Slashdot Mirror
Mars Landers - Opportunity, Bedrock, Aerosmith?
Iphtashu Fitz writes "As was reported last week, the first Mars rover Spirit had some communications problems that the folks at the JPL have finally managed to trace to problems with its flash memory. Reuters is reporting that Opportunity seems to be having some power-related problems, too. It appears a faulty thermostat is turning a heater on overnight without being told to do so. While NASA isn't concerned about the rover overheating, they're exploring the long-term effects of continued power drain on the second rover." The article also notes: "The first three-dimensional, panoramic images beamed back from Opportunity showed an intriguing outcrop of exposed bedrock" - there's now a color version of the same image. Finally, lightwaveman points to the Spaceflight Now status page regarding new priorities for the Mars mission: "The airing of today's Mars rover news conference is being delayed on NASA TV to show the band Aerosmith touring International Space Station Mission Control at Houston's Johnson Space Center."
After the last couple weeks of living in constant cold and snow here in the northeast I think I have a little insight on the Opportunity issue - I'd randomly turn on the heat if I was on mars too! It's cold!
The anti-salmon
I've discouvered what happened to the Spirit lander... This picture explains everything.
"Who are in control, they are not in control of anything - they don't even control themselves!" - Glen Beck
The airing of today's Mars rover news conference is being delayed on NASA TV to show the band Aerosmith touring International Space Station Mission Control at Houston's Johnson Space Center.
What, Bruce Willis wasn't there?
That "rock" is obviously an ancient fossilized krayt dragon! Star Wars is real! Obviously it was imported from Tatooine long ago by the people of Alderaan, some time before their world was reduced to an asteroid belt. A galaxy far far away, my foot. It happened right in our own backyard!
Yeah, right, that's really Tatooine, if you look closely you can see Luke's uncle's 'farm'. in the distance. I'm pretty sure there some sand people messing with these rovers. At least when the rovers burn out the Jawas will be able to clean things up.
Obviously they didn't launch rockets to put those there, they used the same hyperspace portal that George Lucas uses.
A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
They probably only got in because Steve told them he's "Arwen's" dad. Otherwise those geeks probably wouldn't have a clue who these fossils are.
A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
Am I the only one that can see a face in every one of those rocks?
"Derp de derp."
"An examination of bedrock will tell us..."
that Fred and Wilma are grand parents now. Turns out Gazoo is the father.
What?
"While NASA isn't concerned about the rover overheating, they're exploring the long-term effects of continued power drain on the second rover."
They are probably also investigating the JPL plant mystery. Mysteriously, water being poured into vases disappears within a matter of hours, if not minutes! The NASA is filing the case as "astonishing" and "a potential breakthrough in human civilisation", and has made a multi-million-dollar case out of this. Priorities...
-raz
"I shoot troubles with a jackhammer"
They heard that Liv's dad knew about digging space rocks or somesuch thing...
"Faith: Belief without evidence in what is told by one who speaks without knowledge, of things without parallel." - A.B.
Where is the obligatory "All your rover are belong to us"?
Is there a color photo somewhere? The link in the story only points to a B&W photo with a red filter put on it.
As a representative of the League of the Perpetually Offended, I would like to express outrage over all of this heat speech.
Harumph
-b
If I wanted a sig I would have filled in that stupid box.
The original message was received at Wed, 28 Jan 2004 17:50:53 -0500
... User unknown)
... while talking to neomail01.traderonline.com.: ... User unknown ... User unknown
... User unknown
from neomail03.traderonline.com [10.222.132.7]
----- The following addresses had permanent fatal errors -----
(reason: 550 5.1.1
----- Transcript of session follows -----
RCPT To:
550 5.1.1
Reporting-MTA: dns; neomail02.traderonline.com
Received-From-MTA: DNS; neomail03.traderonline.com
Arrival-Date: Wed, 28 Jan 2004 17:50:53 -0500
Final-Recipient: RFC822; Opportunity@nasa.com
Action: failed
Status: 5.1.1
Remote-MTA: DNS; neomail01.traderonline.com
Diagnostic-Code: SMTP; 550 5.1.1
Last-Attempt-Date: Wed, 28 Jan 2004 17:50:54 -0500
From: Opportunity@nasa.com
Date: January 28, 2004 2:52:34 PM PST
To: earth@nasa.com
Subject: Hello
The message contains Unicode characters and has been sent as a binary attachment.
Squint at the latest Opportunity picture and you can just make out the Denny's sign.
"Opportunity is contributing to global warming on Mars!"
---------
George W. Bush in 2004!
I just downloaded a 4 meg image, they never heard of us or something?
Jonathanjk.com
No kidding. Hope NASA will have some better way planned of landing *people* on Mars, unless those brave pioneers don't mind being converted to thick 'n' chunky salsa by the voyage.