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#1
February 17th 04, 08:42 PM
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Mars rover tracks?
Looking at the Mars Rover tracks, I notice that at
regular intervals a few feet apart, the treadmarks left in the dust are disturbed for a few inches before continuing again. Are the treads different at one point in their circumference? Is the rover skidding to a halt every few feet? Incquiring minds want to know.... See: http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/jpeg/PIA05291.jpg Peter Trei 
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#2
February 18th 04, 05:57 PM
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Mars rover tracks?
Peter Trei wrote in message ...
Looking at the Mars Rover tracks, I notice that at regular intervals a few feet apart, the treadmarks left in the dust are disturbed for a few inches before continuing again. Are the treads different at one point in their circumference? Is the rover skidding to a halt every few feet? I'm pretty sure that the 'skid" marks are from the rover stopping, taking it's bearings and restarting the crawl toward destination. The regolith disturbs in strange ways, and there is going to be a good amount of shifting mass as the rovers stop/start. josh Incquiring minds want to know.... See: http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/jpeg/PIA05291.jpg Peter Trei
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#3
February 18th 04, 06:38 PM
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Mars rover tracks?
Peter Trei wrote:
Looking at the Mars Rover tracks, I notice that at regular intervals a few feet apart, the treadmarks left in the dust are disturbed for a few inches before continuing again. Are the treads different at one point in their circumference? Is the rover skidding to a halt every few feet? Incquiring minds want to know.... See: http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/jpeg/PIA05291.jpg Peter Trei To answer my own question, the tread is not uniform all the way around. This can be clearly seen in the animated gif showing Opportunity digging a trench. http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/mer2004/rove...trench_med.gif I wonder why the wheel was built this way? Peter Trei
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#4
February 18th 04, 07:04 PM
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Mars rover tracks?
Peter Trei wrote in message ...
Looking at the Mars Rover tracks, I notice that at regular intervals a few feet apart, the treadmarks left in the dust are disturbed for a few inches before continuing again. Are the treads different at one point in their circumference? Is the rover skidding to a halt every few feet? Incquiring minds want to know.... See: http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/jpeg/PIA05291.jpg Peter Trei I think they are. Looking on the bottom-left of the picture, I notice that part of the wheel seems to have different thread pattern? Of course that could be just an absence of stuck dirt. Another reason I could think of is since the rover moves in baby steps (rolls?) those disturbed parts of the tracks shows when the rover stopped to make another adjustment to its path. Perhaps the rover pulled its two outer axles inward/outward so that the whole chassis rises/sinks a bit? Maybe the rover was setting its inner axle down on the ground, or lifting it?
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#5
February 18th 04, 07:08 PM
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Mars rover tracks?
Peter Trei wrote in message ...
Looking at the Mars Rover tracks, I notice that at regular intervals a few feet apart, the treadmarks left in the dust are disturbed for a few inches before continuing again. Are the treads different at one point in their circumference? Is the rover skidding to a halt every few feet? Incquiring minds want to know.... See: http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/jpeg/PIA05291.jpg Peter Trei It seems that my first assumption was correct. The wheels do have different thread pattern on part of the circumfrence. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/archive/PIA05308.gif Pressure sensor perhaps?
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#6
February 19th 04, 02:11 AM
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Mars rover tracks?
The wheels have a pattern in one spot that was machined into the wheel
give them a place to attach to the lander during cruise and landing. In article , Peter Trei wrote: Looking at the Mars Rover tracks, I notice that at regular intervals a few feet apart, the treadmarks left in the dust are disturbed for a few inches before continuing again. Are the treads different at one point in their circumference? Is the rover skidding to a halt every few feet? Incquiring minds want to know.... See: http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/jpeg/PIA05291.jpg Peter Trei
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#7
February 19th 04, 04:15 AM
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Mars rover tracks?
Peter Trei wrote in message ...
Looking at the Mars Rover tracks, I notice that at regular intervals a few feet apart, the treadmarks left in the dust are disturbed for a few inches before continuing again. Are the treads different at one point in their circumference? Is the rover skidding to a halt every few feet? Incquiring minds want to know.... See: http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/jpeg/PIA05291.jpg This is just semi-informed speculation but I think that's due to the rover's autonavigation. I believe it stops briefly to take navigation images that it then processes to make sure it's not horribly off course or in danger of tipping over, or falling off a cliff or what-have-you, if it continues on its course.
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#8
February 19th 04, 07:52 AM
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Mars rover tracks?
Peter Trei wrote in message ...
Looking at the Mars Rover tracks, I notice that at regular intervals a few feet apart, the treadmarks left in the dust are disturbed for a few inches before continuing again. Are the treads different at one point in their circumference? Is the rover skidding to a halt every few feet? The wheel treads are definitely different at one point in their circumference. I saw some photographs that showed some interesting indentation/pattern at one point on the rover wheel circumference. I'd be curious as to the purpose. Anybody know? Thanks, Mark Rejhon
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#9
February 19th 04, 04:36 PM
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Mars rover tracks?
Thanks, that makes sense.
Peter Trei Mike Herron wrote: The wheels have a pattern in one spot that was machined into the wheel give them a place to attach to the lander during cruise and landing. In article , Peter Trei wrote: Looking at the Mars Rover tracks, I notice that at regular intervals a few feet apart, the treadmarks left in the dust are disturbed for a few inches before continuing again. Are the treads different at one point in their circumference? Is the rover skidding to a halt every few feet? Incquiring minds want to know.... See: http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/jpeg/PIA05291.jpg Peter Trei
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#10
February 20th 04, 07:46 PM
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Mars rover tracks?
Peter Trei wrote in message ...
Looking at the Mars Rover tracks, I notice that at regular intervals a few feet apart, the treadmarks left in the dust are disturbed for a few inches before continuing again. Are the treads different at one point in their circumference? Is the rover skidding to a halt every few feet? Incquiring minds want to know.... See: http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/jpeg/PIA05291.jpg Peter Trei The tread difference is indicative of where the rover was attached to the lander. You'll find one on each wheel. RN
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