This climb was motivated by science, |
This climb was motivated by science. Every time Spirit has gained altitude, we've found different rock types. Also, we're doing what any field geologist would do in an area like this: climbing to a good vantage point for plotting a route. |
This is [fundamentally] different than anything we have seen before. |
This is a journey into the unknown, to something completely new. |
This was an inhabitable environment on Mars. This was a shallow sea. These rocks ... it's a salt flat. These are the kinds of environments that are very suitable for life. |
Today is day 591 of our 90-day mission to Mars. |
Unfortunately, recovering from something like a reset is a slow, lengthy process. You don't know what caused the problem, and the immediate concern is that whatever triggered it will do it again next time you try it. The thing you have to do is fire up each of the rover's capabilities one at a time, checking each one carefully and individually to see whether it would cause another reset or not. Standard spacecraft troubleshooting practice…but it takes time. |
We can see most of the crater from where we are right now, and we've made the decision that we're going to traverse around it on its western side. We're actually going to start the drive around the crater by going north a little bit ... to get onto terrain that's mostly bedrock ... before we swing west. |
We have no idea yet how widespread Home Plate-like material may be. We have not seen anything like this before, but it doesn't mean there isn't more stuff out there. |
We have taken a beautiful 360-degree panorama, which I believe is going to be truly one of the signature accomplishments of this mission. |
We have taken a beautiful 360-degree panoramic image, which I truly believe will be one of the signature accomplishments of this mission, |
We have to assume the worst...that the solar panels are going to stay dirty and just get dirtier. |
We hope to survive another winter on Mars. |
We still want to get to the summit of Husband Hill and then head down into the 'Inner Basin' on the other side. But now we have more flexibility in how we carry out the plan. Before, it was climb or die. |
We think Opportunity is now parked on what was once the shoreline of a salty sea on Mars. |