Archive for the ‘Space News’ Category
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November 13th, 2016
Earth’s Moon as seen from the International Space Station taken by ESA British astronaut, Tim Peake.
Credit: NASA/ESA
An impressive roster of papers dedicated to using space resources to facilitate space science and exploration is now available within the pages of the journal, Space Policy.
Resources aplenty given near-Earth objects (NEOs).
Credit: Texas A&M
These papers are peer-reviewed versions of papers presented at the Royal Astronomical Society specialist discussion meeting on the topic that was held in London in April.
Road map to the Moon, ESA-style.
Credit: ESA
Papers available
— James Carpenter, Richard Fisackerly, Berengere Houdou (2016)
Establishing lunar resource viability
Space Policy 37, 52-57
— Ian A. Crawford (2016)
The long-term scientific benefits of a space economy
Space Policy 37, 58-61
— Colin R. McInnes (2016)
Near Earth asteroid resource utilization for large in-orbit reflectors
Space Policy 37, 62-64
— Martin Elvis (2016)
What can space resources do for astronomy and planetary science?
Space Policy 37, 65-76
— Philip T. Metzger (2016)
Space development and space science together, an historic opportunity
Space Policy 37, 77-91
— Vibha Srivastava, Sungwoo Lim, Mahesh Anand (2016)
Microwave processing of lunar soil for supporting longer-term surface exploration on the Moon
Space Policy 37, 92-96
— Thomas Marshall Eubanks, Charles F. Radley (2016)
Scientific return of a lunar elevator
Space Policy 37, 97-102
— George F. Sowers (2016)
A cislunar transportation system fueled by lunar resources
Space Policy 37, 103-109
Credit: Planetary Resources, Inc.
Resources:
Go to this link to view the Space Policy papers:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0265964616300327
Go to “download pdf” at the top of the page and then select “article plus other articles in this issue.”
Note: An “Executive Summary” of the London meeting itself is available at:
http://www.homepages.ucl.ac.uk/~ucfbiac/Space_Resources_Meeting_Report.pdf
Posted in 
Long March-11 liftoff.
Credit: CCTV-Plus
China has successfully launched a satellite to test pulsar detectors.
The satellite is slated to conduct experiments on X-ray pulsar navigation. The test pulsar satellite was placed in a Sun synchronous orbit.
The satellite was lofted from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China on November 10th onboard a Long March-11 carrier rocket, which is a solid propellant rocket.
Navigation technology
“This pulsar satellite is our country’s first in-orbit navigation testing satellite,” said Xue Lijun, chief designer of the pulsar project of the No.5 Institute of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.
“Apart from the testing, we will use the two detectors to collect periodic X-ray signals, so as to test the theory of the in-orbit navigation technology,” said Xue in an interview carried on CCTV-Plus.
Four micro-satellites were also launched along with the test pulsar satellite
Credit: YANNAING PYI SONE AUNG
Debris from launch?
Although not confirmed, there have been reports that objects related to the Chinese launch may have fallen into a jade mining area in north Myanmar. One large chunk of junk is some 15 feet long (4.5 meters) and 4 feet (1.2 meters) wide.
Yet another piece of metal with Chinese writing on it fell through the roof of a neighboring house at roughly the same time.
No injuries were reported, and whether the debris is indeed related to the rocket launch has not been established.
To view a video of the spacecraft launch, go to:
http://cd-pv.news.cctvplus.com/2016/1110/8036284_Preview_5465.mp4
Deployed micro-satellite is monitoring the combined Tiangong-2/Shenzhou-11 vehicles.
Credit: CCTV
China’s ongoing piloted space mission is rounding the corner on a month-long mission, with two crewmen living onboard the country’s Tiangong-2 space lab.
The 49-year-old Jing Haipeng and 37-year-old Chen Dong went into the space on Shenzhou-11 manned spacecraft on October 17th, docking with the Tiangong-2 two days later.
As of Wednesday, two Chinese astronauts have been onboard the space lab for 22 days.
Credit: CCTV-Plus
Experiments underway
Wu Dawei, director, overall plan office, Beijing Aerospace Flight and Control Center reports on a CCTV-Plus interview: “The astronauts are in excellent shape. They have completely adapted to the space environment after going through the initial period in the space. They now eat well, sleep well, and work well. As for food, they are very pleased with the food this time. They sleep very well, about seven hours daily. That’s their current condition.”
Wu said that the experiments onboard Tiangong-2 are proceeding as planned, and the space duo have finished about nine or ten of them. “The remaining ten plus experiments will be finished in the coming week.”
General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Xi Jinping — also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission — called the two astronauts aboard the Tiangong-2 space lab from the command center of China’s manned space program.
Credit: CCTV-Plus
Presidential call
General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Xi Jinping — also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission — called the two astronauts aboard the Tiangong-2 space lab from the command center of China’s manned space program on Wednesday.
Before making the call, Xi watched the brain-computer interaction in-orbit repair experiment on Tiangong-2 at the Command Center.
Arm work
Reports CCTV-Plus, the Tiangong-2 space lab is equipped with an in-orbit repair robotic arm terminal operation system, which is used by astronauts to test the brain-computer interaction in-orbit repair technology that will allow astronauts to control equipment with their thoughts rather than manually.
The system, over 4 feet long (1.35 meters) includes the human-simulated robotic arm, human-simulated robotic hand, binocular global camera, hand-eye camera, controller, data glove and three-dimensional mouse.
The size of the human-simulated robotic hand conforms to the size of the hand of the astronauts in extravehicular spacesuit.
Shenzhou-11 crew is now onboard the Tiangong-2 space lab for the country’s longest piloted space mission.
Credit: CCTV-Plus
Robotic servicing
Billed as the first such experiment in the world, it was jointly developed by the fifth institute of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), the Harbin Institute of Technology, and the Beijing Institute of Technology.
The experiment verifies the in-orbit technology of the core parts of the robotic arm, exploring the brain-computer interaction mode to accumulate experience of space robots working in orbit.
During the experiment, the robotic hand will simulate the typical moves of dismantling the thermal insulation materials, unscrewing the electric plug, and using electric tools to turn the screws in the orbit.
Other tests include robotic joint stiffness in-orbit identification and grasping floating balls, reports CCTV-Plus.
Credit: CSU
Lettuce, silkworms
As of Wednesday, astronauts Jing and Chen have been onboard the space lab for 22 days.
During their stay, the space travelers have carried out experiments like planting nine lettuces and raising silkworms, in addition to in-orbit maintenance of spacecraft.
Jing and Chen are expected to stay in the space for 33 days. They work six days a week in line with schedules on the ground during this longest piloted mission for China.
The astronauts have a menu with nearly one hundred dishes for their meals. Their menu changes every day for a 5-day period. They also can watch news programs, football games and documentaries in the space lab, a space lifestyle that includes an exercise program.
For a video update on the mission, go to:
http://cd-pv.news.cctvplus.com/2016/1109/8036255_Preview_1478694818274.mp4
http://cd-pv.news.cctvplus.com/2016/1109/8036251_Preview_1478692556787.mp4
Curiosity Front Hazcam Right B image taken on Sol 1513, November 7, 2016.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Now in Sol 1514, NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover successfully completed a menu of scientific duties throughout last weekend.
The robot carried out observations of its surroundings and wheeled itself over 141 feet (43 meters).
Science block
In carrying out a two sol plan, Curiosity is to start out with a brief contact science block, reports Ryan Anderson, a planetary scientist at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center in Flagstaff, Arizona.
Curiosity’s Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI), located on the turret at the end of the rover’s robotic arm, took this image on November 6, 2016, Sol 1512.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
Using the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI), the robot will observe the target “Southwest Harbor.” After that, the plan calls for a remote sensing block.
The rover’s Chemistry & Camera (ChemCam) instrument is to observe some nodules in the targets “Asticou” and “Bass Harbor Head.”
Curiosity’s Mastcam is slated to document those targets, as well as the Sol 1513 ChemCam Autonomous Exploration for Gathering Increased Science (AEGIS) software target.
Cross-bedding
Mastcam also will take images of a laminated target called “Halls Quarry”, some nearby blocks called “Baker Island” and “Acadia”, and some cross-bedding in the target “Seal Harbor.”
Curiosity Mastcam Right image taken on Sol 1512, November 6, 2016.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
After the remote sensing block, the rover will drive and then do post-drive imaging and a ChemCam AEGIS observation.
On Sol 1515, ChemCam has a passive sky observation, and Navcam has a couple of atmospheric monitoring observations, adds Anderson.
As of Sol 1512, Curiosity has driven 9.24 miles (14.88 kilometers) since touching down on the Red Planet in August 2012.
Dates of planned rover activities described are subject to change due to a variety of factors related to the Martian environment, communication relays and rover status.
Curiosity Mastcam Right image taken on Sol 1509, November 3, 2016.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover is now in Sol 1512
After driving over 130 feet (40 meters) on Sol 1509, the Mars machinery is carrying out a 3-sol weekend plan.
“There are a couple of good-sized outcrops in the arm workspace, so we’re planning contact science on Sol 1511,” reported Ken Herkenhoff of the USGS Astrogeology Science Center in Flagstaff, Arizona.
Curiosity Navcam Left B image taken on Sol 1511, November 5, 2016.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Brush off
On the schedule is for the rover’s Navcam to first look for clouds and the Chemistry & Camera (ChemCam) to observe bedrock targets named “Pemetic,” “Jordan Pond,” and “Penobscot.”
The rover’s Right Mastcam was slated to image Jordan Pond, Pemetic, and the ChemCam target selected by special software on Sol 1509, and acquire a 9×3 mosaic of sedimentary structures southwest of the rover.
Curiosity Front Hazcam Right B image taken on Sol 1511, November 5, 2016
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Later that afternoon, the Dirt Removal Tool (DRT) was to brush off Penobscot and Curiosity’s Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) was to image the brushed spot and Pemetic from 25, 5 and 1 centimeter.
Wheel inspection
The rover’s Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) was on tap to be placed on Pemetic for a pair of integrations that evening, then placed on Penobscot for an overnight integration.
On Sol 1512, the Mars masterplan was to use Curiosity’s Mastcam to acquire a 5×4 stereo mosaic of the outcrop around Penobscot and a multispectral observation of the brushed spot.
Next on the schedule was for the robot’s MAHLI to image the rover wheels at 5 locations separated by small “bumps” to monitor wheel wear.
Potential touch and go
“Then it’s time for another drive and the post-drive imaging needed for a potential ‘touch and go’ on Sol 1514,” says Herkenhoff.
Curiosity Mastcam Right image taken on Sol 1509, November 3, 2016.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
Curiosity’s Sol 1513 is to start with another ChemCam observation and Mastcam measurements of atmospheric dust opacity.
Finally, the robot’s Chemistry & Mineralogy X-Ray Diffraction/X-Ray Fluorescence Instrument (CheMin) is slated to read out the data resulting from the recent analysis of empty sample cells and the robot’s Mars Descent Imager (MARDI) is to acquire an image during twilight.
Well-earned rest
“The rover will then get some well-earned rest and charge her batteries overnight,” Herkenhoff concludes.
As always, dates of planned rover activities are subject to change due to a variety of factors related to the Martian environment, communication relays and rover status.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona
Exploration map
A new Curiosity traverse map has been issued, noting the rover’s exploration route after landing in August 2012 through Sol 1509, November 4, 2016.
As of that Sol, Curiosity has driven 9.22 miles (14.83 kilometers).
Numbering of the dots along the line indicate the sol number of each drive. North is up. The scale bar is 1 kilometer (roughly 0.62 mile).
From Sol 1508 to Sol 1509, Curiosity had driven a straight line distance of about 125.75 feet (38.33 meters), bringing the rover’s total odometry for the mission to 9.22 miles (14.83 kilometers).
The base image from the map is from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment Camera (HiRISE) in NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.
The view from above of crash site.
CredutL NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona
Splat attack!
More information has been issued as to the fate of Europe’s failed Schiaparelli Mars lander.
New high-resolution images taken by a NASA orbiter –the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and its super-powerful High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) — show parts of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) ExoMars Schiaparelli module and its landing site in color on the Red Planet.White spots, fuzzy patch
Color imagery of the October 19th crash site shows Schiaparelli and its hardware components. For example, a number of the bright white spots around the dark region can be seen.
Also, a bright fuzzy patch revealed in the color image alongside the dark streaks to the west of the crater could be surface material disturbed in the impact or from a subsequent explosion or explosive decompression of the module’s fuel tanks.
Blowing in the wind
According to an ESA press statement, here are some related facts:
About 0.9 km to the south, the parachute and rear heatshield have also now been imaged in colour.
In the time that has elapsed since the last image was taken on 25 October, the outline of the parachute has changed. The most logical explanation is that it has been shifted in the wind, in this case slightly to the west.
Artist’s impression of Schiaparelli, the ExoMars entry, descent and landing demonstrator module, as it approaches the Martian surface.
Credit: ESA/ATG medialab
A stereo reconstruction of this image in the future will also help to confirm the orientation of the rear heatshield. The pattern of bright and dark patches suggest it is sitting such that we see the outside of the heatshield and the signature of the way in which the external layer of insulation has burned away in some parts and not others – as expected.
New images coming
Finally, the front heatshield has been imaged again in black and white – its location falls outside of the colour region imaged by MRO – and shows no changes. Because of the different viewing geometry between the two image sets, this confirms that the bright spots are not specular reflections, and must therefore be related to the intrinsic brightness of the object. That is, it is most likely the bright multilayer thermal insulation that covers the inside of the front heatshield.
Further imaging is planned in about two weeks, and it will be interesting to see if any further changes are noticed.
Artist impression of the Schiaparelli module on the surface of Mars. Mishap caused lander to crash into the Red Planet and explode.
Credit: ESA
The images may provide more pieces of the puzzle as to what happened to Schiaparelli as it approached the martian surface.
Following its successful atmospheric entry and subsequent slowing due to heatshield and parachute deceleration, the internal investigation into the root cause of the problems encountered by Schiaparelli in the latter stages of its six-minute descent continues.
As noted in the ESA statement, an independent inquiry board has been initiated.
Credit: New China
China scored a big boost today in its space program activities.
The country’s Long March-5 lifted off from the newly completed Wenchang Satellite Launch Center, scoring high marks on its maiden flight.
Declared success
Wang Jingzhong, head of commanding center for Long March-5 launch, reported via CCTV-Plus:
“According to Xi’an Satellite Control Center, Long March-5 has been operating as planned. We have accurately sent the upper stages and the satellites into designated orbit. All systems are operating well. I now declare that the maiden flight of Long March-5 has been a successful mission!”
Long March-5 ready for first liftoff.
Credit: CASC via GBTimes
Moon, space station booster
As China’s largest carrier rocket, Long March-5 is slated to carry the Chang’e-5 lunar probe into space around 2017. It also serves as key to the country’s future space station plans.
Long March-5 has expanded the diameter of liquid-fuel rockets to 5 meters from the previous 3.35 meters. The 57-meter-long rocket is equipped with four liftoff thrusters each with a diameter of 3.35 meters, and thus is powered with more than 1,000 tons of thrust force.
Credit: CCTV-Plus
Using liquefied kerosene and very low-temperature or cryogenic liquefied oxygen and hydrogen as its fuels, Long March-5 is tagged as being non-toxic and pollution-free.
Liftoff of the Long March-5 marks the first use of the number 1 launch pad at the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center, which is China’s first launch center along the coast line.
The Long March-5 carrier rocket is scheduled to have a second launch in the middle 2017.
For a video of the launch, go to:
http://cd-pv.news.cctvplus.com/2016/1103/8035823_Preview_5534.mp4
Long March-5 ready for first liftoff.
Credit: CASC via GBTimes
China’s new booster, the Long March-5, is being readied for its maiden flight on Thursday (Beijing time), according to news reports.
A successful liftoff would signal a step forward in lofting heavier payloads for China’s space station program, as well as hurling spacecraft to the Moon and beyond.
Launch center
The rocket was transported to the launch site in Wenchang City on Oct. 28 for its maiden flight, according to CCTV-Plus. The launch center is conducting all the preparations of the five systems including communication system and logistics system.
At the Wenchang launch center — China’s new sprawling spaceport – the launch pad hardware is undergoing final checkout, including tests underway by launch personnel, said Han Dawei, an engineer of rocket’s measuring and controlling system at the center.
Liftoff readiness
The launch center is China’s first situated along the coast and was the locale for conducted the Long March-7’s successful liftoff on April 25th.
All is ready for maiden liftoff of China’s new heavy-lift booster.
Credit: CASC via GBTimes
Chinese booster makers dub the Long March-5 a “super rocket” with a payload capacity of between 13 and 23 tons and a liftoff thrust of over 10,000 kilonewtons, reports CCTV-Plus. The giant rocket requires more time for preparation and technical verification prior to liftoff.
Weather forecast
The center is doing their best to provide an accurate weather forecast to prepare for the rocket’s premier takeoff.
Guo Xuewen, weather forecast engineer at the Wenchang launch center explains:
“We could forecast typhoons in five days when we launched Long March-7. Now we have to forecast typhoons in nine days. Our main task is to forecast the weather of the launch window and before the launch window when we are filling propellant at low temperature. Typhoons have formed in west Pacific recently. So, we will pay close attention of the activities of the cold air, climate development and the weather of the launch center.”
Launch tower
Tang Jian’gong, head of the Wenchang launching station, adds that the upcoming flight “will test the accuracy and reliability of the design of both the Long March-5 and its launching tower.”
Credit: CCTV-Plus
Being China’s only launching site close to sea, the Long March-5 launching tower is a solid structure of steel and reinforced concrete with anti-corrosive coatings of various designs to fend off both hot and humid elements.
Apart from its colossal water tank at the base for sound suppression as well as cooling effect, sprinklers are also installed along both sides of the launching tower to cool it down immediately after the Long March-5 liftoff.
Credit: CCTV-Plus
“After the first blast-off, other Long March-5’s will be used to launch geosynchronous orbiting communications satellites, Moon and Mars probes,” Tang notes.
For a view of Long March-5 launch preparations, go to:
http://cd-pv.news.cctvplus.com/2016/1102/8035732_Preview_1478091517460.mp4
http://l3-pv.news.cctvplus.com/2016/1102/8035663_Preview_1478046259782.mp4
China space travelers, Jing Haipeng and Chen Dong, onboard Tiangong-2 space lab.
Credit: CCTV
The on-going flightlog of China’s latest piloted space mission has made use of an accompanying smallsat to capture images of the Tiangong-2 space lab and Shenzhou-11 manned spacecraft.
A wide-angle fisheye camera is free-floating alongside the linked space lab and Shenzhou-11 vehicle.
Deployed micro-satellite is monitoring the combined Tiangong-2/Shenzhou-11 vehicles.
Credit: CCTV
Field of view
The camera, independently developed by the China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC), took the first batch of over 300 high-resolution photographs of Tiangong-2 and Shenzhou-11 on Oct. 24, after the accompanying satellite was launched from the Tiangong-2 a day earlier.
Liu Tongyu, optoelectronic expert at CETC, reports via CCTV-Plus that the infrared fisheye camera has offers a large field of view of 180 degrees. It has been successful in monitoring the combined vehicles.
Printer-sized satellite is overseeing China space lab and Shenzhou-11 combination.
Credit: CCTV
Besides the infrared fisheye camera, there is also a visible light camera installed on the micro-satellite.
Size of a printer
That deployed satellite weighs 104 pounds (47 kilograms) and is the size of a printer. It is able to conduct efficient orbit control, process tasks autonomously and transmit data at high speeds.
Zhong said that judging from the images sent back, the two cameras are working smoothly. At the end of October, the satellite will orbit above Tiangong-2 and Shenzhou-11 and will send back the second batch of photos with the high-resolution camera.
“The images it sent back have shown that the camera’s functions have met the requirements and it is working very well,” Zhong reports. “Next time, when the microsatellite orbits above the spacecraft and space lab, it will take photos again. Then, everyone will see images of the combination with the Earth as the background.”
Pre-deployed image of small satellite deployed during the Tiangong-2/Shenzhou-11 mission.
Credit: CCTV
Medical consulting system
The Shenzhou-11 spacecraft carried two astronauts into space — Jing Haipeng and Chen Dong — on Oct. 17 from northwest China’s Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. After two days circling Earth, the piloted craft docked with Tiangong-2 space lab. They will stay in the space lab for 30 days before returning to Earth.
Chinese medical experts have tested the remote medical consulting system that links the astronauts in the orbiting space lab Tiangong-2 with the ground-based space center.
Diagnosis and prescription
The test was recently conducted at the Chinese PLA (People’s Liberation Army) General Hospital Telemedicine Center where medical experts received the astronauts’ data transmitted via the system and carried out medical checkups and cardiac function examinations. Then they sent the diagnosis and prescription to the astronauts, reports CCTV-Plus.
“Manned space missions that last for more than one or two weeks or even one month will have great physical and mental impact on the astronauts. Therefore they need medical support from the ground,” said Li Wen, deputy director of the gastroenterology department of the Chinese PLA General Hospital.
Inside Tiangong-2 as crew members carry out experiments.
Credit: CCTV
Jing and Chen have provided data about blood pressure, pulse, respiration and cardiac function to the ground from the orbiting space lab.
“We analyzed the symptoms and offered our diagnosis and treatment plan for them through the interconnected system,” said Zhang Meikui, director of the Chinese PLA General Hospital Telemedicine Center.
Silkworm experiment
It has been reported that some of the six silkworms that have been brought into China’s Tiangong-2 space lab for experiments have begun to spin cocoons.
The silkworm-raising — one of the three experiments designed by Hong Kong middle school students – selected from more than 4,000 ones specially cultivated by scientists, are now put into different boxes separately in the space and fed with pasty mulberry leaves, notes Zhao Danni, an engineer from No. 529 factory of China Academy of Space Technology.
Astronaut duties onboard Tiangong-2 space lab, precursor work for establishing a larger space station in the 2020s.
Credit: CCTV
Li Guang, another engineer from No. 529 factory said that people are eagerly looking forward to the experiment results on the way of silkworm’s spinning cocoons and the quality of silks in the micro-gravity environment.
Maiden flight
Meanwhile, China is readying its largest carrier rocket, the Long March-5, for its maiden flight in November. The rocket was recently transported to the launch site on Hainan Island.
The carrier rocket was safely moved from the testing plant to the launch site at the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center in south China’s Hainan Province. Since it arrived at the center in September, the booster has completed all the assembling and testing work as planned, reports CCTV-Plus.
Work is underway to ready China’s Long March-5 for its maiden liftoff in November.
Credit: CCTV
Long March-5 has the largest carrying capacity among China’s carrier rockets. The diameter of its main fuselage measures five meters across.
The rocket makes use of liquefied kerosene and very low-temperature or cryogenic liquefied oxygen and hydrogen as its fuels. Long March-5 is flagged by China as a milestone in the upgrading of China’s carrier rockets.
For a video update on Long March-5 preparations, go to:
http://cd-pv.news.cctvplus.com/2016/1028/8035340_Preview_6760.mp4
For video updates on the role of the Shenzhou-11/Tiangong-2 mission’s use of a micro-satellite, go to:
http://cd-pv.news.cctvplus.com/2016/1030/8035458_Preview_5455.mp4
http://cd-pv.news.cctvplus.com/2016/1026/8035158_Preview_1477479564634.mp4
Curiosity Front Hazcam Right B image taken on Sol 1505, October 30, 2016.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Now in Sol 1505, the Curiosity rover made a recent drive of over 80 feet (25 meters) farther along on the “Mt. Sharp Ascent Route.”
We started the day with some challenges caused by connectivity issues with team members outside of the U.S,” reports Ryan Anderson, a planetary scientist at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center in Flagstaff, Arizona. “They were able to get at least one computer connected to JPL, however, so we were able to plan without too much trouble overall.”
Bedrock changes
The plan for Sol 1503 was straightforward, starting off with a Chemistry & Camera (ChemCam) observation and Mastcam documentation of the target “Somesville.”
Anderson said the observations were designed to study how the composition of the bedrock changes across a light-to-dark transition.
Curiosity Mastcam Left image taken on Sol 1503, October 28, 2016.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
“After that, we will drive and then do post-drive imaging, including some extra Mastcam and Navcam coverage,” Anderson adds. On the script is long-distance imagery of Mt. Sharp taken this weekend.
Dates of planned rover activities are subject to change due to a variety of factors related to the Martian environment, communication relays and rover status.
