Spirit on the move, Opportunity digging it (Mars)

[Wonk]

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- The Spirit rover went for its longest trip yet on the surface of Mars, traveling just over 88 feet (26.4 meters) but stopping short of the distance NASA had hoped it would cover, scientists said Monday.

Engineers had hoped the rover would travel 164 feet (49.2 meters) on its way to a crater known as "Bonneville" to examine rocks and soil for evidence that water may have existed on the red planet, mission manager Jim Erickson said.

(snip)

The rover didn't cover the full distance because it spent more time than initially planned studying rocks and soil along the way, he said.

(snip)

Meanwhile, on the other side of Mars, Opportunity was digging a trench in an area called "Hematite Slope" because it is rich in the iron-bearing mineral that typically forms in water.

more...
http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/space/02/16/mars.rovers.ap/index.html

more...
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/

The plan for sol 23, which will end at 10:19 p.m. Monday, PST, is to dig a trench with alternating forward and backward spinning of Opportunity's right front wheel in order to see what's below the surface. Inspections of the resulting hole are planned for sol 24 and the morning of sol 25.

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status.html

[justinpower]

1. Hey Wonk nice avatar

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