Spirit Final Resting Spot Guesses

It landed right he

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/mars/m...entimages.html

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/mars/m...ndingsite.html

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/mars/m...1231gusev.html


Hallerb

"Nomen Nescio" wrote in message

It landed right he

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/mars/m...entimages.html

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/mars/m...ndingsite.html

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/mars/m...1231gusev.html

Hallerb

That could very well be. I saw those images in spaceflightnow.com.
However, looking at the DIMES images from the MER website made it appear (in
my layman's eye's) that the craft sailed past the point where the yellow
arrow points. I think the yellow arrow was added by SFNow - not NASA, but
I'm not sure. Also, looking at the panorama released this morning seems to
show the sun setting in the west - and just south of that are some
noteworthy hills. There doesn't seem to be much else around. But, like I
said - take my guess with a huge grain of salt. The DIMES images are not
straightforward to interpret, and now timing information is given on when
they were snapped. I wonder, also, what the velocity and flight path angle
was at the time the images were taken.

Jon

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/mars/m...1231gusev.html


Hallerb


Its funny having two of me here. Its almost as funny as my multiple wives. Jen,
jill, gabby, sharon, carla, and a few oythers.

I love my harem.

Given that MER was "ahead" of Mars in orbit, and that Mars "overtook" MER,
and that the landing occurred in daylight, my assumption is that MER tracked
west to east in its descent (left to right in images of Gusaev Crater with
north up.

True, correct?

Jon

I've tried to match up various craters in the three images presented as
"EDR" on the marsrover web site.

http://home.houston.rr.com/fancijon/EntryImages.jpg

Compare these with this image:

http://tinyurl.com/2mp3s

Jon

"rk" wrote:

This thread title would have been appropriate if the rover had
failed.

--
rk, Just an OldEngineer

Ha. I was at a loss for words.

Heh. Looks like the DIMES images (raw) on the marsrover website were
compressed in the vertical dimension. Also, considering that the images were
taken at an altitude of a little less than a mile, only 12-15 seconds or so
prior to "bouncedown", there's no way it could have sailed as far downrange
as I had initially guessed.

The DIMES images are a bit confusing, though. They appear to paint a
picture of a drift from east to west. I wonder at what angle they were
coming down, and what the wind speed was above ground as they descended? If
these are the only three images used to determine whether or not to use the
transverse rockets, I'll be impressed.

Well ... so much for my "no-really-there's-a-notch-in-the-leading-edge"
photo analysis of the MER entry. :-}

Looks like an interesting spot to have landed, anyhow. I wonder if they'll
try and head for the hills? Or if they'll come upon other parts of the
descent systems, such as the chute or backshell ...

Jon