said Doug Klein of JPL, one of Curiosity's sampling engineers. "Next, we have to drill a full-depth hole and demonstrate our new techniques for delivering the sample to Curiosity's two onboard labs."

Leaving the drill in its extended position means it no longer has access to a device that sieves, portions and delivers the rock powder to the rover's instruments (called Collection and Handling for In-Situ Martian Rock Analysis, or CHIMRA).

JPL also had to invent a new way to deposit the powder without this device. The new solution makes Curiosity look as though it is adding seasoning to its science, shaking out grains from the drill's bit as if it were tapping salt from a shaker.

This tapping has been successfully tested here on Earth -- but Earth's atmosphere and gravity are very different from that of Mars. Whether rock powder on Mars will fall out in the same volume and in a controlled way has yet to be seen.

In the days ahead, Curiosity's engineers will evaluate the results of this recent test and likely drill again nearby. If enough sample is collected, they will test portioning the sample out, using the rover's Mastcam to estimate how much powder can be shaken from the drill bit.

Though this first test of the drill didn't produce a full sample, Curiosity's science team is excited to see this step on the path back to routine drilling. There's high interest in getting multiple drilled samples from Vera Rubin Ridge, especially from the upper ridge that contains both gray and red rocks. The latter are rich in hematite, an iron oxide mineral that forms in the presence of water. Drilled samples might shed light on the origin of the ridge and the history of its interaction with water.

For more information about Curiosity, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/curiosity

https://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl

https://youtu.be/B5TWtxRvydE?list=PLTiv_XWHnOZqsp7on1ErHOTweF5eHzOTt
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ChrisGebhardt on 03/13/2018 04:46 pm
Interviewing a Curiosity (MSL) project scientist at 16:00 EDT (20:00 UTC) today.  If you have any questions you'd like me to ask, PM me.  Can't guarantee all submitted questions will be asked, but I'll do my best.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 03/23/2018 07:40 pm
Mars Curiosity Celebrates Sol 2,000

NASA's Mars Curiosity rover just hit a new milestone: its two-thousandth Martian day, or sol, on the Red Planet. An image mosaic taken by the rover in January offers a preview of what comes next.

Looming over the image is Mount Sharp, the mound Curiosity has been climbing since September 2014. In the center of the image is the rover's next big, scientific target: an area scientists have studied from orbit and have determined contains clay minerals.

The formation of clay minerals requires water. Scientists have already determined that the lower layers of Mount Sharp formed within lakes that once spanned Gale Crater's floor. The area ahead could offer additional insight into the presence of water, how long it may have persisted, and whether the ancient environment may have been suitable for life.

Curiosity's science team is eager to analyze rock samples pulled from the clay-bearing rocks seen in the center of the image. The rover recently started testing its drill again on Mars for the first time since December 2016. A new process for drilling rock samples and delivering them to the rover's onboard laboratories is still being refined in preparation for scientific targets like the area with clay minerals.

Curiosity landed in August 2012 and has traveled 11.6 miles (18.7 kilometers) in that time. In 2013, the mission found evidence of an ancient freshwater-lake environment that offered all the basic chemical ingredients for microbial life. Since reaching Mount Sharp in 2014, Curiosity has examined environments where both waterand wind have left their marks. Having studied more than 600 vertical feet of rock with signs of lakes and groundwater, Curiosity's international science team concluded that habitable conditions lasted for at leastmillions of years.

JPL, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, and built the project's Curiosity rover.

More information about Curiosity is available at:

https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/ (https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: penguin44 on 04/14/2018 05:54 am
Thank you.

I'm still puzzled that the 'official' map appears to be neglected. Raw images are still posted on most days, so they are still attending to the public-facing part of the project.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 04/26/2018 01:37 am
Clear as mud: Desiccation cracks help reveal the shape of water on Mars

https://phys.org/news/2018-04-mud-desiccation-reveal-mars.html

Link to paper (open access) https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/geology/article/530329/?searchresult=1
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Phil Stooke on 04/26/2018 02:08 am
"I'm still puzzled that the 'official' map appears to be neglected...."

That map which was posted above is not an official map!  It's just some rover fan fuddle-duddling around on the internet.

The official maps are here and they are up to date most of the time.

https://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/mission/whereistherovernow/ (https://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/mission/whereistherovernow/)

 :)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: zhangmdev on 05/26/2018 10:20 am
Drilling Success: Curiosity is Collecting Mars Rocks

" first drilled sample on Mars in more than a year"

" This technique, called Feed Extended Drilling, keeps the drill's bit extended out past two stabilizer posts that were originally used to steady the drill against Martian rocks. It lets Curiosity drill using the force of its robotic arm, a little more like the way a human would drill into a wall at home."

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=7137
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: zhangmdev on 06/05/2018 10:24 am
Mars Curiosity's Labs Are Back in Action

NASA's Curiosity rover is analyzing drilled samples on Mars in one of its onboard labs for the first time in more than a year.

Curiosity's drill is now permanently extended. That new configuration no longer gives it access to a special device that sieves and portions drilled samples in precise amounts.


https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2018-125&rn=news.xml&rst=7149
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Bubbinski on 06/06/2018 12:52 am
There’s a press conference Thursday about a result from the mission. What did Curiosity find?

https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-to-host-live-discussion-on-new-mars-science-results/
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Don2 on 06/06/2018 08:32 am
So who is at the Thursday press conference?
Paul Mahaffy =  PI of the SAM instrument on Curiosity
Jen Eigenbrode whose bio states " She specializes in the use of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS) in the analysis of lipids and other hydrocarbons in rocks, ice, and biological samples." She is a biogeochemist.
Chris Webster, who is linked to the tunable laser spectrometer which is the part of SAM which sniffs for methane
Project leader Ashwin Vasavada

It seems pretty obvious that this is an important result from SAM, and it likely concerns organics and/or methane.

SAM did something weird a few months ago. Emily Lakdawalla reported that they had done a wet chemistry experiment on some of the black sand they scooped up from the dunes. This qualifies as weird because the black sand dunes are about the least promising environment imaginable for organics preservation. Blowing sand is exposed to a healthy dose of uv, space radiation and perchlorates.

An abstract from the 2018 LPSC meeting indicates that the wet chemistry experiment had produced some new and interesting products which they were trying to identify. The fact that the derivatization agent reacted points to the presence of oxygen containing organic molecules with acid and alcohol functional groups. Such molecules tend to decompose to carbon and water at high temperature, hence the need for converting them into something more stable which can reach the detectors of the mass spectrometer.

 An LPSC paper described the data as exciting.

Link to LPSC paper: https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2018/pdf/2351.pdf (https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2018/pdf/2351.pdf)
Another LPSC paper: https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2018/pdf/1558.pdf (https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2018/pdf/1558.pdf)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 06/06/2018 06:44 pm
NASA to Host Live Discussion on New Mars Science Results

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=7152

Quote
The media and public are invited to ask questions during a live discussion at 11 a.m. PDT (2 p.m. EDT) Thursday, June 7, on new science results from NASA's Mars Curiosity rover. The results are embargoed by the journal Science until then.

The event will air live on NASA Television and the agency's website.

Michelle Thaller, assistant director of science for communications, in NASA's Planetary Science Division will host the chat. Participants include:

Paul Mahaffy, director of the Solar System Exploration Division at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland
Jen Eigenbrode, research scientist at Goddard
Chris Webster, senior research fellow, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California
Ashwin Vasavada, Mars Science Laboratory project scientist, JPL
The public can send questions on social media by using #askNASA. The event can also be watched on Facebook Live, Twitch TV, Ustream, YouTube and Twitter/Periscope.

For information about NASA's Curiosity rover, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/msl

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 06/07/2018 06:00 pm
Webcast:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwMDvPCGeE0
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 06/07/2018 06:03 pm
They've found organic compounds. More "there was previously life on Mars".

--

12 mins in, they add these results came from two years ago!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 06/07/2018 06:08 pm
"But this doesn't mean there was life. It could have been from an external source like meteors."
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 06/07/2018 06:09 pm
And a season cycle of Methane spikes.

They seem rather excited about it.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: zubenelgenubi on 06/07/2018 06:10 pm
Explaining SAM and its mass spectrometer and gas chromatograph, with graphics!

Expanding on the landing site in Gale Crater.

Expanding on the molecules deduced to exist there, from the use of the MS and GC in SAM:
Mention of alkanes and aromatic organic molecules;
kerogen and thiophene.

Organic substances being found at/near the surface--a surprise to some researchers.

Geologic seasonal driven chemical reactions could be the source of hydrogen, which would react in the atmosphere to produce CH4.

Some very good questions!
***

My observation: The seasonality of methane concentration has caught my attention.
It would be familiar to astronomers of the late 19th/early 20th centuries observing the seasonal "wave of darkening."
***

I probably won't be able to watch/post for the whole presentation.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Chris Bergin on 06/07/2018 06:16 pm
June 07, 2018
RELEASE 18-050
NASA Finds Ancient Organic Material, Mysterious Methane on Mars


NASA’s Curiosity rover has found new evidence preserved in rocks on Mars that suggests the planet could have supported ancient life, as well as new evidence in the Martian atmosphere that relates to the search for current life on the Red Planet. While not necessarily evidence of life itself, these findings are a good sign for future missions exploring the planet’s surface and subsurface.

The new findings – “tough” organic molecules in three-billion-year-old sedimentary rocks near the surface, as well as seasonal variations in the levels of methane in the atmosphere – appear in the June 8 edition of the journal Science.

Organic molecules contain carbon and hydrogen, and also may include oxygen, nitrogen and other elements. While commonly associated with life, organic molecules also can be created by non-biological processes and are not necessarily indicators of life.

“With these new findings, Mars is telling us to stay the course and keep searching for evidence of life,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters, in Washington. “I’m confident that our ongoing and planned missions will unlock even more breathtaking discoveries on the Red Planet.”

“Curiosity has not determined the source of the organic molecules,” said Jen Eigenbrode of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, who is lead author of one of the two new Science papers. “Whether it holds a record of ancient life, was food for life, or has existed in the absence of life, organic matter in Martian materials holds chemical clues to planetary conditions and processes.”

Although the surface of Mars is inhospitable today, there is clear evidence that in the distant past, the Martian climate allowed liquid water – an essential ingredient for life as we know it – to pool at the surface. Data from Curiosity reveal that billions of years ago, a water lake inside Gale Crater held all the ingredients necessary for life, including chemical building blocks and energy sources.

“The Martian surface is exposed to radiation from space. Both radiation and harsh chemicals break down organic matter,” said Eigenbrode. “Finding ancient organic molecules in the top five centimeters of rock that was deposited when Mars may have been habitable, bodes well for us to learn the story of organic molecules on Mars with future missions that will drill deeper.”

Seasonal Methane Releases

In the second paper, scientists describe the discovery of seasonal variations in methane in the Martian atmosphere over the course of nearly three Mars years, which is almost six Earth years. This variation was detected by Curiosity’s Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument suite.

Water-rock chemistry might have generated the methane, but scientists cannot rule out the possibility of biological origins. Methane previously had been detected in Mars' atmosphere in large, unpredictable plumes. This new result shows that low levels of methane within Gale Crater repeatedly peak in warm, summer months and drop in the winter every year.

"This is the first time we've seen something repeatable in the methane story, so it offers us a handle in understanding it," said Chris Webster of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, lead author of the second paper. "This is all possible because of Curiosity's longevity. The long duration has allowed us to see the patterns in this seasonal 'breathing.'"

Finding Organic Molecules

To identify organic material in the Martian soil, Curiosity drilled into sedimentary rocks known as mudstone from four areas in Gale Crater. This mudstone gradually formed billions of years ago from silt that accumulated at the bottom of the ancient lake. The rock samples were analyzed by SAM, which uses an oven to heat the samples (in excess of 900 degrees Fahrenheit, or 500 degrees Celsius) to release organic molecules from the powdered rock.

SAM measured small organic molecules that came off the mudstone sample – fragments of larger organic molecules that don’t vaporize easily. Some of these fragments contain sulfur, which could have helped preserve them in the same way sulfur is used to make car tires more durable, according to Eigenbrode.

The results also indicate organic carbon concentrations on the order of 10 parts per million or more. This is close to the amount observed in Martian meteorites and about 100 times greater than prior detections of organic carbon on Mars’ surface. Some of the molecules identified include thiophenes, benzene, toluene, and small carbon chains, such as propane or butene.

In 2013, SAM detected some organic molecules containing chlorine in rocks at the deepest point in the crater. This new discovery builds on the inventory of molecules detected in the ancient lake sediments on Mars and helps explains why they were preserved.

Finding methane in the atmosphere and ancient carbon preserved on the surface gives scientists confidence that NASA's Mars 2020 rover and ESA’s (European Space Agency's) ExoMars rover will find even more organics, both on the surface and in the shallow subsurface.

These results also inform scientists’ decisions as they work to find answers to questions concerning the possibility of life on Mars.

“Are there signs of life on Mars?” said Michael Meyer, lead scientist for NASA's Mars Exploration Program, at NASA Headquarters. “We don’t know, but these results tell us we are on the right track.”

This work was funded by NASA's Mars Exploration Program for the agency’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD) in Washington. Goddard provided the SAM instrument. JPL built the rover and manages the project for SMD.

For video and images of the findings, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/mediaresources

Information on NASA’s Mars activities is available online at:

https://www.nasa.gov/mars

-end-
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: FutureSpaceTourist on 06/07/2018 11:22 pm
A nice article by Tanya Harrison on the background and significance of the announcement:

Quote
The Curious Case of Methane on Mars

Today NASA held a press conference to announce the results of two papers released in Science this week: One on atmospheric methane, and one on organics in the soil, both from Curiosity rover data.

https://medium.com/@tanyaofmars/the-curious-case-of-methane-on-mars-a06526b30d87
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Don2 on 06/07/2018 11:31 pm
It turns out that today's announcement has nothing to do with the wet chemistry experiment that they ran on the sand dune material. That's a pity, as I think those results will be interesting when they finally get around to publishing them.

What they announced today was kerogen. When kerogen in rocks is heated it turns into crude oil, or natural gas if the temperature is high enough. Kerogen rich rocks can be heated in a furnace to produce a synthetic crude oil. Kerogen on earth is formed when microscopic organisms in the ocean die and are buried in the sediment.

Kerogen on earth almost always has sulfur associated with it. The scientists announced today that they are also seeing sulfur in the Martian kerogen. Oil and gas rich areas on earth often have methane seeps, and the Curiosity rover is detecting some methane in the atmosphere from an unknown source.

The bottom line is that what Curiosity is detecting is exactly what you would expect if ancient Martian organisms were living in Lake Gale 3.5 billion years ago. The difference is that kerogen deposits on earth are usually tens of millions of years old, not billions of years old as is the case on Mars. Also, Earth sediments tend to be much richer in organic molecules, with abundances in the parts per thousand range rather than the 10 parts per million range reported for Mars.

I think the difference in abundances is important. While there are several ways to make organics, it is biology that makes organics in vast quantities. Meteorite infall and water-rock interactions are not responsible for oil or coal deposits on earth because they do not produce organics in large enough quantities to matter. I have seen a range of numbers for the organic abundances in Gale Crater rocks. Some sources indicate parts per billion levels, while some LPSC abstracts seem to be indicating parts per thousand levels, which is comparable to sedimentary rocks on Earth. Today's announcement of 10 parts per million falls in the middle of that range. I have a feeling that the problems the SAM instrument has had with oxychlorine compounds make it very difficult to get accurate abundance numbers.

The 2020 rover will have organic detection instruments that are not affected by oxychlorine compounds and will hopefully produce accurate abundances for any rock with an organic level of more than 1ppm. They should provide results far more quickly, without the need for time consuming drill stops that Curiosity needs.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: redliox on 06/08/2018 01:24 am
The bottom line is that what Curiosity is detecting is exactly what you would expect if ancient Martian organisms were living in Lake Gale 3.5 billion years ago. The difference is that kerogen deposits on earth are usually tens of millions of years old, not billions of years old as is the case on Mars.

The massive deposits from the Carboniferous Period were over 300 million years old, but nonetheless even this is barely a tenth the age of what's at Gale.

The 2020 rover will have organic detection instruments that are not affected by oxychlorine compounds and will hopefully produce accurate abundances for any rock with an organic level of more than 1ppm. They should provide results far more quickly, without the need for time consuming drill stops that Curiosity needs.

The significance of the Gale Crater's discoveries almost warrants reconsidering sending 2020 there.  All the same, similar if not better deposits at Gusev and the Jezero/Syrtis area.  I like to think Curiosity as a prelude to what 2020 may find.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: zubenelgenubi on 06/08/2018 02:33 am
The significance of the Gale Crater's discoveries almost warrants reconsidering sending 2020 there.  All the same, similar if not better deposits at Gusev and the Jezero/Syrtis area.  I like to think Curiosity as a prelude to what 2020 may find.
I could not closely watch the entire conference, but one of the programmatic "take-aways" appeared to me to be:
A progression of more finely designed and capable scientific instruments aboard landers/rovers will allow the discovery of answers to more and more complex questions.

Curiosity > Mars 2020 Rover/Exomars 2020 Rover > Mars Sample Return
Title: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 06/08/2018 10:56 am
It turns out that today's announcement has nothing to do with the wet chemistry experiment that they ran on the sand dune material. That's a pity, as I think those results will be interesting when they finally get around to publishing them.

What they announced today was kerogen. When kerogen in rocks is heated it turns into crude oil, or natural gas if the temperature is high enough. Kerogen rich rocks can be heated in a furnace to produce a synthetic crude oil. Kerogen on earth is formed when microscopic organisms in the ocean die and are buried in the sediment.

Kerogen on earth almost always has sulfur associated with it. The scientists announced today that they are also seeing sulfur in the Martian kerogen. Oil and gas rich areas on earth often have methane seeps, and the Curiosity rover is detecting some methane in the atmosphere from an unknown source.

The bottom line is that what Curiosity is detecting is exactly what you would expect if ancient Martian organisms were living in Lake Gale 3.5 billion years ago. The difference is that kerogen deposits on earth are usually tens of millions of years old, not billions of years old as is the case on Mars. Also, Earth sediments tend to be much richer in organic molecules, with abundances in the parts per thousand range rather than the 10 parts per million range reported for Mars.

I think the difference in abundances is important. While there are several ways to make organics, it is biology that makes organics in vast quantities. Meteorite infall and water-rock interactions are not responsible for oil or coal deposits on earth because they do not produce organics in large enough quantities to matter. I have seen a range of numbers for the organic abundances in Gale Crater rocks. Some sources indicate parts per billion levels, while some LPSC abstracts seem to be indicating parts per thousand levels, which is comparable to sedimentary rocks on Earth. Today's announcement of 10 parts per million falls in the middle of that range. I have a feeling that the problems the SAM instrument has had with oxychlorine compounds make it very difficult to get accurate abundance numbers.

The 2020 rover will have organic detection instruments that are not affected by oxychlorine compounds and will hopefully produce accurate abundances for any rock with an organic level of more than 1ppm. They should provide results far more quickly, without the need for time consuming drill stops that Curiosity needs.

I’d thought Exomars would be more suitable for this work. After all that’s what TGO & the rover are specifically designed to look into matters such as the ones related to this announcement.

The significance of the Gale Crater's discoveries almost warrants reconsidering sending 2020 there.  All the same, similar if not better deposits at Gusev and the Jezero/Syrtis area.  I like to think Curiosity as a prelude to what 2020 may find.
I could not closely watch the entire conference, but one of the programmatic "take-aways" appeared to me to be:
A progression of more finely designed and capable scientific instruments aboard landers/rovers will allow the discovery of answers to more and more complex questions.

Curiosity > Mars 2020 Rover/Exomars 2020 Rover > Mars Sample Return

That’s if the place isn’t full of people thanks to Musk.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 06/08/2018 12:29 pm
You can download the organic molecules paper from here http://science.sciencemag.org/content/360/6393/1096

And the methane paper from here http://science.sciencemag.org/content/360/6393/1093
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Don2 on 06/08/2018 06:11 pm

The significance of the Gale Crater's discoveries almost warrants reconsidering sending 2020 there.  All the same, similar if not better deposits at Gusev and the Jezero/Syrtis area.  I like to think Curiosity as a prelude to what 2020 may find.

That's an interesting thought. We know Gale Crater had a long lived lake and organics, so it would make an excellent sample return site. There are also clay and sulfate terrains that the rover hasn't reached yet. There is the upper mound material, and there is also supposed to be an RSL. Sample collection would go much more quickly at Gale Crater because the site is already well understood and the sample collection rover could head straight for the interesting places. Gale Crater is a warm, low altitude equatorial site which would make it easier to design the sample return lander. The only thing that Gale lacks is a layer of igneous rock which could be sampled for dating purposes.

All that said, I'd still like to go someplace else. Somehow it doesn't feel like progress when we go back to sites that have already been visited. And the Jezero Crater / NE Syrtis area offers a very ancient piece of crust with diverse minerals. However there is a case for sample return at Gale. At Gale, you know what you have, and it's awesome.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Don2 on 06/08/2018 06:33 pm

I’d thought Exomars would be more suitable for this work. After all that’s what TGO & the rover are specifically designed to look into matters such as the ones related to this announcement.

TGO is definitely turning up at the right time with the right instrument payload. And if they find that the isotopes in the methane are different from the current atmosphere, then the race will be on to try to track down the source. The Exomars rover won't help, because it doesn't have an atmosphere sampling capability.

The significance of the annual variation is that a geochemical source would be more likely to produce at a constant rate, while a biological source would be more likely to vary with the seasons. It also means that the source is probably not near the equator, because seasonal variations are greatest close to the poles. The source is probably in the northern hemisphere, because methane levels peak at the end of northern summer. There is a lot of water ice close to the surface near the north pole. Some people have suggested that the area could be a habitat for microbes.
Title: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 06/09/2018 08:58 am

I’d thought Exomars would be more suitable for this work. After all that’s what TGO & the rover are specifically designed to look into matters such as the ones related to this announcement.

TGO is definitely turning up at the right time with the right instrument payload. And if they find that the isotopes in the methane are different from the current atmosphere, then the race will be on to try to track down the source. The Exomars rover won't help, because it doesn't have an atmosphere sampling capability.

The significance of the annual variation is that a geochemical source would be more likely to produce at a constant rate, while a biological source would be more likely to vary with the seasons. It also means that the source is probably not near the equator, because seasonal variations are greatest close to the poles. The source is probably in the northern hemisphere, because methane levels peak at the end of northern summer. There is a lot of water ice close to the surface near the north pole. Some people have suggested that the area could be a habitat for microbes.

No for the rover I was referring to the organics in the rock. Sorry I should have probably made that a bit clearer in my OP.

As a side point if there is microbial life on Mars it wouldn’t surprise me if and when it is DNA sequenced it will very similar/identical to life on Earth as I’ve a feeling that Mars & Earth are linked that life started on one & then was able to travel to the other. My money is on Mars first as recent studies have indicated it was superior to Earth for life wins ago so the Martians we’ve always been looking for are us.

Actually just found this article that says Exomars rover will be able to study methane.

Quote
ExoMars could also shed considerable light on the origins of Red Planet methane, said Chris Webster, who led the new Curiosity methane study. The ExoMars rover will likely be able to characterize the carbon in methane molecules, determining how much of it is carbon-13, which contains one more neutron in its nucleus than a "normal" carbon-12 atom. (A methane molecule consists of a single carbon atom bonded to four hydrogen atoms.)

"Even in relatively low methane abundances, they should be able to get the carbon-13 ratio," Webster, a senior research fellow at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, told Space.com, referring to the ExoMars team.

https://www.space.com/40831-future-mars-rovers-search-alien-life.html
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Kaputnik on 06/10/2018 02:09 pm
This is exciting stuff. The discovery of organics received some press coverage but I didn't learn about the seasonal methane detection until I read about it on NSF.
I presume that seasonal does not necessarily equate to biological. Could methane be trapped in polar deposits and simply released seasonally when these deposits thaw?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: RonM on 06/10/2018 03:37 pm
This is exciting stuff. The discovery of organics received some press coverage but I didn't learn about the seasonal methane detection until I read about it on NSF.
I presume that seasonal does not necessarily equate to biological. Could methane be trapped in polar deposits and simply released seasonally when these deposits thaw?

Yes, methane created by chemical processes deep underground could be trapped by a frozen surface, even at lower latitudes. So, the seasonal release doesn't mean biological activity. However, since there is a seasonal variation, biological methane is a possibility. I wouldn't bet on it, but there might be some microbes underground. Good for more exploration and research grants.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 06/11/2018 12:01 am
This is exciting stuff. The discovery of organics received some press coverage but I didn't learn about the seasonal methane detection until I read about it on NSF.
I presume that seasonal does not necessarily equate to biological. Could methane be trapped in polar deposits and simply released seasonally when these deposits thaw?


That is one possibility.  However that just puts the question of the methane source one step further back. 
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 06/18/2018 08:31 pm
Quote
New selfie from @MarsCuriosity rover shows the huge dust storm raging in the background. Processing: @_TheSeaning (link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/seandoran/42803766882/in/photostream/) flickr.com/photos/seandor…

https://mobile.twitter.com/coreyspowell/status/1008768321569935361
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Blackstar on 06/20/2018 09:02 pm
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=7164

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 08/16/2018 08:11 pm
NASA identifies 'foreign object debris' spotted by Mars rover

Quote
There was some concern the rover might have dropped a piece of itself. "In fact, it was found to be a very thin flake of rock, so we can all rest easy tonight -- Curiosity has not begun to shed its skin," Curiosity team member Brittney Cooper declared, after a closer look. 

Curiosity got a better view of the rock by using its ChemCam to zoom in and identify it as a natural piece of the Mars landscape.

https://www.cnet.com/news/nasa-identifies-foreign-object-debris-spotted-by-mars-rover/#ftag=CAD-09-10aai5b
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: hop on 09/19/2018 09:51 pm
Memory trouble

Sols 2175-2176: Tell Us More, We Want to Help! (https://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/mission/mars-rover-curiosity-mission-updates/) Written by Ashwin Vasavada on 09.19.2018

Quote
Over the past few days, engineers here at JPL have been working to address an issue on Curiosity that is preventing it from sending much of the science and engineering data stored in its memory. The rover remains in its normal mode and is otherwise healthy and responsive.

The issue first appeared Saturday night while Curiosity was running through the weekend plan. Besides transmitting data recorded in its memory, the rover can transmit "real-time" data when it links to a relay orbiter or Deep Space Network antenna. These real-time data are transmitting normally, and include various details about the rover's status. Engineers are expanding the details the rover transmits in these real-time data to better diagnose the issue. Because the amount of data coming down is limited, it might take some time for the engineering team to diagnose the problem.

On Monday and Tuesday, engineers discussed which real-time details would be the most useful to have. They also commanded the rover to turn off science instruments that were still on, since their data are not being stored. They're also preparing to use the rover's backup computer in case they need to use it to diagnose the primary computer. That backup computer was the rover's primary one until Sol 200, when it experienced both a hardware failure and software issue that have since been addressed.

While the engineers work to understand the problem, Curiosity's science team is using the time to pore over data gathered on Vera Rubin Ridge and come up with the best location for another drilling attempt. We're looking at any clues that tell us the rocks are weaker and better for drilling. As the JPL-based project scientist, I really enjoy watching our scientists from all over the world take on these challenges. And, I also get to witness the brainpower that JPL brings to bear when the rover has a technical issue. We're rooting for the engineering team 100%!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Eosterwine on 10/01/2018 05:29 am
No updates lately, but there was a data downlink 1st of October https://twitter.com/dsn_status/status/1046607917020008448 so Curiosity is still talking.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Eosterwine on 10/04/2018 06:21 am
Quote
Engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, this week commanded the agency's Curiosity rover to switch to its second computer. The switch will enable engineers to do a detailed diagnosis of a technical issue that has prevented the rover's active computer from storing science and some key engineering data since Sept. 15.

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=7250
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Eosterwine on 10/13/2018 10:43 pm
Some new images have arrived from Curiosity, the first in nearly a month

https://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?s=2199&camera=FHAZ_
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 11/01/2018 07:55 pm
Sol 2216: A Windswept Workspace (https://marsmobile.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/mission/mars-rover-curiosity-mission-updates/?mu=sol-2216-a-windswept-workspace)

Today was the first day of planning with the full science team since Curiosity had an anomaly on sol 2172. It has been a over a month since we last looked at the "workspace," the region in front of the rover that the arm can reach, and there were some surprises in store for us! Before the anomaly, the rock was covered with gray-colored tailings from our failed attempt to drill the "Inverness" target, as seen in the Mastcam image from sol 2170. In the new image above, however, those tailings are now gone - and so is a lot of the dark brown soil and reddish dust. So while Curiosity has been sitting still, the winds have been moving, sweeping the workspace clean.

Later this week we plan to take advantage of this freshly-scrubbed surface by taking close-up MAHLI images of fine details in the rock, including the light-toned veins crisscrossing the outcrop that are peppered with interesting dark inclusions. Today we're easing back into science operations, taking MAHLI images with the cover open and closed to inspect how much dust is on the cover, a MAHLI image of the REMS UV sensor, a ChemCam observation of the vein target "Grange," and some Mastcam images of the nearby ripple field "Sandend" to look for more changes due to the wind.

In my role as a Long-Term Planner, I've got my eye on the road ahead, and I'm excited for Curiosity to drive to a new spot where we can successfully drill into the gray rock. Soon the wind won't be the only thing moving around here!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: robertross on 11/13/2018 12:48 am
Sols 2229-2230: Preparing for more SAMple!
Written by Rachel Kronyak on 11.12.2018

Following a successful weekend of science activities at the "Highfield" drill site, today we're planning Sols 2229-2230. We're eagerly awaiting data from CheMin, which will tell us all about the mineralogy of our newest drill hole sample. We're equally as eager to get a Highfield drill sample to the SAM instrument for analysis. To prepare for SAM, on Sol 2229 we'll perform a preconditioning activity to get the instrument ready to receive and analyze sample. Although SAM is located inside the belly of Curiosity, we can see the instrument's inlet covers in the image above, which was taken by Mastcam late last week.

While the SAM preconditioning activity takes up the bulk of Sol 2229's power, we were still able to plan about four hours' worth of science activities! Today was my first Mastcam PUL shift since the anomaly, so I was very excited to see so many fantastic observations make it into today's two-sol plan.

We'll kick off Sol 2229 with a hefty 2 hour-long science block. In it, we'll analyze 4 targets with ChemCam: one down the inside of the Highfield drill hole, another along the drill tailings at the surface, a third on a nearby vein called "Fraser Castle," and a fourth on bedrock target "Flanders Moss." After that, we'll take Mastcam images of each ChemCam target to confirm where the laser shots hit. We'll also image targets "Sand Loch" and "Windyedge" with Mastcam. This pair of images is important for change detection purposes, which we frequently perform when the rover is sitting in the same location for more than a few sols. For change detection, we take the same 2 images around the same time of day to help quantify how the martian wind is changing the landscape around us.

Finally, for Mastcam, we'll take a few multispectral images - these images are taken using multiple camera filters. Experts on the science team use these images to help us interpret the composition of the local bedrock and surrounding areas. We'll take multispectral images of two targets to the side of the rover, "Loch Ba" and "Slate Islands." To wrap up the science block, we'll take some images with Navcam to look for dust devils. Later in the evening, we'll perform our SAM preconditioning activity before going to sleep.

Curiosity will wake up on Sol 2230 for another loaded science block! This time, we'll use ChemCam to perform a passive calibration activity, followed by another Navcam dust devil suite and repeat Mastcam change detection images. We'll then use Mastcam to make additional atmospheric observations in the form of tau and crater rim extinction measurements. Later on in the late afternoon, we'll take a final pair of Mastcam change detection images and perform a sunset tau measurement.

It was a busy day for the Mastcam team with all of our exciting change detection, multispectral imaging, and atmospheric measurements. I'm very much looking forward to these data products, as well as updates later this week on the status of our Highfield drill sample!

https://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/mission/mars-rover-curiosity-mission-updates/?mu=sols-2229-2230-preparing-for-more-sample
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 11/29/2018 07:41 pm
Sol 2245-2246: Hunting shiny things! (https://marsmobile.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/mission/mars-rover-curiosity-mission-updates/?mu=sol-2245-2246-hunting-shiny-things)

Curiosity woke up to Mr Rogers "Please would you be my neighbour" this morning to welcome InSight, and then got very busy at the Highfield drill site. Every plan has its personality, and the upcoming one is that of a gymnast - at least as far as the arm is concerned: Curiosity will dump the Highfield sample, which requires several MAHLI looks and an APXS operation, but the plan also requires swinging the arm out of the way so other instruments can have their unobscured look at the dump pile.

Of course, the main activity is to look at the Highfield dump pile with all instruments available. APXS will get the chemistry, and Navcam, Mastcam and MAHLI will have a close look. In addition, a Mastcam multispectral and a ChemCam passive observation will add to the information collected from the dump pile.
Not only the arm, but also ChemCam is very busy these two sols, as in addition to the dump pile activities, it will look at four samples, two of which are re-targeted. One of the samples that we try to get a better look at is "Little Colonsay." The planning team thinks it might be a meteorite because it is so shiny. But looks can deceive, and proof will only come from the chemistry. Unfortunately, the small target was missed in the previous attempt, and with the information from that, Curiosity will try again. Another very small target is the target "Flanders Moss," which shows an interesting, dark coloured coating, for which chemistry is required to confirm its nature. Two additional targets, "Forres" and "Eildon," are to add to the database of the grey Jura bedrock before we leave the Highfield site next week.

Beyond ChemCam, Curiosity will document the workspace with a Mastcam M34 mosaic, and of course document all ChemCam targets. Finally, the environmental observations continue with a crater rim extinction, Mastcam Tau and dust devil monitoring. …a busy two sols on Mars!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 01/19/2019 07:25 pm
NASA eyes gaping holes in Mars Curiosity wheel (https://www.cnet.com/news/nasa-eyes-gaping-holes-in-mars-curiosity-rover-wheel/#ftag=CAD-09-10aai5b)

Quote
The rough and rocky landscape of Mars continues to take a toll on the wheels of NASA's Curiosity rover. As part of a routine checkup, Curiosity snapped some new images of its wheels this week.

Most of the photos don't look too alarming, but one in particular shows some dramatic holes and cracks in the aluminum.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: SciNews on 01/31/2019 07:15 pm
Mars rover Curiosity makes first gravity-measuring traverse on the Red Planet
https://asunow.asu.edu/20190131-discoveries-mars-rover-curiosity-makes-first-gravity-measuring-traverse-red-planet
Research paper https://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.aat0738
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 01/31/2019 08:46 pm
Original NASA press release.

 'Mars Buggy' Curiosity Measures a Mountain's Gravity (https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=7323)

Apollo 17 astronauts drove a moon buggy across the lunar surface in 1972, measuring gravity with a special instrument. There are no astronauts on Mars, but a group of clever researchers realized they havejust the tools for similar experiments with the Martian buggy they're operating.

In a new paper in Science, the researchers detail how they repurposed sensors used to drive the Curiosity rover and turned them into gravimeters, which measure changes in gravitational pull. That enabled them to measure the subtle tug from rock layers on lower Mount Sharp, which rises 3 miles (5 kilometers) from the base of Gale Crater and which Curiosity has been climbing since 2014. The results? It turns out the density of those rock layers is much lower than expected.

Just like a smartphone, Curiosity carries accelerometers and gyroscopes. Moving your smartphone allows these sensors to determine its location and which way it's facing. Curiosity's sensors do the same thing but with far more precision, playing a crucial role in navigating the Martian surface on each drive. Knowing the rover's orientation also lets engineers accurately point its instruments and multidirectional, high-gain antenna.

By happy coincidence, the rover's accelerometers can be used like Apollo 17's gravimeter. The accelerometers detect the gravity of the planet whenever the rover stands still. Using engineering data from the first five years of the mission, the paper's authors measured the gravitational tug of Mars on the rover. As Curiosity ascends Mount Sharp, the mountain adds additional gravity - but not as much as scientists expected.

"The lower levels of Mount Sharp are surprisingly porous," said lead author Kevin Lewis of Johns Hopkins University. "We know the bottom layers of the mountain were buried over time. That compacts them, making them denser. But this finding suggests they weren't buried by as much material as we thought."

Science from a Mars Buggy

The Apollo 17 astronauts drove their buggy across the Moon's Taurus-Littrow Valley, periodically stopping to capture 25 measurements. Lewis has studied Martian gravity fields using data collected by NASA's orbiters and was familiar with Apollo 17's gravimeter.

The Science paper uses over 700 measurements from Curiosity's accelerometers, taken between October 2012 and June 2017. These data were calibrated to filter out "noise," such as the effects of temperature and the tilt of the rover during its climb. The calculations were then compared to models of Mars' gravity fields to ensure accuracy.

The results were also compared to mineral-density estimates from Curiosity's Chemistry and Mineralogy instrument, which characterizes the crystalline minerals in rock samples by using an X-ray beam. That data helped inform how porous the rocks are.

Mountain of Mystery

There are many mountains within craters or canyons on Mars, but few approach the scale of Mount Sharp. Scientists still aren't sure how the mountain grew inside of Gale Crater. One idea is that the crater was once filled with sediment. How much of it was filled remains a source of debate, but the thinking is that many millions of years of wind and erosion eventually excavated the mountain.

If the crater had been filled to the brim, all that material should have pressed down, or compacted, the many layers of fine-grained sediment beneath it. But the new paper suggests Mount Sharp's lower layers have been compacted by only a half-mile to a mile (1 to 2 kilometers) - much less than if the crater had been completely filled.

"There are still many questions about how Mount Sharp developed, but this paper adds an important piece to the puzzle," said study co-author Ashwin Vasavada, Curiosity's project scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. JPL manages the Mars Science Laboratory mission that Curiosity is a part of. "I'm thrilled that creative scientists and engineers are still finding innovative ways to make new scientific discoveries with the rover," he added.

Lewis said that Mars holds plenty of mystery beyond Mount Sharp. Its landscape is like Earth's, but sculpted more by wind and blowing sand than by water. They're planetary siblings, at once familiar and starkly different.

"To me, Mars is the uncanny valley of Earth," Lewis said. "It's similar but was shaped by different processes. It feels so unnatural to our terrestrial experience."

For more about Curiosity, visit:

https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 04/09/2019 08:19 pm
 Sol 2369-2371: This is why we came to Gale (https://marsmobile.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/mission/mars-rover-curiosity-mission-updates/?mu=sol-2369-2371-this-is-why-we-came-to-gale)

We are go for full drill! Today's plan will see Curiosity execute the final preparatory steps and then drill at our "Aberlady" bedrock target (seen here underneath the rover's arm and turret during the pre-drill APXS measurement) . This is a moment that the mission has been waiting for since Gale Crater was chosen as our landing site 8 (Earth) years ago! The clay bearing unit on the slopes of Mt. Sharp, which the rover is now parked on, is one of the primary reasons Gale Crater was selected over other competing landing sites and Curiosity's suite of instruments is tailor made to investigate what materials comprise it.

Prior to the drill activities, ChemCam and Mastcam will investigate two nearby bedrock targets and ENV has a Mastcam dust devil movie planned. After the drill, on the 3rd sol of today's plan, we'll begin investigating the drill hole and the resulting rock powder with ChemCam and Mastcam.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: eeergo on 05/16/2019 09:10 am
Animation of Curiosity's (battered) wheels:

https://twitter.com/landru79/status/1128775786805309440
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: edkyle99 on 06/22/2019 06:36 pm
Methane gas spike detected.  (So, obviously, "Life on Mars!")

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/22/science/nasa-mars-rover-life.html
https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1142452162255106050

 - Ed Kyle
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 06/24/2019 07:31 pm
Mars rover's large methane discovery excites scientists (https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/jun/24/mars-rovers-large-methane-discovery-excites-scientists)

Quote
Mission scientists announced on Monday that Curiosity had measured a record-breaking 21 parts per billion (ppb) of methane in the air in Gale crater, the rover’s landing site and area of exploration. The level is substantially more than the 5.8ppb it sensed on 16 June 2013.

Quote
“With our current measurements, we have no way of telling if the methane source is biology or geology, or even ancient or modern,” said Paul Mahaffy from Nasa’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt in Maryland, US.

The methane spike was recorded by the rover’s sample analysis at Mars (SAM) tunable laser spectrometer. After noticing the methane surge in data beamed back to Earth last week, mission scientists commanded the rover to perform follow-up experiments over the weekend.

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 06/26/2019 03:52 pm
Methane on Mars has dropped down again following a curious spike (https://metro.co.uk/2019/06/26/methane-mars-dropped-following-curious-spike-10075595/)

Quote
Levels of methane on Mars have dropped following a spike detected by Nasa’s Curiosity Rover last week which fuelled discussions about the possibility of life.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: meekGee on 06/28/2019 04:27 am
Well IMO such a large and sudden spike is more likely to be geological, or at least it's release tied to a geological event, since if it's just biological, that's a very lively organism.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: John-H on 06/28/2019 03:47 pm
Given that the atmosphere is so thin, and only 21 parts per billion of that is methane, and it could be a local phenomenon 20 or 30 km. wide, how much actual methane has appeared?  A few kilograms?

John
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: redliox on 06/28/2019 03:55 pm
Well IMO such a large and sudden spike is more likely to be geological, or at least it's release tied to a geological event, since if it's just biological, that's a very lively organism.

Although I agree it is more likely geological, if it were biological the organism could be going through a very intense period.  On Earth we have short-lived aquatic organisms (i.e. tadpoles and shrimp) that live for a matter of days in vanishing desert ponds before initiating the next phase of their life cycles (usually either laying eggs and adults dying or metamorphosing into adults).  Given Mars is basically a dry desert and water is either transient or hidden, whatever life that is on the surface likewise could be a short-lived phenomenon.

The methane mystery might only be solved when the source is directly visited, and presumably Curiosity is close but not close enough to drive to the source.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 06/28/2019 05:13 pm
Well IMO such a large and sudden spike is more likely to be geological, or at least it's release tied to a geological event, since if it's just biological, that's a very lively organism.

Although I agree it is more likely geological, if it were biological the organism could be going through a very intense period.  On Earth we have short-lived aquatic organisms (i.e. tadpoles and shrimp) that live for a matter of days in vanishing desert ponds before initiating the next phase of their life cycles (usually either laying eggs and adults dying or metamorphosing into adults).  Given Mars is basically a dry desert and water is either transient or hidden, whatever life that is on the surface likewise could be a short-lived phenomenon.

The methane mystery might only be solved when the source is directly visited, and presumably Curiosity is close but not close enough to drive to the source.

Curiosity isn’t particularly suited to locating the exact geographical location for an event like this I would have thought.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: meekGee on 06/28/2019 05:17 pm
Well IMO such a large and sudden spike is more likely to be geological, or at least it's release tied to a geological event, since if it's just biological, that's a very lively organism.

Although I agree it is more likely geological, if it were biological the organism could be going through a very intense period.  On Earth we have short-lived aquatic organisms (i.e. tadpoles and shrimp) that live for a matter of days in vanishing desert ponds before initiating the next phase of their life cycles (usually either laying eggs and adults dying or metamorphosing into adults).  Given Mars is basically a dry desert and water is either transient or hidden, whatever life that is on the surface likewise could be a short-lived phenomenon.

The methane mystery might only be solved when the source is directly visited, and presumably Curiosity is close but not close enough to drive to the source.

Curiosity isn’t particularly suited to locating the exact geographical location for an event like this I would have thought.
Every sharp edge dissipates over both time and space...

The fact that it was sharp (days) means either it was "right there", or that it was of a vere large magnitude.  Either way it was fast, and so the further away it was, the larger in magnitude it had to be...

Shrug.  Starship is coming...  We'll find out soon enough.

Title: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 07/05/2019 06:28 am
Relevant to this discussion.

Methane vanishing on Mars: Aarhus researchers propose new mechanism as an explanation. (http://scitech.au.dk/en/about-science-and-technology/current-affairs/news/show/artikel/methane-vanishing-on-mars-aarhus-researchers-propose-new-mechanism-as-an-explanation/)

Quote
The processes behind the release and consumption of methane on Mars have been discussed since methane was measured for the first time for approx. 15 years ago. Now, an interdisciplinary research group from Aarhus University has proposed a previously overlooked physical-chemical process that can explain methane's consumption.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Phil Stooke on 07/05/2019 08:04 pm
"Shrug.  Starship is coming...  We'll find out soon enough."

Because Starship will land at exactly the right place with exactly the right instruments?  No.  Maybe Starship will eventually deliver the right instruments to the right place, but it might not be 'soon enough'.  Until that happens, I'll put my faith in NASA and ESA.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Lar on 07/05/2019 09:07 pm
"Shrug.  Starship is coming...  We'll find out soon enough."

Because Starship will land at exactly the right place with exactly the right instruments?  No.  Maybe Starship will eventually deliver the right instruments to the right place, but it might not be 'soon enough'.  Until that happens, I'll put my faith in NASA and ESA.
No, because there will be so many landings with so much equipment and personnel in so many places, that we'll find out eventually.

NASA and ESA are awesome and got us this far. And will need to get us farther, but eventually....
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: eeergo on 07/05/2019 10:36 pm
I guess I can feel safe now that I know Starship will also make my breakfast, walk my dog and hug me at night when I feel lonely, right?

Seriously though --not accounting for the absolute lack of any realistic information about what Starship's actual capabilities or transportation modes will be-- how on Earth (or rather, on Mars) do you expect the advertised Starship to help shed light on Martian methane releases when it's supposed to be a **huge methane-powered ship** itself?

Have you stopped to consider the levels of decontamination Curiosity had to go through to make sure it wasn't detecting its "own" CH4 transported all the way from Earth, and still had to deal with questionable measurements at the beginning of its mission? Do you realize what are the concentration levels here (<1 ppb on a <1% Earth atmospheric pressure gas)? Shouldn't it be apparent to long-term members of this forum that further understanding of Martian CH4 is incompatible with large scale human operations on the planet, especially if ferried by methane-propelled ships?

Also, more of a rhetorical question: I wonder what the point is in muddling and handwaving away discussion of a new datapoint in a fascinating scientific quandary with vague, dismissive wishful-thinking claims in a completely SpaceX-unrelated thread (and subforum)?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Lar on 07/06/2019 12:48 am
No eeergo, it's not going to do that, and the people riding in it are going to have to put their pants on one leg at a time just like we do. Your point is well taken though. Maybe the question ought to be what can be done to research this before it gets there, then?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: b0objunior on 07/06/2019 01:44 am
I guess I can feel safe now that I know Starship will also make my breakfast, walk my dog and hug me at night when I feel lonely, right?

Seriously though --not accounting for the absolute lack of any realistic information about what Starship's actual capabilities or transportation modes will be-- how on Earth (or rather, on Mars) do you expect the advertised Starship to help shed light on Martian methane releases when it's supposed to be a **huge methane-powered ship** itself?

Have you stopped to consider the levels of decontamination Curiosity had to go through to make sure it wasn't detecting its "own" CH4 transported all the way from Earth, and still had to deal with questionable measurements at the beginning of its mission? Do you realize what are the concentration levels here (<1 ppb on a <1% Earth atmospheric pressure gas)? Shouldn't it be apparent to long-term members of this forum that further understanding of Martian CH4 is incompatible with large scale human operations on the planet, especially if ferried by methane-propelled ships?

Also, more of a rhetorical question: I wonder what the point is in muddling and handwaving away discussion of a new datapoint in a fascinating scientific quandary with vague, dismissive wishful-thinking claims in a completely SpaceX-unrelated thread (and subforum)?
You're on point for a lot of things, but especially the last part. This forum would really benefit from more potent rules, OT is OT, even if it's an interesting discussion.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Lar on 07/09/2019 06:04 pm
This forum would really benefit from more potent rules, OT is OT, even if it's an interesting discussion.
Report to mods. Your moderators are an eclectic mix of fans of all sorts of different things. If the thing actually is too off topic, one of them will act.

Do not complain about off-topic ness unless you've first reported it. In fact, don't complain about it at all, as that too is off topic. 
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 08/31/2019 12:03 pm
Quote
Scientists have taken an important step towards revealing the mysterious source of methane on Mars, by refining estimates of the gas in the planet's atmosphere.

The methane puffing from a huge crater on Mars could be a sign of life or other non-biological activity under the planet's surface. Gale crater, which is 154 km in diameter and about 3.8 billion years old, is thought by some to contain an ancient lakebed.

The team was able to improve the estimate of methane by using data from a satellite, ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, and the Curiosity Rover, which collects rock, soil and air samples for onboard analysis.

https://www.anu.edu.au/news/all-news/a-step-closer-to-solving-the-methane-mystery-on-mars

Here’s the related paper:

https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1029/2019GL083800
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 10/08/2019 06:54 am
Quote
If you could travel back in time 3.5 billion years, what would Mars look like? The picture is evolving among scientists working with NASA's Curiosity rover.

Imagine ponds dotting the floor of Gale Crater, the 100-mile-wide (150-kilometer-wide) ancient basin that Curiosity is exploring. Streams might have laced the crater's walls, running toward its base. Watch history in fast forward, and you'd see these waterways overflow then dry up, a cycle that probably repeated itself numerous times over millions of years.

That is the landscape described by Curiosity scientists in a Nature Geoscience paper published today. The authors interpret rocks enriched in mineral salts discovered by the rover as evidence of shallow briny ponds that went through episodes of overflow and drying. The deposits serve as a watermark created by climate fluctuations as the Martian environment transitioned from a wetter one to the freezing desert it is today.

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=7514
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: FutureSpaceTourist on 10/27/2019 07:06 pm
https://youtu.be/LKirkAe8u7g
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 11/14/2019 06:46 am
With Mars Methane Mystery Unsolved, Curiosity Serves Scientists a New One: Oxygen

For the first time in the history of space exploration, scientists have measured the seasonal changes in the gases that fill the air directly above the surface of Gale Crater on Mars. As a result, they noticed something baffling: oxygen, the gas many Earth creatures use to breathe, behaves in a way that so far scientists cannot explain through any known chemical processes.

Over the course of three Mars years (or nearly six Earth years) an instrument in the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) portable chemistry lab inside the belly of NASA’s Curiosity rover inhaled the air of Gale Crater and analyzed its composition. The results SAM spit out confirmed the makeup of the Martian atmosphere at the surface: 95% by volume of carbon dioxide (CO2), 2.6% molecular nitrogen (N2), 1.9% argon (Ar), 0.16% molecular oxygen (O2), and 0.06% carbon monoxide (CO). They also revealed how the molecules in the Martian air mix and circulate with the changes in air pressure throughout the year. These changes are caused when CO2 gas freezes over the poles in the winter, thereby lowering the air pressure across the planet following redistribution of air to maintain pressure equilibrium. When CO2 evaporates in the spring and summer and mixes across Mars, it raises the air pressure.

Within this environment, scientists found that nitrogen and argon follow a predictable seasonal pattern, waxing and waning in concentration in Gale Crater throughout the year relative to how much CO2 is in the air. They expected oxygen to do the same. But it didn’t. Instead, the amount of the gas in the air rose throughout spring and summer by as much as 30%, and then dropped back to levels predicted by known chemistry in fall. This pattern repeated each spring, though the amount of oxygen added to the atmosphere varied, implying that something was producing it and then taking it away.

“The first time we saw that, it was just mind boggling,” said Sushil Atreya, professor of climate and space sciences at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Atreya is a co-author of a paper on this topic published on November 12 in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets.

As soon as scientists discovered the oxygen enigma, Mars experts set to work trying to explain it. They first double- and triple-checked the accuracy of the SAM instrument they used to measure the gases: the Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer. The instrument was fine. They considered the possibility that CO2 or water (H2O) molecules could have released oxygen when they broke apart in the atmosphere, leading to the short-lived rise. But it would take five times more water above Mars to produce the extra oxygen, and CO2 breaks up too slowly to generate it over such a short time. What about the oxygen decrease? Could solar radiation have broken up oxygen molecules into two atoms that blew away into space? No, scientists concluded, since it would take at least 10 years for the oxygen to disappear through this process.

“We’re struggling to explain this,” said Melissa Trainer, a planetary scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland who led this research. “The fact that the oxygen behavior isn’t perfectly repeatable every season makes us think that it’s not an issue that has to do with atmospheric dynamics. It has to be some chemical source and sink that we can’t yet account for.”

To scientists who study Mars, the oxygen story is curiously similar to that of methane. Methane is constantly in the air inside Gale Crater in such small quantities (0.00000004% on average) that it’s barely discernable even by the most sensitive instruments on Mars. Still, it’s been measured by SAM’s Tunable Laser Spectrometer. The instrument revealed that while methane rises and falls seasonally, it increases in abundance by about 60% in summer months for inexplicable reasons. (In fact, methane also spikes randomly and dramatically. Scientists are trying to figure out why.)

With the new oxygen findings in hand, Trainer’s team is wondering if chemistry similar to what’s driving methane’s natural seasonal variations may also drive oxygen’s. At least occasionally, the two gases appear to fluctuate in tandem.

“We’re beginning to see this tantalizing correlation between methane and oxygen for a good part of the Mars year,” Atreya said. “I think there’s something to it. I just don’t have the answers yet. Nobody does.”

Oxygen and methane can be produced both biologically (from microbes, for instance) and abiotically (from chemistry related to water and rocks). Scientists are considering all options, although they don’t have any convincing evidence of biological activity on Mars. Curiosity doesn't have instruments that can definitively say whether the source of the methane or oxygen on Mars is biological or geological. Scientists expect that non-biological explanations are more likely and are working diligently to fully understand them.

Trainer’s team considered Martian soil as a source of the extra springtime oxygen. After all, it’s known to be rich in the element, in the form of compounds such as hydrogen peroxide and perchlorates. One experiment on the Viking landers showed decades ago that heat and humidity could release oxygen from Martian soil. But that experiment took place in conditions quite different from the Martian spring environment, and it doesn’t explain the oxygen drop, among other problems. Other possible explanations also don’t quite add up for now. For example, high-energy radiation of the soil could produce extra O2 in the air, but it would take a million years to accumulate enough oxygen in the soil to account for the boost measured in only one spring, the researchers report in their paper.

“We have not been able to come up with one process yet that produces the amount of oxygen we need, but we think it has to be something in the surface soil that changes seasonally because there aren’t enough available oxygen atoms in the atmosphere to create the behavior we see,” said Timothy McConnochie, assistant research scientist at the University of Maryland in College Park and another co-author of the paper.

The only previous spacecraft with instruments capable of measuring the composition of the Martian air near the ground were NASA’s twin Viking landers, which arrived on the planet in 1976. The Viking experiments covered only a few Martian days, though, so they couldn’t reveal seasonal patterns of the different gases. The new SAM measurements are the first to do so. The SAM team will continue to measure atmospheric gases so scientists can gather more detailed data throughout each season. In the meantime, Trainer and her team hope that other Mars experts will work to solve the oxygen mystery.

“This is the first time where we’re seeing this interesting behavior over multiple years. We don’t totally understand it,” Trainer said. “For me, this is an open call to all the smart people out there who are interested in this: See what you can come up with.”

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2019/with-mars-methane-mystery-unsolved-curiosity-serves-scientists-a-new-one-oxygen
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: bolun on 11/15/2019 12:13 pm
ESA’s Mars orbiters did not see latest Curiosity methane burst

13/11/2019

In June, NASA’s Curiosity rover reported the highest burst of methane recorded yet, but neither ESA’s Mars Express nor the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter recorded any signs of the elusive gas, despite flying over the same location at a similar time.

https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Exploration/ExoMars/ESA_s_Mars_orbiters_did_not_see_latest_Curiosity_methane_burst
Title: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 01/24/2020 05:38 pm
Poor old Curiosity was frozen in place until a fix could be delivered to it.

Quote
Partway through its last set of activities, Curiosity lost its orientation. Some knowledge of its attitude was not quite right, so it couldn't make the essential safety evaluation. Thus, Curiosity stopped moving, freezing in place until its knowledge of its orientation can be recovered. Curiosity kept sending us information, so we know what happened and can develop a recovery plan. That is exactly what we did today: The engineers on the team built a plan to inform Curiosity of its attitude and to confirm what happened. We want Curiosity to recover its ability to make its safety checks, and we also want to know if there is anything we can do to prevent a similar problem in the future. This approach helps keep our rover safe.

https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/mission-updates/8587/sols-2649-2652-curiosity-loses-its-attitude/
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Phil Stooke on 01/24/2020 05:54 pm
Rear Hazcam images from sol 2654 show a move - I can't yet say exactly how it moved - so the problem is probably under control now.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 01/25/2020 11:47 am
Rear Hazcam images from sol 2654 show a move - I can't yet say exactly how it moved - so the problem is probably under control now.

Seems like you were right.

Quote
Last Friday’s plan was designed to ensure Curiosity had enough knowledge of its orientation to proceed with arm activities and mobility.

We learned this morning that plan was successful and Curiosity was ready for science once more!

https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/mission-updates/8589/sols-2653-2655-attitude-adjustment/
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: eeergo on 02/27/2020 07:30 am
Curiosity is ready for some climbing! And it's not figurative: 30 degree slopes :O

https://twitter.com/abbyfrae/status/1232876556063633409
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: FutureSpaceTourist on 03/04/2020 05:52 pm
Quote
MARCH 4, 2020
Curiosity's 1.8-Billion-Pixel Panorama

NASA's Curiosity rover captured its highest-resolution panorama yet of the Martian surface between Nov. 24 and Dec. 1, 2019. A version without the rover contains nearly 1.8 billion pixels; a version with the rover contains nearly 650 million pixels. Both versions are composed of more than 1,000 images that were carefully assembled over the following months.

The rover's Mast Camera, or Mastcam, used its telephoto lens to produce the panorama and relied on its medium-angle lens to produce a lower-resolution panorama that includes the rover's deck and robotic arm.

Malin Space Science Systems in San Diego built and operates Mastcam. A division of Caltech, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the Mars Science Laboratory mission for the agency's Science Mission Directorate in Washington and built the Curiosity rover.

Click here for highest resolution version (2.43 GB) (https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/archive/PIA23623_hires.tif)

For more information about Curiosity, visit http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl or https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/index.html.

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/spaceimages/details.php?id=PIA23623
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: FutureSpaceTourist on 03/20/2020 10:04 pm
Quote
March 20, 2020

NASA's Curiosity Mars Rover Takes a New Selfie Before Record Climb

NASA's Curiosity Mars rover recently set a record for the steepest terrain it's ever climbed, cresting the "Greenheugh Pediment," a broad sheet of rock that sits atop a hill. And before doing that, the rover took a selfie, capturing the scene just below Greenheugh.

In front of the rover is a hole it drilled while sampling a bedrock target called "Hutton." The entire selfie is a 360-degree panorama stitched together from 86 images relayed to Earth. The selfie captures the rover about 11 feet (3.4 meters) below the point where it climbed onto the crumbling pediment.

Curiosity finally reached the top of the slope March 6 (the 2,696th Martian day, or sol, of the mission). It took three drives to scale the hill, the second of which tilted the rover 31 degrees — the most the rover has ever tilted on Mars and just shy of the now-inactive Opportunity rover's 32-degree tilt record, set in 2016. Curiosity took the selfie on Feb. 26, 2020 (Sol 2687).

Since 2014, Curiosity has been rolling up Mount Sharp, a 3-mile-tall (5-kilometer-tall) mountain at the center of Gale Crater. Rover operators at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California carefully map out each drive to make sure Curiosity will be safe. The rover is never in danger of tilting so much that it would flip over — Curiosity's rocker-bogie wheel system enables it to tilt up to 45 degrees safely — but the steep drives do cause the wheels to spin in place.

How Are Selfies Taken?

Before the climb, Curiosity used the black-and-white Navigation Cameras located on its mast to, for the first time, record a short movie of its "selfie stick," otherwise known as its robotic arm.

Curiosity's mission is to study whether the Martian environment could have supported microbial life billions of years ago. One tool for doing that is the Mars Hand Lens Camera, or MAHLI, located in the turret at the end of the robotic arm. This camera provides a close-up view of sand grains and rock textures, similarly to how a geologist uses a handheld magnifying glass for a closer look in the field on Earth.

By rotating the turret to face the rover, the team can use MAHLI to show Curiosity. Because each MAHLI image covers only a small area, it requires many images and arm positions to fully capture the rover and its surroundings.

"We get asked so often how Curiosity takes a selfie," said Doug Ellison, a Curiosity camera operator at JPL. "We thought the best way to explain it would be to let the rover show everyone from its own point of view just how it's done."

Located in Pasadena, California, Caltech manages JPL for NASA, and JPL, which built Curiosity, manages the project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. MAHLI was built by Malin Space Science Systems in San Diego.

For more about Curiosity:

https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/home/

http://nasa.gov/msl

Andrew Good
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
818-393-2433
[email protected]

Alana Johnson
NASA Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1501
[email protected]

2020-054

Last Updated: March 20, 2020
Editor: Tony Greicius

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/nasas-curiosity-mars-rover-takes-a-new-selfie-before-record-climb

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_ii2GABPao

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2rwWECbEHg

Attached image caption:

Quote
This selfie was taken by NASA's Curiosity Mars rover on Feb. 26, 2020 (the 2,687th Martian day, or sol, of the mission). The crumbling rock layer at the top of the image is "the Greenheugh Pediment," which Curiosity climbed soon after taking the image.
Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: FutureSpaceTourist on 04/12/2020 04:47 pm
https://twitter.com/marsmissionimgs/status/1249308547021602822

Quote
#CuriosityRover #Mars #NASA #Sol2558 #Space #MAHLI
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: freddo411 on 04/12/2020 05:08 pm
https://twitter.com/marsmissionimgs/status/1249308547021602822

Quote
#CuriosityRover #Mars #NASA #Sol2558 #Space #MAHLI

Wow.   Looks like stones that have been heavily worked and rounded by water.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Arb on 04/12/2020 07:09 pm
For me it looks/feels better the other way up.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: russianhalo117 on 04/12/2020 10:02 pm
https://twitter.com/marsmissionimgs/status/1249308547021602822

Quote
#CuriosityRover #Mars #NASA #Sol2558 #Space #MAHLI

Wow.   Looks like stones that have been heavily worked and rounded by water.
Geology throws a curve ball in that the stones are not gradient separated by size so lacks typical water mechanics of a normal stream and river. Rather they are rounded yet chaotic size wise so they distributed by another mechanism before they came in contact with a liquid. Earth examples are tsunamis, glacial lake floods, lahares and landslides (earthquakes not required).
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: jacqmans on 04/15/2020 06:16 am

NASA's Curiosity Keeps Rolling As Team Operates Rover From Home

The Mars mission has learned to meet new challenges while working remotely.

For people who are able to work remotely during this time of social distancing, video conferences and emails have helped bridge the gap. The same holds true for the team behind NASA's Curiosity Mars rover. They're dealing with the same challenges of so many remote workers - quieting the dog, sharing space with partners and family, remembering to step away from the desk from time to time - but with a twist: They're operating on Mars.

On March 20, 2020, nobody on the team was present at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, where the mission is based. It was the first time the rover's operations were planned while the team was completely remote. Two days later, the commands they had sent to Mars executed as expected, resulting in Curiosity drilling a rock sample at a location called "Edinburgh."

The team began to anticipate the need to go fully remote a couple weeks before, leading them to rethink how they would operate. Headsets, monitors and other equipment were distributed (picked up curbside, with all employees following proper social-distancing measures).

Not everything they're used to working with at JPL could be sent home, however: Planners rely on 3D images from Mars and usually study them through special goggles that rapidly shift between left- and right-eye views to better reveal the contours of the landscape. That helps them figure out where to drive Curiosity and how far they can extend its robotic arm.

But those goggles require the advanced graphics cards in high-performance computers at JPL (they're actually gaming computers repurposed for driving on Mars). In order for rover operators to view 3D images on ordinary laptops, they've switched to simple red-blue 3D glasses. Although not as immersive or comfortable as the goggles, they work just as well for planning drives and arm movements.

The team ran through several tests and one full practice run before it was time to plan the "Edinburgh" drilling operation.

What It Takes to Drive a Rover

Of course, hardware is only part of the equation: A great deal of logistical adjustments are required as well. Typically, team members at JPL work with hundreds of scientists at research institutions around the world to decide where to drive Curiosity and how to gather its science. Working at a remove from those scientists is not new. But working apart from other people who are usually based at JPL is.

Programming each sequence of actions for the rover may involve 20 or so people developing and testing commands in one place while chatting with dozens of others located elsewhere.

"We're usually all in one room, sharing screens, images and data. People are talking in small groups and to each other from across the room," said Alicia Allbaugh, who leads the team.

Now they do the same job by holding several video conferences at once while also relying more on messaging apps. It takes extra effort to make sure everybody understands one another; on average, each day's planning takes one or two more hours than it normally would. That adds some limits to how many commands are sent each day. But for the most part, Curiosity is as scientifically productive as ever.

To make sure everyone is being heard and understands one another, science operations team chief Carrie Bridge proactively talks to the scientists and engineers to close any communication gaps: Does anyone see issues with the current plan? Does the solution the engineers are converging around work for the scientists?

"I probably monitor about 15 chat channels at all times," she said. "You're juggling more than you normally would."

Typically, Bridge would make her rounds to several groups working in a kind of situation room where Curiosity's data and images are viewed and commands are generated. Now she calls into as many as four separate videoconferences at the same time to check in.

"I still do my normal routine, but virtually," she said.

The transition has taken getting used to, but Bridge said the effort to keep Curiosity rolling is representative of the can-do spirit that attracted her to NASA.

"It's classic, textbook NASA," she said. "We're presented with a problem and we figure out how to make things work. Mars isn't standing still for us; we're still exploring."

For more information about Curiosity, visit:

https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/

https://nasa.gov/msl
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ddspaceman on 08/06/2020 12:18 pm
https://twitter.com/csa_asc/status/1291071545939496962

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 11/24/2020 08:05 am
Deposits from giant floods in Gale crater and their implications for the climate of early Mars

Abstract

This study reports in-situ sedimentologic evidence of giant floods in Gale crater, Mars, during the Noachian Period. Features indicative of floods are a series of symmetrical, 10 m-high gravel ridges that occur in the Hummocky Plains Unit (HPU). Their regular spacing, internal sedimentary structures, and bedload transport of fragments as large as 20 cm suggest that these ridges are antidunes: a type of sedimentary structure that forms under very strong flows. Their 150 m wavelength indicates that the north-flowing water that deposited them was at least 24 m deep and had a minimum velocity of 10 m/s. Floods waned rapidly, eroding antidune crests, and re-deposited removed sediments as patches on the up-flow limbs and trough areas between these ridges forming the Striated Unit (SU). Each patch of the SU is 50–200 m wide and long and consists of 5–10 m of south-dipping layers. The strike and dip of the SU layers mimic the attitude of the flank of the antidune on which they were deposited. The most likely mechanism that generated flood waters of this magnitude on a planet whose present-day average temperature is − 60 °C was the sudden heat produced by a large impact. The event vaporized frozen reservoirs of water and injected large amounts of CO2 and CH4 from their solid phases into the atmosphere. It temporarily interrupted a cold and dry climate and generated a warm and wet period. Torrential rainfall occurred planetwide some of which entered Gale crater and combined with water roaring down from Mt. Sharp to cause gigantic flash floods that deposited the SU and the HPU on Aeolis Palus. The warm and wet climate persisted even after the flooding ended, but its duration cannot be determined by our study.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-75665-7
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: eeergo on 02/24/2021 11:09 am
While its younger twin is stealing the thunder, there's this excellent website to easily explore the locations where Curiosity is(has) roving(roved):

https://captainvideo.nl/marslife/index.html

(select a sol, click a square in the image and LOAD clicking on the upper left corner).
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: libra on 02/24/2021 11:13 am
Shame the nuclear rovers don't drive as much as the MERs before them. Imagine, how far could they travel without martian dust to ruin their power.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Phil Stooke on 02/25/2021 12:03 am
The 'nuclear' rovers (really, battery-powered rovers with a nuclear battery charger) are doing much more science, that's why they are not going so far.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Eosterwine on 02/27/2021 05:05 pm
Some stunning images from the Rovers current location taken on Sol 3043

https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw-images/?order=sol+desc%2Cinstrument_sort+asc%2Csample_type_sort+asc%2C+date_taken+desc&per_page=50&page=0&mission=msl&begin_sol=3043&end_sol=3043
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: baldusi on 03/01/2021 03:40 pm
The 'nuclear' rovers (really, battery-powered rovers with a nuclear battery charger) are doing much more science, that's why they are not going so far.

You gotta appreciate that SkyCrane can safely put you where the interesting things are rather than landing where you can and hopping to find something interesting.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: eeergo on 03/07/2021 11:27 am
Great cliffs at Curiosity's corner of Mars too:

https://twitter.com/PaulHammond51/status/1368390313782374408
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: eeergo on 03/22/2021 10:03 pm
Phobosrise:

https://twitter.com/thomas_appere/status/1374095294808342531
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: FutureSpaceTourist on 04/06/2021 06:37 am
twitter.com/we_martians/status/1379206882917720064

Quote
One of our patrons found this NASA paper on Curiosity wheel damage.

It's a study on how the rover could shed part of a wheel against a rock in order to prevent it from mangling up and damaging cabling.

The pictures are wild.

https://www-robotics.jpl.nasa.gov/publications/Arturo_Rankin/Rimmed_Wheel_Performance_on_the_Mars_Science_Laboratory_Scarecrow_Rover.pdf

https://twitter.com/rover_18/status/1379315275753922560

Quote
Note that this test was an existence proof, not a systematic development. They showed that it is in fact possible to shed a detached inner rim after months of trial and error with immediate direct visual feedback. The singular success was not repeated.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: eeergo on 05/26/2021 11:38 am
https://twitter.com/db_prods/status/1394943990269685762
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 05/31/2021 04:43 pm
NASA’s Curiosity Rover Captures Shining Clouds on Mars

May 28, 2021

The science team is studying the clouds, which arrived earlier and formed higher than expected, to learn more about the Red Planet.
Cloudy days are rare in the thin, dry atmosphere of Mars. Clouds are typically found at the planet’s equator in the coldest time of year, when Mars is the farthest from the Sun in its oval-shaped orbit. But one full Martian year ago – two Earth years – scientists noticed clouds forming over NASA’s Curiosity rover earlier than expected.

This year, they were ready to start documenting these “early” clouds from the moment they first appeared in late January. What resulted are images of wispy puffs filled with ice crystals that scattered light from the setting Sun, some of them shimmering with color. More than just spectacular displays, such images help scientists understand how clouds form on Mars and why these recent ones are different.

In fact, Curiosity’s team has already made one new discovery: The early-arrival clouds are actually at higher altitudes than is typical. Most Martian clouds hover no more than about 37 miles (60 kilometers) in the sky and are composed of water ice. But the clouds Curiosity has imaged are at a higher altitude, where it’s very cold, indicating that they are likely made of frozen carbon dioxide, or dry ice. Scientists look for subtle clues to establish a cloud’s altitude, and it will take more analysis to say for sure which of Curiosity’s recent images show water-ice clouds and which show dry-ice ones.

The fine, rippling structures of these clouds are easier to see with images from Curiosity’s black-and-white navigation cameras. But it’s the color images from the rover’s Mast Camera, or Mastcam, that really shine – literally. Viewed just after sunset, their ice crystals catch the fading light, causing them to appear to glow against the darkening sky. These twilight clouds, also known as “noctilucent” (Latin for “night shining”) clouds, grow brighter as they fill with crystals, then darken after the Sun’s position in the sky drops below their altitude. This is just one useful clue scientists use to determine how high they are.

Even more stunning are iridescent, or “mother of pearl” clouds. “If you see a cloud with a shimmery pastel set of colors in it, that’s because the cloud particles are all nearly identical in size,” said Mark Lemmon, an atmospheric scientist with the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colorado. “That’s usually happening just after the clouds have formed and have all grown at the same rate.”

These clouds are among the more colorful things on the Red Planet, he added. If you were skygazing next to Curiosity, you could see the colors with the naked eye, although they’d be faint.

“I always marvel at the colors that show up: reds and greens and blues and purples,” Lemmon said. “It’s really cool to see something shining with lots of color on Mars.”

For more about Curiosity, visit:

https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/

For more about NASA’s Mars program, visit:

https://mars.nasa.gov

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasas-curiosity-rover-captures-shining-clouds-on-mars
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: FutureSpaceTourist on 06/29/2021 04:46 pm
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/first-you-see-it-then-you-dont-scientists-closer-to-explaining-mars-methane-mystery

Quote
First You See It, Then You Don’t: Scientists Closer to Explaining Mars Methane Mystery
Jun 29, 2021

Why do some science instruments detect the gas on the Red Planet while others don’t?
Reports of methane detections at Mars have captivated scientists and non-scientists alike. On Earth, a significant amount of methane is produced by microbes that help most livestock digest plants. This digestion process ends with livestock exhaling or burping the gas into the air.

While there are no cattle, sheep, or goats on Mars, finding methane there is exciting because it may imply that microbes were, or are, living on the Red Planet. Methane could have nothing to do with microbes or any other biology, however; geological processes that involve the interaction of rocks, water, and heat can also produce it.

Before identifying the sources of methane on Mars, scientists must settle a question that’s been gnawing at them: Why do some instruments detect the gas while others don’t? NASA’s Curiosity rover, for instance, has repeatedly detected methane right above the surface of Gale Crater. But ESA’s (the European Space Agency) ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter hasn’t detected any methane higher in the Martian atmosphere.

“When the Trace Gas Orbiter came on board in 2016, I was fully expecting the orbiter team to report that there’s a small amount of methane everywhere on Mars,” said Chris Webster, lead of the Tunable Laser Spectrometer (TLS) instrument in the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) chemistry lab aboard the Curiosity rover.

The TLS has measured less than one-half part per billion in volume of methane on average in Gale Crater. That’s equivalent to about a pinch of salt diluted in an Olympic-size swimming pool. These measurements have been punctuated by baffling spikes of up to 20 parts per billion in volume.

“But when the European team announced that it saw no methane, I was definitely shocked,” said Webster, who’s based at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.

The European orbiter was designed to be the gold standard for measuring methane and other gases over the whole planet. At the same time, Curiosity’s TLS is so precise, it will be used for early warning fire detection on the International Space Station and for tracking oxygen levels in astronaut suits. It’s also been licensed for use at power plants, on oil pipelines, and in fighter aircraft, where pilots can monitor the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in their face masks.

Still, Webster and the SAM team were jolted by the European orbiter findings and immediately set out to scrutinize the TLS measurements on Mars.

Some experts suggested that the rover itself was releasing the gas. “So we looked at correlations with the pointing of the rover, the ground, the crushing of rocks, the wheel degradation – you name it,” Webster said. “I cannot overstate the effort the team has put into looking at every little detail to make sure those measurements are correct, and they are.”

Webster and his team reported their results today in the Astronomy & Astrophysics journal.

As the SAM team worked to confirm its methane detections, another member of Curiosity’s science team, planetary scientist John E. Moores from York University in Toronto, published an intriguing prediction in 2019. “I took what some of my colleagues are calling a very Canadian view of this, in the sense that I asked the question: ‘What if Curiosity and the Trace Gas Orbiter are both right?’” Moores said.

Moores, as well as other Curiosity team members studying wind patterns in Gale Crater, hypothesized that the discrepancy between methane measurements comes down to the time of day they’re taken. Because it needs a lot of power, TLS operates mostly at night when no other Curiosity instruments are working. The Martian atmosphere is calm at night, Moores noted, so the methane seeping from the ground builds up near the surface where Curiosity can detect it.

The Trace Gas Orbiter, on the other hand, requires sunlight to pinpoint methane about 3 miles, or 5 kilometers, above the surface. “Any atmosphere near a planet’s surface goes through a cycle during the day,” Moores said. Heat from the Sun churns the atmosphere as warm air rises and cool air sinks. Thus, the methane that is confined near the surface at night is mixed into the broader atmosphere during the day, which dilutes it to undetectable levels. “So I realized no instrument, especially an orbiting one, would see anything,” Moores said.

Immediately, the Curiosity team decided to test Moores’ prediction by collecting the first high-precision daytime measurements. TLS measured methane consecutively over the course of one Martian day, bracketing one nighttime measurement with two daytime ones. With each experiment, SAM sucked in Martian air for two hours, continuously removing the carbon dioxide, which makes up 95% of the planet’s atmosphere. This left a concentrated sample of methane that TLS could easily measure by passing an infrared laser beam through it many times, one that’s tuned to use a precise wavelength of light that is absorbed by methane.

“John predicted that methane should effectively go down to zero during the day, and our two daytime measurements confirmed that,” said Paul Mahaffy, the principal investigator of SAM, who’s based at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. TLS’ nighttime measurement fit neatly within the average the team had already established. “So that’s one way of putting to bed this big discrepancy,” Mahaffy said.

While this study suggests that methane concentrations rise and fall throughout the day at the surface of Gale Crater, scientists have yet to solve the global methane puzzle at Mars. Methane is a stable molecule that is expected to last on Mars for about 300 years before getting torn apart by solar radiation. If methane is constantly seeping from all similar craters, which scientists suspect is likely given that Gale doesn’t seem to be geologically unique, enough of it should have accumulated in the atmosphere for the Trace Gas Orbiter to detect. Scientists suspect that something is destroying methane in less than 300 years.

Experiments are underway to test whether very low-level electric discharges induced by dust in the Martian atmosphere could destroy methane, or whether abundant oxygen at the Martian surface quickly destroys methane before it can reach the upper atmosphere.

“We need to determine whether there’s a faster destruction mechanism than normal to fully reconcile the data sets from the rover and the orbiter,” Webster said.

News Media Contact

Andrew Good
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
818-393-2433
[email protected]
Written by Lonnie Shekhtman
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

2021-130
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 07/15/2021 06:44 pm
Microbes burping methane on Mars may be right next to NASA rover

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2284210-microbes-burping-methane-on-mars-may-be-right-next-to-nasa-rover/
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 07/18/2021 09:50 am
Freely accessible article:

'Alien burp' may have been detected by NASA's Curiosity rover

https://www.livescience.com/curiosity-finds-alien-methane-source.html

Related paper:

Mars Methane Sources in Northwestern Gale Crater Inferred from Back-Trajectory Modeling

Abstract
During its five years of operation, the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) Tunable Laser Spectrometer (TLS) on board the Curiosity rover has detected six methane spikes above a low background abundance in Gale crater. The methane spikes are likely the consequence of nearby surface emission. Here we use inverse Lagrangian modeling techniques to identify probable upstream emission regions for these methane spikes at an unprecedented spatial resolution. Inside Gale crater, the northwestern crater floor casts the strongest influence on the detections. Outside Gale crater, the emission region with the strongest influence extends towards the north. The contrasting results from two consecutive methane measurements point to an active emission region to the west and the southwest of the Curiosity rover on the northwestern crater floor. The observed spike magnitude and frequency also favor emission sites on the northwestern crater floor, unless fast methane removal mechanisms that are unknown to date are at work.

https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-569847/v1
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 07/19/2021 11:17 pm
Freely accessible article:

'Alien burp' may have been detected by NASA's Curiosity rover

https://www.livescience.com/curiosity-finds-alien-methane-source.html

Related paper:

Mars Methane Sources in Northwestern Gale Crater Inferred from Back-Trajectory Modeling

Abstract
During its five years of operation, the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) Tunable Laser Spectrometer (TLS) on board the Curiosity rover has detected six methane spikes above a low background abundance in Gale crater. The methane spikes are likely the consequence of nearby surface emission. Here we use inverse Lagrangian modeling techniques to identify probable upstream emission regions for these methane spikes at an unprecedented spatial resolution. Inside Gale crater, the northwestern crater floor casts the strongest influence on the detections. Outside Gale crater, the emission region with the strongest influence extends towards the north. The contrasting results from two consecutive methane measurements point to an active emission region to the west and the southwest of the Curiosity rover on the northwestern crater floor. The observed spike magnitude and frequency also favor emission sites on the northwestern crater floor, unless fast methane removal mechanisms that are unknown to date are at work.

https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-569847/v1

This is a pre print.Any idea where it will be published?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 08/17/2021 07:07 pm
NASA’s Curiosity Mars Rover Finds A Changing Landscape:

https://youtu.be/8DZl56tS9ko
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: eeergo on 09/06/2021 02:52 pm
Holes holes holes:

https://twitter.com/PaulHammond51/status/1434852442659721219

https://twitter.com/landru79/status/1434886250893398016
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 11/03/2021 05:01 pm
Organic molecules revealed in Mars’s Bagnold Dunes by Curiosity’s derivatization experiment

Abstract
The wet chemistry experiments on the Sample Analysis at Mars instrument on NASA’s Curiosity rover were designed to facilitate gas chromatography mass spectrometry analyses of polar molecules such as amino acids and carboxylic acids. Here we present the results of such a successful wet chemistry experiment on Mars on sand scooped from the Bagnold Dunes with the N-methyl-N-(tert-butyldimethylsilyl) trifluoroacetamide derivatization agent. No amino-acid derivatives were detected. However, chemically derivatized benzoic acid and ammonia were detected. Mass spectra matching derivatized phosphoric acid and phenol were present, as were several nitrogen-bearing molecules and as yet unidentified high-molecular-weight compounds. The origin of these compounds, including those that may be internal to the Sample Analysis at Mars background, is examined. This derivatization experiment on Mars has expanded the inventory of molecules present in Martian samples and demonstrated a powerful tool to further enable the search for polar organic molecules of biotic or prebiotic relevance.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-021-01507-9

Source: https://phys.org/news/2021-11-molecules-revealed-mars-curiosity-kind.html
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: eeergo on 01/18/2022 03:26 pm
Some excitement about carbon-12-enriched samples having been detected by Curiosity on Gale surface highs is making the rounds. Apart from the much-hyped biological explanations everyone is jumping at, the possibility of the enrichment coming from UV-CO2 interactions (and a reducing early Martian atmosphere) is not ruled out and IMO much more likely. The cosmic coincidence of Mars passing through a typically 12C-enriched interstellar dust cloud is also plausible.

https://www.science.org/content/article/mars-rover-detects-carbon-signature-hints-past-life-source
Title: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 01/19/2022 02:20 pm
Some excitement about carbon-12-enriched samples having been detected by Curiosity on Gale surface highs is making the rounds. Apart from the much-hyped biological explanations everyone is jumping at, the possibility of the enrichment coming from UV-CO2 interactions (and a reducing early Martian atmosphere) is not ruled out and IMO much more likely. The cosmic coincidence of Mars passing through a typically 12C-enriched interstellar dust cloud is also plausible.

https://www.science.org/content/article/mars-rover-detects-carbon-signature-hints-past-life-source
On what basis do you conclude it’s much more likely, show your working as they say?

After all reading the NASA press release as linked to below no one there appears to be offering one hypothesis as a preferable explanation over another at the moment.

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2022/nasa-s-curiosity-rover-measures-intriguing-carbon-signature-on-mars
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: eeergo on 01/19/2022 03:26 pm
Some excitement about carbon-12-enriched samples having been detected by Curiosity on Gale surface highs is making the rounds. Apart from the much-hyped biological explanations everyone is jumping at, the possibility of the enrichment coming from UV-CO2 interactions (and a reducing early Martian atmosphere) is not ruled out and IMO much more likely. The cosmic coincidence of Mars passing through a typically 12C-enriched interstellar dust cloud is also plausible.

https://www.science.org/content/article/mars-rover-detects-carbon-signature-hints-past-life-source (https://www.science.org/content/article/mars-rover-detects-carbon-signature-hints-past-life-source)
On what basis do you conclude it’s much more likely, show your working as they say?

After all reading the NASA press release as linked to below no one there appears to be offering one hypothesis as a preferable explanation over another at the moment.

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2022/nasa-s-curiosity-rover-measures-intriguing-carbon-signature-on-mars (https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2022/nasa-s-curiosity-rover-measures-intriguing-carbon-signature-on-mars)

No work in my prior post: just a perception that possibility does not require as much wishful thinking (and anchoring on terrestrial precedent) as the biological one.

The NASA press release may be reasonably even-handed, even though the SAM PI is not too careful about statements like " we’re looking at what else could have caused the carbon signature we’re seeing, if not life", which should in my view phrased more carefully the other way around ("we're looking at what else apart from abiological mechanisms could be causing this carbon signature we're seeing, including life"), but it's certainly less even-handed than the paper: "All three of these scenarios are unconventional, unlike processes common on Earth".

In any case, and trying to dig a bit deeper: from reading the paper (https://www.pnas.org/content/119/4/e2115651119 (https://www.pnas.org/content/119/4/e2115651119), I belive it's open access), interpretations involving biological processes that resemble those on Earth -which is already a strong caveat- imply either their combination with other abiotic explanations in order to reach the observed concentrations, or having isolated subsurface CO2 reservoirs. What's more, these processes mediated by life "require multiple steps with the CH4 consumed by the methanotrophs to be biological CH4 from microbial methanogenesis", in addition to an a-priori composition of the source CO2 more akin to magmatic rock carbon than that of the Martian atmosphere. So, a very fine-tuned set of unlikely hypothesis.

The molecular cloud model, even if dependent on a rare event, is much more solid by the paper's own admission. The abiotic photochemistry hypothesis from abundant CO2 likewise needs less fine-tuning or strong constraints, and both better explain the concurrent, but evidently less-hyped, depletion in 34S.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: vjkane on 01/20/2022 12:03 am
What's more, these processes mediated by life "require multiple steps with the CH4 consumed by the methanotrophs to be biological CH4 from microbial methanogenesis", in addition to an a-priori composition of the source CO2 more akin to magmatic rock carbon than that of the Martian atmosphere. So, a very fine-tuned set of unlikely hypothesis.
Do those steps occur in terrestrial ecosystems or are supported by chemical analysis of very ancient geological chemistry on Earth?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: eeergo on 01/20/2022 09:00 am
What's more, these processes mediated by life "require multiple steps with the CH4 consumed by the methanotrophs to be biological CH4 from microbial methanogenesis", in addition to an a-priori composition of the source CO2 more akin to magmatic rock carbon than that of the Martian atmosphere. So, a very fine-tuned set of unlikely hypothesis.
Do those steps occur in terrestrial ecosystems or are supported by chemical analysis of very ancient geological chemistry on Earth?

These in particular appear to come from current Earth analogues.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Blackstar on 01/24/2022 06:04 pm
https://www.leonarddavid.com/curiosity-mars-rover-eyeing-a-sedimentologists-delight/

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Don2 on 01/28/2022 09:48 pm
Sky and Telescope article on carbon isotope results at Gale Crater.
https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/evidence-hints-at-ancient-life-on-mars/

Original paper:
https://www.pnas.org/content/119/4/e2115651119

Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: yg1968 on 02/25/2022 05:47 pm
Interesting image by Curiosity:

https://twitter.com/kevinmgill/status/1497274717077585922
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Rondaz on 03/01/2022 02:17 pm
Astronomy18:07 01 March 2022Complexity 1.9 "Curiosity" found a stone bush on Mars..

18:07 01 March 2022

The Curiosity rover has found an unusual stone structure on the Red Planet that looks like a coral or bush. According to scientists, it was formed by the precipitation of minerals from an aqueous solution in the past and was previously included in the rock, according to the NASA website.

Curiosity began its work on Mars in 2012 as part of NASA 's Mars Science Laboratory mission  to study the geology and atmosphere of the Red Planet. The main target of the rover was the five-kilometer Mount Sharp , located in the center of Gale Crater and covered with an array of eroded layers of sedimentary rocks .

On February 25, 2022, the MAHLI (Mars Hand Lens Imager) instrument, mounted on the end of the rover's robotic arm, took eight images of an unusual stone structure that looks like a coral or a bush no larger than a centimeter. This structure, according to scientists, does not have a biogenic origin, but is a concretion of minerals precipitated from an aqueous solution, which was previously in the rock. Subsequently, the rock was subjected to erosion processes, exposing the concretion. The rover found similar structures earlier, when they were formed by sulfates.

Curiosity has already made many discoveries, in particular, it was able to determine the  age of rocks containing organic matter, proved  the salinity of a disappeared ancient lake, discovered  mud cracks left after the drying of streams, and   helps to  register mysterious bursts of methane  in the Martian atmosphere.

Alexander Voytyuk

https://nplus1.ru/news/2022/03/01/mars-concretion
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Blackstar on 06/03/2022 12:24 pm
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: libra on 06/03/2022 02:11 pm
I wonder if tape could fix that ? tape can fix everything.  8)
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: deadman1204 on 06/03/2022 02:14 pm
I wonder if tape could fix that ? tape can fix everything.  8)

Do bandaids count as tape?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Blackstar on 06/03/2022 02:38 pm
I wonder if tape could fix that ? tape can fix everything.  8)

Not just any old tape. Duck Tape.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: whitelancer64 on 06/03/2022 02:41 pm


IIRC someone at NASA said that Curiosity's drive motors had enough torque that it could drive on the titanium spokes. That is a big chunk out of the wheel, though a solid third of it (the part supported by the rim, where the spokes connect) looks to be in good shape.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: FutureSpaceTourist on 08/04/2022 07:00 am
https://mars.nasa.gov/resources/26903/curiosity-10-years-of-martian-mountain-climbing/

Quote
August 02, 2022

Since landing on Mars in August 2012, NASA's Curiosity rover has been exploring 3-mile-high Mt. Sharp in Gale Crater. The rover has climbed more than 2,000 feet (612 meters), reaching progressively younger rocks that serve as a record on how Mars has evolved from a wet, habitable planet to a cold desert environment.

Some other accomplishments by Curiosity:

Acquired 494,540 images

Returned 3,102 gigabytes of data to Earth

Drilled 35 samples and scooped 6

Its findings yielded 883 science papers

For more information about the mission, go to: https://mars.nasa.gov/msl.

Information current as of July 2022.

https://twitter.com/doug_ellison/status/1554718673994076160

Quote
Well - someone found our birthday present a couple of days early :)  mars.nasa.gov/resources/2690…   Me,  @PlanetaryKeri, @abbyfrae, @dangoods conspired with the incredible artist @JustinVG to celebrate our incredible mission's 10 year anniversary with an appropriately awesome poster

twitter.com/doug_ellison/status/1554719481015848960

Quote
On the back - some of our headline stats over the past 10 years.  These are as of a few weeks ago..by Friday I'm pretty sure we will have crossed the 500,000 image mark which is an extraordinary amount of sightseeing and science.

https://twitter.com/doug_ellison/status/1554719742950522880

Quote
We gave Justin the brief of mixing a 1980s Land Rover advert with our bi-color thanksgiving postcard from last year....and he just NAILED it.

twitter.com/doug_ellison/status/1554720304403922944

Quote
A few little Easter eggs...a feed extended drill obviously - and those clouds are inspired by one of our twilight cloud movies from a year or so ago

https://twitter.com/doug_ellison/status/1554720934602297345

Quote
I can't think of a more appropriate way to celebrate this landmark than doing what we've done for a decade....sharing the excitement of exploration with the world. Hope you all like it!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Rondaz on 08/06/2022 01:47 am
On the @MarsCuriosity rover team, scientists and engineers across the world work hand-in-hand to take giant leaps, find creative solutions, and accomplish the impossible daily, and we strive to do just that here on the @Space_Station. Happy 10th landing anniversary, Curiosity!

https://twitter.com/astro_watkins/status/1555703393594884096
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 08/06/2022 06:17 am
NASA’s Curiosity Rover Turns 10: Here’s What It’s Learned (Mars News Report Aug. 5, 2022)

Quote
NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover set out to answer a big question when it landed on the Red Planet 10 years ago: Could Mars have supported ancient life? Scientists have discovered the answer is yes and have been working to learn more about the planet’s past habitable environment.

In this Mars Report, Curiosity Deputy Project Scientist Abigail Fraeman provides an update on the rover’s capabilities a decade after landing in Gale Crater. Now, Curiosity is heading to an area that may help answer how long ancient life could have persisted on the Red Planet as Mars went through significant changes in the climate.

Read more about where Curiosity is currently exploring. Download a poster celebrating Curiosity’s 10 years on Mars here.

Some of the images in the video include color enhancement that exaggerates small changes in color from place to place in the Martian scene. This makes it easier for the science team to use their everyday experience to interpret the landscape. For instance, the sky on Mars would not actually look blue to a human explorer on the Red Planet, but pinkish.

For more information on NASA's Mars missions, visit mars.nasa.gov.

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS/JHU-APL

https://youtu.be/LwfJQa7vaGw
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: FutureSpaceTourist on 10/19/2022 09:17 pm
https://twitter.com/nasajpl/status/1582842889205272577

Quote
The @MarsCuriosity rover has arrived in a long-awaited region of Mount Sharp. Scientists believe ancient flowing water left behind salty minerals that may offer clues as to how – and why – the Red Planet's climate changed to the frozen desert it is today. https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasas-curiosity-mars-rover-reaches-long-awaited-salty-region
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Star One on 10/20/2022 08:20 am
“Paraitepuy Pass” panorama, Gale Crater, Mars (4K UHD)

https://youtu.be/T4sEfRax0RM
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Rondaz on 10/23/2022 07:36 pm
NASA’s Curiosity Mars Rover Reaches Long Awaited Salty Region | SGV NEWS

https://youtu.be/LZXp4JUkQwA
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Rondaz on 10/31/2022 12:05 am
The 36 holes the Curiosity rover has drilled to date. A rock sample was taken with each one.

https://twitter.com/DELTA_V/status/1586746602663780355
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: shiro on 11/08/2022 05:58 pm
A new piece in the bunch of bizarre Martian rocks found by Curiosity: a duck-shaped one  :D

https://twitter.com/andrluck/status/1590040115594027008 (https://twitter.com/andrluck/status/1590040115594027008)

Quote
This is a duck shaped rock spotted on Mars a few days ago on SOL 3628 (10/22) by NASA's #Curiosity Rover.
Full size: https://flic.kr/p/2nXWcbh (https://flic.kr/p/2nXWcbh)
#Space #NASA #Mars
©NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/AndreaLuck
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Don2 on 02/14/2023 07:23 am
From LPSC 2023 abstracts:

1/Clay disappeared on crossing the clay-sulfate transition. The layered sulfates initially showed evidence of an arid dune environment with a few small lakes between the dunes. The increase in sulfate level was due to the presence of magnesium sulfate bearing nodules. Apart from that, the bulk element composition is similar to the lakebed sediments. This region has a different genesis from the Meridiani evaporites.

2/The rover has now reached the marker bed and this is different. Ripples show signs of wave action in shallow water. The marker bed spans 80km in distance and 1.6 km in elevation. If this was produced by a lake then it was large and 1.6km deep. Other origins are also being considered. The marker bed has a metal rich geochemistry, different from previous regions.

3/ Some abstracts reviewed the organic chemistry results from the past decade. They found complex organic molecules which have survived tens of millions of years of radiation exposure. Some is macromolecular, but small molecules are also present. The small molecules might be a product of radiation exposure or photochemistry. Their presence suggests there may be an active Mars carbon cycle. Nitrogen, sulfur, oxygen and chlorine containing organics have been detected. The carbon isotope ratios are consistent with both a meteoritic and igneous origin. Some samples show at least 430ppm organic carbon.
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2023/pdf/1663.pdf


Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 02/26/2023 10:09 pm
From LPSC 2023 abstracts:

2/The rover has now reached the marker bed and this is different. Ripples show signs of wave action in shallow water. The marker bed spans 80km in distance and 1.6 km in elevation. If this was produced by a lake then it was large and 1.6km deep. Other origins are also being considered. The marker bed has a metal rich geochemistry, different from previous regions.


How go they know the lake was 1.6 km deep?
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Perchlorate on 02/26/2023 11:05 pm
From LPSC 2023 abstracts:

2/The rover has now reached the marker bed and this is different. Ripples show signs of wave action in shallow water. The marker bed spans 80km in distance and 1.6 km in elevation. If this was produced by a lake then it was large and 1.6km deep. Other origins are also being considered. The marker bed has a metal rich geochemistry, different from previous regions.


How go they know the lake was 1.6 km deep?

If they know the size (horizontal extent), it seems they just subtract the elevation measured at the deepest point from the (fairly constant) elevation around the perimeter.

We've been compiling fairly fine-resolution elevation information of Mars for decades now, right?  Radar or Lidar, or both.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Dalhousie on 02/27/2023 01:20 am
From LPSC 2023 abstracts:

2/The rover has now reached the marker bed and this is different. Ripples show signs of wave action in shallow water. The marker bed spans 80km in distance and 1.6 km in elevation. If this was produced by a lake then it was large and 1.6km deep. Other origins are also being considered. The marker bed has a metal rich geochemistry, different from previous regions.


How go they know the lake was 1.6 km deep?

If they know the size (horizontal extent), it seems they just subtract the elevation measured at the deepest point from the (fairly constant) elevation around the perimeter.

We've been compiling fairly fine-resolution elevation information of Mars for decades now, right?  Radar or Lidar, or both.


We can say with considerable confidence that wave ripples do not form in water 1.6 km deep.   
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: edzieba on 02/27/2023 01:30 pm
From LPSC 2023 abstracts:

2/The rover has now reached the marker bed and this is different. Ripples show signs of wave action in shallow water. The marker bed spans 80km in distance and 1.6 km in elevation. If this was produced by a lake then it was large and 1.6km deep. Other origins are also being considered. The marker bed has a metal rich geochemistry, different from previous regions.


How go they know the lake was 1.6 km deep?

If they know the size (horizontal extent), it seems they just subtract the elevation measured at the deepest point from the (fairly constant) elevation around the perimeter.

We've been compiling fairly fine-resolution elevation information of Mars for decades now, right?  Radar or Lidar, or both.


We can say with considerable confidence that wave ripples do not form in water 1.6 km deep.   
1.6km would have been the maximum depth at greatest fill, but as the lakes gradually dried up the surface would lower and wave action occur at 'deeper' elevations.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: FutureSpaceTourist on 07/12/2023 06:38 am
twitter.com/marscuriosity/status/1678919891427164160

Quote
Mars is a rocky place, and my wheels take the brunt of it.

But that doesn't stop me from exploring! My team says my wheels are holding up. Plus: A software update I got in April helps minimize steering, which improves my mobility and reduces the wear that comes from steering.

https://twitter.com/marscuriosity/status/1678919893750775808

Quote
Again, no need to worry too much about my wheels! Wear and tear is inevitable. And in a worst-case scenario, I can actually strip off the damaged parts and drive on the rims. 😎
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: FutureSpaceTourist on 08/03/2023 05:10 pm
https://youtu.be/xtDpWGF16po
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: FutureSpaceTourist on 08/05/2023 03:23 pm
https://twitter.com/marscuriosity/status/1687843401650040832

Quote
Today, I'm celebrating my 11th landiversary! 🥳

In this last year, I’ve surpassed 30km, spotted another meteorite, entered a new quadrant, and encountered my toughest climb yet.

I've got more science-ing to do - so here's to more exploring on the Red Planet!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: ZuluLima on 08/06/2023 02:43 am
1.  Those wheels actually look pretty damned good for 11 years and 30km.

2.  What I wouldn't give for that meteorite!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: catdlr on 08/06/2023 03:53 am
1.  Those wheels actually look pretty damned good for 11 years and 30km.


I thought so myself until I saw the video that came with those pictures
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: whitelancer64 on 08/08/2023 09:38 pm
1.  Those wheels actually look pretty damned good for 11 years and 30km.


I thought so myself until I saw the video that came with those pictures

It's not so bad when you remember that a large part of that damage happened in its second year on Mars. Once NASA figured out how to spot and avoid dangerous (to the wheels) terrain, the rate of damage accrual went way down. A few holes and broken grousers aside, the wheels are in decent shape all things considered.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Blackstar on 08/09/2023 02:54 pm
It's not so bad when you remember that a large part of that damage happened in its second year on Mars. Once NASA figured out how to spot and avoid dangerous (to the wheels) terrain, the rate of damage accrual went way down. A few holes and broken grousers aside, the wheels are in decent shape all things considered.

Yeah, that's a point worth repeating--once they knew about it, they compensated.

I was at JPL a few weeks ago and I think somebody told me that they recently did a new software update to further avoid problems with the wheels. Not sure of my memory, however. I asked what was the limiting factor for lifetime for Curiosity and was told that it is funding, not power or mechanical.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: FutureSpaceTourist on 11/07/2023 08:34 am
https://twitter.com/marscuriosity/status/1721667473215479997

Quote
4,000 glorious sols

When I landed on Mars in 2012, I set off to find out if the planet was habitable to ancient microscopic life. After completing my prime mission in 2014, I’m still going strong at 4,000 sols on the Red Planet!

And I’m not done yet:

https://mars.nasa.gov/news/9508/nasas-curiosity-rover-clocks-4000-days-on-mars/
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Blackstar on 12/21/2023 02:12 am
Jezero Crater today.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Phil Stooke on 12/21/2023 09:26 pm
Nice view of Jezero all the way from Gale crater!
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: Blackstar on 12/22/2023 03:45 pm
Nice view of Jezero all the way from Gale crater!

Yeah, I posted it to the wrong thread. But in my defense, it was late, and I was drunk.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: FutureSpaceTourist on 12/28/2023 05:04 pm
https://twitter.com/marscuriosity/status/1740418956010406302

Quote
Hey look – I’m a sundial!

Ok, not exactly, but I did get a sol to enjoy my surroundings. During solar conjunction, I used my hazard cameras to study the Martian weather and dust.   

As this Earth year comes to an end, I hope you’ll take the time to soak in what’s around you.
Title: Re: LIVE: MSL Curiosity Post Landing SOL 1 onwards Update Thread
Post by: FutureSpaceTourist on 12/28/2023 06:48 pm
https://youtu.be/aiduFQFFXIo