Murray Buttes panorama by Curiosity released
The Curiosity science team has released a full panorama taken by Curiosity of Murray Buttes prior to its journey through them.
The reason I am not posting this new panorama here on Behind the Black is because I had already posted an almost identical panorama more than a week ago, and my assembled panorama used higher resolution images from Curiosity and was not partly obscured by Curiosity itself. Moreover, I provided better context for that panorama, placing it within Curiosity’s overall travels, something NASA in today’s press release fails to do.
So, if you want to see the best cool images from space and see them sooner than everyone else, why bother reading NASA press releases? Read Behind the Black instead! :)
Readers!
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. Your support allows me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Only now does it appear that Washington might finally recognize this reality.
In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
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The Curiosity science team has released a full panorama taken by Curiosity of Murray Buttes prior to its journey through them.
The reason I am not posting this new panorama here on Behind the Black is because I had already posted an almost identical panorama more than a week ago, and my assembled panorama used higher resolution images from Curiosity and was not partly obscured by Curiosity itself. Moreover, I provided better context for that panorama, placing it within Curiosity’s overall travels, something NASA in today’s press release fails to do.
So, if you want to see the best cool images from space and see them sooner than everyone else, why bother reading NASA press releases? Read Behind the Black instead! :)
Readers!
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. Your support allows me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Only now does it appear that Washington might finally recognize this reality.
In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
Bob-
Maybe you could get NASA to pay you because you are more in tune with what people rely want to see?
– – – The Marimba mystery – – –
Bob, I’m near certain that this is a first for Curiosity’s CheMin analysis of a drill sample. (chemical-mineral)
On Fri, 19 Aug 2016 Curiosity scientists directed the fourth (4th!) CheMin analysis of the Marimba drill sample.
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/01416/mhli/1416MH0001760010503065C00_DXXX.jpg
I say that Marimba’s CheMin results will be the story of the year . . . that is if the results are released within the year . . .
THE MARIMBA TIMELINE:
Mon, 01 Aug 2016
“Today’s plan was all about setting up for our next drill hole. Originally there was going to be no science block at all, but we ended up with a little bit more power than expected, so we managed to fit in a ChemCam observation of the expected drill target, called ‘Marimba’ . . . ”
Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) images for Sol 1416 – Marimba
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/msss/01416/mhli/1416MH0001760010503065C00_DXXX.jpg
Tue, 02 Aug 2016
“The drilling campaign on Marimba continues, dominating the Sol 1419 plan. Again, the tactical operations team was able to squeeze some additional science activities into the plan . . . ”
Wed, 03 Aug 2016
“. . . So the focus of the Sol 1420 plan is drilling into the Marimba bedrock target . . . ”
Fri, 05 Aug 2016
“On Sol 1420 we planned a full drill hole on the target “Marimba” to characterize the composition of the Murray mudstone in this location. However, we came in early this morning to find that the drill hole didn’t penetrate very far into this rock target, as seen in the above MAHLI image. We’re trying to evaluate why this drill hole is different, and what prevented the drill from completing as planned. . . . ”
Mon, 08 Aug 2016 – [1st CheMin analysis]
“The second attempt to drill into Marimba went well, but the new drill sample was not transferred to CHIMRA due to a recurrence of the electrical short in the percussion mechanism. Therefore, the sample was not delivered to CheMin as planned. So we tried again on Sol 1425, this time without percussion (using only more gentle vibration). . . . CheMin will analyze the Marimba drill sample overnight, . . .”
Tue, 09 Aug 2016
“Today’s plan is focused on retrieving CheMin data from the overnight analysis of the Marimba drill sample . . .”
Wed, 10 Aug 2016
“After successfully completing the drilling activities at Marimba, it’s time to get back on the road. . . . ”
Thu, 11 Aug 2016 – [2nd CheMin analysis]
“. . . Overnight, CheMin will perform another analysis of the Marimba drill sample, to improve the quality of mineralogical data.”
Mon, 15 Aug 2016
“. . . After the drive, we have post-drive imaging, and some onboard data processing of the MAHLI images of the “Marimba” drill hole, as well as some CheMin data processing. . . . ”
Wed, 17 Aug 2016 – [3rd CheMin analysis]
“. . . CheMin will also be doing its third analysis of the “Marimba2” drill sample and then reading out its data to be downlinked.”
Fri, 19 Aug 2016 – [4th CheMin analysis]
“. . . CheMin will also do another analysis of Marimba2 overnight . . . ”
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/mission/mars-rover-curiosity-mission-updates/
Phil: You could be right, but the fact that they did four analyses of the sample might not be because the sample is so unique. It could also be related to the electrical design problem that exists in Curiosity’s drill system. Some additional quotes from the update blog:
Sol 1425:
“The second attempt to drill into Marimba went well, but the new drill sample was not transferred to CHIMRA due to a recurrence of the electrical short in the percussion mechanism.”
Sol 1427:
“Overnight, Curiosity will complete a SAM electrical baseline test to monitor instrument health.”
Sol 1428-1431:
“The primary constraint on planning today ended up being power–we tried to fit more into the plan than the rover’s batteries could support!”
Nonetheless, if you are right and this is the first time they have analysized a drill sample, than this is a unique situation. If you can confirm for me that this is really the first time they done this, I think I will promote this story to the front page of BtB.
Bob, that’s a tough search for a 72 year old hobbyist . . . working on it . . .
Perhaps you might consider sending me your email contact?