Spirit Staying On Pad Until Next Wednesday
POSTED: Wednesday, January 7, 2004
It's traveled over 100 million miles, but NASA's Mars rover will have to wait a little longer before moving another inch from its landing site, which got a new name Tuesday.Scientists say Spirit's first drive on the rocky surface likely won't come until next Wednesday -- three days later than NASA had planned.Art Thompson, the scientist in charge of communicating with the rover, said scientists are "champing at the bit to get this puppy off of the lander."
But mission managers are still having trouble clearing one of the mostly deflated landing air bags out of the way of a ramp off the lander. Thompson said the rover can climb off the lander in any direction, but officials prefer the one that's now blocked.Meantime, a team of atmospheric scientists is reviewing data from the lander's entry into the Martian atmosphere. Scientist Joy Crisp said the data offers surprises, including the discovery of more dust in the air than previously thought.Mission scientists have been intrigued by apparent wind patterns in the dirt near the lander, as well as the behavior of some of the surface when the airbags were retracted. Some said that the ground, which appeared to hold together in some places, is acting a bit like mud.NASA announced that the site where the lander came down in the Gusev Crater will be known as the Columbia Memorial Station in honor of the astronauts who were killed last year when the space shuttle disintegrated as it was reentering the atmosphere. An aluminum plaque honoring the crew was carried aboard the lander, attached to an antenna.Tuesday morning, President George W. Bush called the team running the mission to congratulate them on their successes. He said their efforts are a "reconfirmation of the American spirit of exploration."Spirit's twin, Opportunity, is set to join it on Mars later this month.Also later this month, a pair of Pennsylvania high school students will help analyze results from microscopic tests performed by the rover.
NASA's Spirit mission Web site
Lost Beagle
Meanwhile, European space officials still haven't heard from their Beagle.Europe's Mars Express orbiter failed Wednesday to pick up a signal from the Beagle 2 lander. There's been no word from the lander since the Mars Express mother ship set it loose toward the Red Planet in mid-December. It was expected to land and communicate with Earth Dec. 25.Flying about 195 miles above the site where the probe was to have landed, Mars Express reports no transmissions from it, even though mission controllers said the conditions for communication were good.European scientists say the Mars Express has the best chance of getting in touch with the 143-pound lander, after several failed attempts by a NASA orbiter and British and American radio telescopes.Mars Express has until Saturday to make contact, after which time it will move to a less ideal communicating position.NASA's Spirit mission Web site Previous Stories:
- January 6, 2004: Spirit Sends Best Picture Ever Of Mars
- January 6, 2004: 3-D Pictures Of Mars Sent From Rover
- January 4, 2004: NASA Rover Already Sending Mars Pictures
- January 2, 2004: Mars Rover Readied For Red Planet Landing
Distributed by Internet Broadcasting Systems, Inc. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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