Spirit again at standstill

space.com:

The Mars rover Spirit briefly resumed science operations before NASA once
again halted the work to finish correcting a computer memory problem that
has stymied the wheeled robot's mission.

Mission officials had hoped the rover would brush off and examine a rock
that it has faced since Jan. 18, but ongoing software problems forced
engineers to delay gathering the data until Thursday, a day after they
planned to reformat the rover's flash memory.

"We decided it would be better to not try new things until we got the flash
reformatted," deputy project manager Richard Cook told The Associated Press
on Tuesday.
(end quote)

In other words they still don't have a clue as to what is going on re the
flash memory and have wasted the past two weeks messing around with it
rather than just reformatting it and moving forward.

"Julius Kilo" wrote in message
m...
space.com:

The Mars rover Spirit briefly resumed science operations before NASA once
again halted the work to finish correcting a computer memory problem that
has stymied the wheeled robot's mission.

Mission officials had hoped the rover would brush off and examine a rock
that it has faced since Jan. 18, but ongoing software problems forced
engineers to delay gathering the data until Thursday, a day after they
planned to reformat the rover's flash memory.

"We decided it would be better to not try new things until we got the
flash
reformatted," deputy project manager Richard Cook told The Associated
Press
on Tuesday.
(end quote)

In other words they still don't have a clue as to what is going on re the
flash memory and have wasted the past two weeks messing around with it
rather than just reformatting it and moving forward.

They didn't waste the time. Do you have an idea how much they've learned
about the rover systems by taking their time? Do you have any understanding
of the data they're trying to save by not reformatting the flashram?

Get a clue.

"Julius Kilo" wrote in message
m...
space.com:

The Mars rover Spirit briefly resumed science operations before NASA once
again halted the work to finish correcting a computer memory problem that
has stymied the wheeled robot's mission.

Mission officials had hoped the rover would brush off and examine a rock
that it has faced since Jan. 18, but ongoing software problems forced
engineers to delay gathering the data until Thursday, a day after they
planned to reformat the rover's flash memory.

"We decided it would be better to not try new things until we got the
flash
reformatted," deputy project manager Richard Cook told The Associated
Press
on Tuesday.
(end quote)

In other words they still don't have a clue as to what is going on re the
flash memory and have wasted the past two weeks messing around with it
rather than just reformatting it and moving forward.

They didn't waste the time. Do you have an idea how much they've learned
about the rover systems by taking their time? Do you have any understanding
of the data they're trying to save by not reformatting the flashram?

Get a clue.

In other words they still don't have a clue as to what is going on re the
flash memory and have wasted the past two weeks messing around with it
rather than just reformatting it and moving forward.

Yes, they "don't have a clue" and "wasted the past two weeks" - and you're a
"genius".

In other words they still don't have a clue as to what is going on re the
flash memory and have wasted the past two weeks messing around with it
rather than just reformatting it and moving forward.

Yes, they "don't have a clue" and "wasted the past two weeks" - and you're a
"genius".

t_mark wrote:
In other words they still don't have a clue as to what is going on re the
flash memory and have wasted the past two weeks messing around with it
rather than just reformatting it and moving forward.


Yes, they "don't have a clue" and "wasted the past two weeks" - and you're a
"genius".


I'm continually amazed at how distant observers, most of whom don't
even rise to the level of dilletente, always know more about what's
happening than people in possession of all the facts who are actively
working the mission. Must be quite an amazing skill.

Brett

t_mark wrote:
In other words they still don't have a clue as to what is going on re the
flash memory and have wasted the past two weeks messing around with it
rather than just reformatting it and moving forward.


Yes, they "don't have a clue" and "wasted the past two weeks" - and you're a
"genius".


I'm continually amazed at how distant observers, most of whom don't
even rise to the level of dilletente, always know more about what's
happening than people in possession of all the facts who are actively
working the mission. Must be quite an amazing skill.

Brett

Julius Kilo wrote:

space.com:

The Mars rover Spirit briefly resumed science operations before NASA once
again halted the work to finish correcting a computer memory problem that
has stymied the wheeled robot's mission.

Mission officials had hoped the rover would brush off and examine a rock
that it has faced since Jan. 18, but ongoing software problems forced
engineers to delay gathering the data until Thursday, a day after they
planned to reformat the rover's flash memory.

"We decided it would be better to not try new things until we got the flash
reformatted," deputy project manager Richard Cook told The Associated Press
on Tuesday.
(end quote)

In other words they still don't have a clue as to what is going on re the
flash memory and have wasted the past two weeks messing around with it
rather than just reformatting it and moving forward.

Had they no clues they wouldn't have gotten this far. When your
hardware is maybe 100 million miles away and cost several hundred
million dollars, it pays to be cautious.

Julius Kilo wrote:

space.com:

The Mars rover Spirit briefly resumed science operations before NASA once
again halted the work to finish correcting a computer memory problem that
has stymied the wheeled robot's mission.

Mission officials had hoped the rover would brush off and examine a rock
that it has faced since Jan. 18, but ongoing software problems forced
engineers to delay gathering the data until Thursday, a day after they
planned to reformat the rover's flash memory.

"We decided it would be better to not try new things until we got the flash
reformatted," deputy project manager Richard Cook told The Associated Press
on Tuesday.
(end quote)

In other words they still don't have a clue as to what is going on re the
flash memory and have wasted the past two weeks messing around with it
rather than just reformatting it and moving forward.

Had they no clues they wouldn't have gotten this far. When your
hardware is maybe 100 million miles away and cost several hundred
million dollars, it pays to be cautious.

"Dosco Jones" wrote
They didn't waste the time. Do you have an idea how much they've learned
about the rover systems by taking their time? Do you have any
understanding
of the data they're trying to save by not reformatting the flashram?

Oh yes, it's all about engineers learning about the system. That the only
science on Mars right now. Navel-gazing learning about the system.

They said long ago that there was no irreplacable data in the flash, and
that even the most valuable data files pertaining to the ME overflight were
not critical because they already had thumbnails which provided most of the
science. So again, two weeks wasted on non-critical files and
non-understanding of the problem. Almost guaranteed the bulk of the files
were engineering data (gotta save that cruise data).

Doug van Dorn wrote:
The rovers have a built-in deadline. The solar panels lie flat to the
plane of the ground, and have no mechanism by which they can be cleaned
of dust. Dust accumulates at a fairly predictable rate on the Martian
surface (as it comes out of suspension in the air), and will eventually
degrade the solar panels such that they will not be able to charge the
batteries.

Maybe the science output will end up being a study of the degradation of
solar panels over time on Mars.

We now have 44 rover-days on Mars and neither "rover" is more than 5 feet
from its navel. Totally outrageous. That's about $200 million down the drain
so far.

And there is no sign of "deer in the headlights" mode ending any time soon.
Opportunity is slated to traverse 6 meters northward and then dig a trench.
Fine. Onward. Guess what the plan is? Go three meters tomorrow and three
meters the next day. If it was a 12-meter traverse they undoubtedly would go
6 and 6. Never leave intact what can be split up in several anal-retentive
stopping points to survey the situation. Meantime the sols keep ticking
away. It'll be a rainy day on Mars before these engineers ever take the
rovers anywhere close to the advertised 100 meters in one sol.

There is only one thing to do and it has been evident since day one: line
the engineers up against a wall and shoot them, and hand the keys to the
scientists. Or at least deport them to Survivor Island for the duration.
They did their job well but it is time to start production.