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Sojourner moves in to 'sniff' Yogi
NASA unveils virtual reality model of Mars
July 10, 1997
Web posted at: 8:32 p.m. EDT (0032 GMT)PASADENA, California (CNN) -- Mars Pathfinder's rover, Sojourner, went a few centimeters too far while trying to get close enough "sniff" a rock called Yogi, ending up with one wheel perched precariously on the rock's face.
So the crew at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory plans to back the rover down Thursday evening and make another approach. Fortunately, the rover stopped itself before any damage was done.
"It got a little too enthusiastic," quipped team member Dr. Justin Maki, who unveiled a movie of the rover's latest trip, which was created using a series of still images stitched together in sequence.
Rover movie
Once the rover is repositioned, it will deploy its X-ray spectrometer, called APXS, to determine the chemical composition of Yogi, which Sojourner has now been stalking for three Martian days.
Nearly a week after Pathfinder landed on Mars, the rover is approaching the end of its designed life span and has so far only analyzed one rock. But because Sojourner is expected to operate much longer than its design life, Pathfinder mission manager Richard Cook said there is no concern about spending three days cozying up to Yogi -- and no panic to hurry the mission along.
"I think we're all, at this point, expecting it to live for a long time. It's proven to be very capable," Cook said.
Virtual reality model will be put on the Web
Participating scientist Dr. Carol Stroker explains a virtual model of Mars.
At a press conference Thursday afternoon, NASA also unveiled a computerized "virtual reality" model of the surface of Mars, designed by a team at NASA's Ames Research Center using images beamed back by Pathfinder.
Using the model, NASA scientists can maneuver from feature to feature on the surface, viewing them from different angles and perspectives and measuring distances and planning routes for the rover.
In fact, the "virtual" surface allowed the crew piloting the rover to avoid an overhang and big divot in front of Yogi where Sojourner could have gotten stuck, said Dr. Carol Stoker, a participating scientist from Ames.
"As you can imagine, we're having a lot of fun with this," Stoker said. The public will soon be able to have fun with it too, as NASA plans to put a navigable version of the model on Pathfinder's World Wide Web site.
Pathfinder's scientific team also reported some new findings Thursday, based on data beamed back from Mars:
- The temperature in the lower Martian atmosphere is very similar to what was found by two Viking craft the United States sent to Mars two decades ago. But the upper atmosphere temperature recorded during Pathfinder's landing was much colder, including the coldest temperature ever recorded on Mars, a frosty -275 degrees Fahrenheit (-171 degrees Celsius).
That result was not surprising, said science team member Julio Magalhaes, because Pathfinder came through the upper atmosphere during the Martian night, while the Viking crafts came through in the daytime.
- Preliminary analysis of tests of the dust on Mars show that it contains a magnetic force, which could give scientists clues about the role water played in forming the Martian landscape.
"The data we have obtained so far appear to be consistent with the idea that all dust particles -- that is, each and every particle in the air on Mars -- are more or less magnetic," said Dr. Jens Martin Knudsen of University of Copenhagen.
- Color filters on images taken of Mars are designed to clearly show the presence of chlorophyll -- which could indicate plant life. But so far, as expected, no chlorophyll has turned up on the dry, barren planet, said Bob Reid, a science team member from the University of Arizona.
- Message Board: Destination Mars
- CNN In-Depth: Space
Related stories:
- Mars scientists settle in for high-science - July 9, 1997
- Scientists call Martian rock 'a real surprise' - July 8, 1997
- Rover 'holds hands' with Barnacle Bill - July 7, 1997
- Sojourner, meet Barnacle Bill - July 6, 1997
- Tiny Mars rover set to take giant roll for mankind - July 5, 1997
- NASA gets good news on Pathfinder glitch - July 5, 1997
- NASA gets good news on Pathfinder glitch - July 5, 1997
- Communications glitch hampers Mars rover - July 5, 1997
- Mars Pathfinder sends first snapshots - July 4, 1997
- NASA: Pathfinder has landed - July 4, 1997
- Pathfinder speeds toward Martian surface - July 4, 1997
- Pathfinder nears its destiny - July 3, 1997
- Scientists giddy as Pathfinder nears Mars - July 1, 1997
- NASA hope third time's the charm for Mars probe launch - December 3, 1996
- Pathfinder to roam Mars in search of possible life - October 1, 1996
Related sites:
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- Welcome to the Mars Pathfinder Mission!
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
- Pathfinder Landing Timeline
- Mars Pathfinder Mission
- Mars Global Surveyor
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