Mars Rovers

Why does it take so long for them to get the rovers "unpacked" so to
speak? Isn't the time limited that the rovers will be operational?
Only a few months? But it takes so long to get them out and about.
I'm new to this so I don't understand and my 10 year old is asking
questions about all of this.

Thanks

Why does it take so long for them to get the rovers "unpacked" so to
speak?

It takes a long time because we are on Earth and the rover is on Mars. Each
task in the process of getting ready to roll off and onto the surface must be
verified in downlinked data, and there are only limited periods when that data
can be transmitted back to Earth (not to mention the time delay involved
between sending a command to the rover and receiving the reply). The first
day on Mars is mostly taken up with a basic check-out of the rover and its
subsystems, along with the images needed to decide where the rover is and what
the conditions around it are like. The second day involves more checking out,
along with the deployment of the high-gain antenna and more imaging.
Subsequent days involve checking out the scientific instrumentation along with
some science (Mini-Tes imaging) to allow the "drivers" to decide which is the
best direction to go and what hazards are present which might make it
necessary to get off the lander in a different direction. Cables have to be
cut, the rover has to "stand up" (and do more imaging), and more checkouts
have to be done to make doubly-sure that there is nothing that stands in the
way of a safe roll-off. If it were here on Earth, most of this could be done
in a day or so, but on Mars, the slightest mis-step, and the rover could
become only an expensive piece of junk sitting on the Martian surface. It
takes between one and two weeks for all this to be done, so it is planned into
the mission.

Isn't the time limited that the rovers will be operational?
Only a few months?

The "warranty" is for 90 days, but the rovers will probably last for somewhat
longer. The Pathfinder spacecraft was only designed for a 30 day lifespan
after landing, but it lasted nearly three times that. Clear skies to you.


--
David W. Knisely
Prairie Astronomy Club: http://www.prairieastronomyclub.org
Hyde Memorial Observatory: http://www.hydeobservatory.info/

**********************************************
* Attend the 11th Annual NEBRASKA STAR PARTY *
* July 18-23, 2004, Merritt Reservoir *
* http://www.NebraskaStarParty.org *
**********************************************

I like the response, but would like to add that we had just frozen the
rover for several months before heating, buffeting, bouncing, and
rolling it. It makes sense to wake it up slowly and correct any
problems that arise.

There is no reason to rush things anyway. The surroundings need to be
photographed and analyzed and then the sceintists need to plan what
they are going to do in their limited operational time.

Edward Smith wrote:

I like the response, but would like to add that we had just frozen the
rover for several months before heating, buffeting, bouncing, and
rolling it. It makes sense to wake it up slowly and correct any
problems that arise.

Actually, the rover has been pretty-much "alive" for the entire trip (at least
the electronics and instrumentation), although it was rather cold and its
components were largely folded up inside the lander. It does take time to
make sure that everything gets unfolded and deployed properly. Clear skies to
you.
--
David W. Knisely
Prairie Astronomy Club: http://www.prairieastronomyclub.org
Hyde Memorial Observatory: http://www.hydeobservatory.info/

**********************************************
* Attend the 11th Annual NEBRASKA STAR PARTY *
* July 18-23, 2004, Merritt Reservoir *
* http://www.NebraskaStarParty.org *
**********************************************

I would like to suggest NASA's public/media relations could have improved by
two things, viz.,

Giving Martian temperature and windspeed and feeding this info to your local
meteorologists for the 6pm news.

And secondly, having MER take pictures at Martian twilight of stars and or
earth (which I presume would look like a blue dot).

On Wed, 28 Jan 2004 20:10:21 -0600, wrote:

Why does it take so long for them to get the rovers "unpacked" so to
speak? Isn't the time limited that the rovers will be operational?
Only a few months? But it takes so long to get them out and about.
I'm new to this so I don't understand and my 10 year old is asking
questions about all of this.

Thanks


Thanks for the responses everyone. I will explain this to my son, but
you know how kids are- no patience! You guys are great!


Thanks