9 years opportunity on mars
Crazy for nine years, a robot the size of a dog buzzes on a distant cold, lifeless planet. On Earth, they worry about him, worry, get sick, forget, remember, and he only phlegmatically moves from stone to stone, and studies them all with a shrinking set of instruments. As a result, when he approached the main goal of recent years, it remained unattainable for him, even from a distance of half a meter.
On January 25, 2004, the second Martian research rover, the Opportunity (Opportunity), landed on the Meridian Plateau. His task was to detect traces of the impact of liquid water on the surrounding landscapes. It is surprising that some nine years ago NASA scientists were only hoping to find some traces of water. During this time, research has gone far ahead: the MRO satellite discovered ice in mid-latitudes, the Phoenix landing module excavated water ice in the polar regions, the Mars Express satellite probed polar caps and discovered colossal deposits of ice. All satellites discovered and examined numerous river valleys, channels, deltas. Now no one has any doubt that in the past Mars was warm, humid, with a denser atmosphere and much more like the Earth than it is now ...
( Artistic presentation by Kevin M. Gill )
And Opportunity, having executed the main part of the program, and having proved that there was water on Mars, and did not think to switch off. He prepared a unique surprise for his creators: he explored almost the whole district and confronted a situation when there was nothing more to study. That is, the stones on Mars are infinite, but they would not bring any new information. In such conditions, it was decided to send the rover to the multi-kilometer crossing over the sandy plain to a new research object - the crater Endeavor.
')
It was about 12 km to Endeavor then, but I had to go around in order not to get stuck in the sands. In 2008, the advanced Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter satellite orbited Mars, he not only photographed Opportunity, but also studied the surface.
Using a CRISM (Compact Reconnaisance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars) instrument made it possible to take a fresh look at the surface of Mars. His research identified two key types of sediment that dominate Mars. On the surface, deposits are found in abundance that are based on sulphates (sulfur compounds), formed under the action of a high acidity liquid. These deposits correlate well with the geological period of the Hesperides, which was distinguished before the MRO. This period, when there were giant volcanoes and the valley of Mariner appeared. Sulfur emissions of volcanoes caused acid rain, and water saturated with volcanic emissions, although it spread on the surface of Mars, but did not carry life.
But more ancient sediments - clays with compounds of iron and manganese, were formed when alkaline water eroded silicate volcanic rocks. This water was very comfortable for living living organisms of known types. Therefore, NASA research goals have changed. If earlier their slogan was “We are looking for traces of water”, now it has become: “All for phyllosilicates”. It was necessary to determine the clay on the surface. Is it necessary? on the one hand, to confirm the quality of detection from the satellite, and on the other - in the clay it is more likely that traces of past life will be preserved. NASA does not hope to find dinosaurs, but even organic compounds in it would be better preserved. When choosing a landing site for Curiosity, they did not even consider such places where there are no phyllosilicates or smectites.
The Endeavor crater turned out to be the closest place to Opportunity where the desired clay was found.
Red are phyllosilicates. The first section of the Endeavor crater ring was called "Cape York" and began its inspection back in 2011. In the second half of 2012, research entered the active phase and began to bring so many new and unexpected results that planetary geologists compared them with the new landing of the rover.
The geologists of the whole world are puzzled over the “newberries” alone and cannot come up with a clear explanation of what it was and how it appeared.
Found them in the Kirkwood area, and right above them were found rocks that had not previously been encountered by planetary geologists. The area filled with the light mineral was called Whitewater Lake.
From her Opportunity went on a three-month voyage over the hill in the center of Cape York. The hill was named Matijevic Hill in honor of JPL employee Jake Matievich.
NASA geologists substantiated such a trajectory by the fact that they needed to form a complete picture of the geological structure of the hill. Since it was formed from the impact of a meteorite, it was necessary to determine which rocks were thrown from the depth, which were changed at the moment of impact, and which were introduced later, under the influence of water and wind.
The survey at the top revealed another outcrop that had not previously been seen on Mars. The place called Copper Cliff is a copper cliff.
It also contains balls, similar to Kirkwood, but at the same time the rock is not monolithic, but cut by a network of cracks filled with white mineral. This makes it very similar to what Curiosity is now studying in the other hemisphere, at about the same latitude.
Having completed a detour of Matievich Hill, Opportunity again went out to Whitewater Lake, where he began a thorough survey of sediments and a large color panorama of the hill.
Despite the good spirits, Opportunity is no longer the rover that landed on the Meridian Plateau 9 years ago. His MiniTES infrared thermal emission spectrometer has been out of operation since 2007, when its mirror was clogged with a dust storm, and it can no longer receive images.
Previously, the device was to analyze the properties of rocks by the degree of reflection of infrared rays. By this, he recalls the satellite CRISM, which led the rover to the crater Endeavor.
MIMOS II - a miniature Mössbauer spectrometer, which made it possible to determine iron compounds in rocks, also does not function. The Cobalt-57 used there has a half-life of 271.8 days, so in 9 years it has practically exhausted its resource. During the wintering of 2011, the rover was still trying to somehow apply it, but it took several weeks to get results from one sample.
The APXS X-ray spectrometer is still working, but its capabilities for many studies are not enough.
Therefore, when the rover bent over the long-awaited clay, he had nothing to analyze it.
He can consider it. Scientists can dig a hole there with a RAT instrument, and on the basis of the consistency, particle size and mechanical properties of the soil, scientists can say: "This sample is very similar to clay." The satellite can be only approximate maps. After a roundabout of Matievich Hill, geologists had more confidence in their voice. Their main argument: "In this place, this mineral is most similar to clay in its characteristics."
Meanwhile, just in time for its anniversary, Opportunity sent a large panorama of the hill Matievich.
( Although the image was obtained through infrared, green and purple filters, NASA assures that it is in such colors that our eyes would see this hill ).
Panorama of GigaPan
What's next? Clay found, panorama sent and again the rover reached its goals. Most likely, the next point of the plan will not be in Cape York. The rover will continue to bypass the Endeavor crater, and will try to step over another milestone - drive more than 37 kilometers and become an absolute record-holder in driving outside the Earth. The previous record was set by Lunokhod-2 in 1973.
PS Regarding the questions to the driver of the rover : Paolo said that the questions are very interesting and started preparing answers. He said that some of the questions will be included in the official FAQ for the MSL Curiosity program, and that you can feel free to ask more questions.
On January 25, 2004, the second Martian research rover, the Opportunity (Opportunity), landed on the Meridian Plateau. His task was to detect traces of the impact of liquid water on the surrounding landscapes. It is surprising that some nine years ago NASA scientists were only hoping to find some traces of water. During this time, research has gone far ahead: the MRO satellite discovered ice in mid-latitudes, the Phoenix landing module excavated water ice in the polar regions, the Mars Express satellite probed polar caps and discovered colossal deposits of ice. All satellites discovered and examined numerous river valleys, channels, deltas. Now no one has any doubt that in the past Mars was warm, humid, with a denser atmosphere and much more like the Earth than it is now ...
( Artistic presentation by Kevin M. Gill )
And Opportunity, having executed the main part of the program, and having proved that there was water on Mars, and did not think to switch off. He prepared a unique surprise for his creators: he explored almost the whole district and confronted a situation when there was nothing more to study. That is, the stones on Mars are infinite, but they would not bring any new information. In such conditions, it was decided to send the rover to the multi-kilometer crossing over the sandy plain to a new research object - the crater Endeavor.
')
It was about 12 km to Endeavor then, but I had to go around in order not to get stuck in the sands. In 2008, the advanced Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter satellite orbited Mars, he not only photographed Opportunity, but also studied the surface.
Using a CRISM (Compact Reconnaisance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars) instrument made it possible to take a fresh look at the surface of Mars. His research identified two key types of sediment that dominate Mars. On the surface, deposits are found in abundance that are based on sulphates (sulfur compounds), formed under the action of a high acidity liquid. These deposits correlate well with the geological period of the Hesperides, which was distinguished before the MRO. This period, when there were giant volcanoes and the valley of Mariner appeared. Sulfur emissions of volcanoes caused acid rain, and water saturated with volcanic emissions, although it spread on the surface of Mars, but did not carry life.
But more ancient sediments - clays with compounds of iron and manganese, were formed when alkaline water eroded silicate volcanic rocks. This water was very comfortable for living living organisms of known types. Therefore, NASA research goals have changed. If earlier their slogan was “We are looking for traces of water”, now it has become: “All for phyllosilicates”. It was necessary to determine the clay on the surface. Is it necessary? on the one hand, to confirm the quality of detection from the satellite, and on the other - in the clay it is more likely that traces of past life will be preserved. NASA does not hope to find dinosaurs, but even organic compounds in it would be better preserved. When choosing a landing site for Curiosity, they did not even consider such places where there are no phyllosilicates or smectites.
The Endeavor crater turned out to be the closest place to Opportunity where the desired clay was found.
Red are phyllosilicates. The first section of the Endeavor crater ring was called "Cape York" and began its inspection back in 2011. In the second half of 2012, research entered the active phase and began to bring so many new and unexpected results that planetary geologists compared them with the new landing of the rover.
The geologists of the whole world are puzzled over the “newberries” alone and cannot come up with a clear explanation of what it was and how it appeared.
Found them in the Kirkwood area, and right above them were found rocks that had not previously been encountered by planetary geologists. The area filled with the light mineral was called Whitewater Lake.
From her Opportunity went on a three-month voyage over the hill in the center of Cape York. The hill was named Matijevic Hill in honor of JPL employee Jake Matievich.
NASA geologists substantiated such a trajectory by the fact that they needed to form a complete picture of the geological structure of the hill. Since it was formed from the impact of a meteorite, it was necessary to determine which rocks were thrown from the depth, which were changed at the moment of impact, and which were introduced later, under the influence of water and wind.
The survey at the top revealed another outcrop that had not previously been seen on Mars. The place called Copper Cliff is a copper cliff.
It also contains balls, similar to Kirkwood, but at the same time the rock is not monolithic, but cut by a network of cracks filled with white mineral. This makes it very similar to what Curiosity is now studying in the other hemisphere, at about the same latitude.
Having completed a detour of Matievich Hill, Opportunity again went out to Whitewater Lake, where he began a thorough survey of sediments and a large color panorama of the hill.
Despite the good spirits, Opportunity is no longer the rover that landed on the Meridian Plateau 9 years ago. His MiniTES infrared thermal emission spectrometer has been out of operation since 2007, when its mirror was clogged with a dust storm, and it can no longer receive images.
Previously, the device was to analyze the properties of rocks by the degree of reflection of infrared rays. By this, he recalls the satellite CRISM, which led the rover to the crater Endeavor.
MIMOS II - a miniature Mössbauer spectrometer, which made it possible to determine iron compounds in rocks, also does not function. The Cobalt-57 used there has a half-life of 271.8 days, so in 9 years it has practically exhausted its resource. During the wintering of 2011, the rover was still trying to somehow apply it, but it took several weeks to get results from one sample.
The APXS X-ray spectrometer is still working, but its capabilities for many studies are not enough.
Therefore, when the rover bent over the long-awaited clay, he had nothing to analyze it.
He can consider it. Scientists can dig a hole there with a RAT instrument, and on the basis of the consistency, particle size and mechanical properties of the soil, scientists can say: "This sample is very similar to clay." The satellite can be only approximate maps. After a roundabout of Matievich Hill, geologists had more confidence in their voice. Their main argument: "In this place, this mineral is most similar to clay in its characteristics."
Meanwhile, just in time for its anniversary, Opportunity sent a large panorama of the hill Matievich.
( Although the image was obtained through infrared, green and purple filters, NASA assures that it is in such colors that our eyes would see this hill ).
Panorama of GigaPan
What's next? Clay found, panorama sent and again the rover reached its goals. Most likely, the next point of the plan will not be in Cape York. The rover will continue to bypass the Endeavor crater, and will try to step over another milestone - drive more than 37 kilometers and become an absolute record-holder in driving outside the Earth. The previous record was set by Lunokhod-2 in 1973.
PS Regarding the questions to the driver of the rover : Paolo said that the questions are very interesting and started preparing answers. He said that some of the questions will be included in the official FAQ for the MSL Curiosity program, and that you can feel free to ask more questions.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/166987/
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