Opportunity is out of standby mode and has resumed normal operations.
Good news: Opportunity is out of standby mode and has resumed normal operations.
Tag: Mars
Opportunity went into safe mode during the communications pause in April when the Sun was between Mars and the Earth.
Opportunity went into safe mode during the communications pause in April when the Sun was between Mars and the Earth.
Mission controllers for Opportunity, which landed on Mars in January 2004, first learned of the issue on Saturday (April 27). On that day, the rover got back in touch after a nearly three-week communication moratorium caused by an unfavorable planetary alignment called a Mars solar conjunction, in which Mars and Earth are on opposite sides of the sun. The Opportunity rover apparently put itself into standby on April 22 after sensing a problem during a routine camera check, mission managers said.
It sounds like this is a recoverable problem and the rover will be back in operation momentarily. Stay tuned.
Dennis Tito’s project already has hundreds of volunteers.
Want to go to Mars? You better get in line. Dennis Tito’s project already has hundreds of volunteers.
I still have doubts whether this non-private company can pull this off by 2018, but only by 2018. Given a bit more time and research, the obstacles for sending two humans on a fly-by of Mars can easily be overcome.
New calculations have significantly reduced the chance that a comet will smash into Mars in 2014.
New calculations have significantly reduced the chance that a comet will smash into Mars in 2014.
Has Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter imaged the remains of a Soviet Mars lander from 1971?
Has Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter imaged the remains of a Soviet Mars lander from 1971?
New data from Curiosity has further confirmed that the atmosphere of Mars was once much thicker, and that the remaining atmosphere is still dynamic.
New data from Curiosity has further confirmed that the atmosphere of Mars was once much thicker, and that the remaining atmosphere is still dynamic.
The two most interesting bits of data is that the temperature has been steadily climbing in Gale Crater, and that the humidity has shown significant shifts, depending on the rover’s location as it has traveled through the crater.
Austria goes to Mars.
Curiosity marks the return to full science operations by producing a new panorama.
Curiosity marks the return to full science operations by producing a new panorama.
Curiosity is out of safe mode and will be resuming full science operations by next week.
Curiosity is out of safe mode and will be resuming full science operations by next week.
It is imperative that the engineers clear up these computer problems now, as communications with the rover will be limited in April because the sun will be in the way.
Transmissions from Earth to the orbiters [Mars Odyssey and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter] 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.
Another computer glitch has put Curiosity back in safe mode.
Another computer glitch has put Curiosity back in safe mode.
The problem this time appears to be different from the previous computer issue that shutdown Curiosity’s A computer. Since it occurred on the backup B computer now in use, however, it is a problem that cannot be taken lightly.
Curiosity takes a panorama of Mount Sharp.
Curiosity takes a panorama of Mount Sharp.
A white balanced version, which isn’t as much like true color but looks better, can be found here.
Europe today inked a partnership deal with Russia for its two spacecraft ExoMars mission, planned to launch in 2016 and 2018.
Europe today inked a partnership deal with Russia for its two spacecraft ExoMars mission, planned to launch in 2016 and 2018.
Russia essentially replaces the United States, which backed out of the deal last year when the Obama administration eliminated the funding for most of NASA’s planetary program.