Space Forum / Space Science / May 2004

After the flood of data we've had from the Mars Exploration Rovers, I
fear that Cassini is going to be a major dissappointment. It seems that
despite all the data the probe will send back, all the public will get
to see is a single image every weekday (5 pics per week) Thats a ...

in the upper right of this picture?
http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA05987
It was from this anaglyph:
http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA05985

The new spirit pictures with the microscopic
imager from may 26th are all out of focus.
And it is not the first time that this happens.
I wonder why they did not upload autofocus software

Has there or is there any infrasound microphones on Mars? If not, I
think there should be. Infrasound is no proplem for the low pressure
atmosphere and you can detect meteorites as well as seismic events.
Well, what about the latter? is there such activity?

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status.html
OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Opportunity on the Edge - sol 115-116,
May 25, 2004
On Sol 115 Opportunity drove 11.7 meters (38.4 feet), coming

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status.html
SPIRIT UPDATE: 'Columbia Hills' on the Horizon - sol 118-120,
May 06, 2004
Spirit is now approximately 1.7 kilometers (1 mile) away from

Maybe someone has pointed the following out before without my
noticing, but ...
1)
The following image from Opportunity Microscopic Imager on Sol 105 is

http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/cgibin/gs2.cgi?path=../multimedia/images/rings/images
/PIA05393.jpg&type=image
Pandora and Prometheus Near F Ring
May 24, 2004
Full-Res: PIA05393

Donald Savage
Headquarters,Washington                        May 13, 2004
(Phone: 202/358-1547)
Cheryl Dybas

I was surprised looking through todays photos from Spirit to see what
looks like the reflection from the lander and Bonneville crater off to
the right. Could this still be the lander in view ?
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/spirit/pancam/2004-05-23/2P137897987EFF5000P243
2L7M1.JPG

Cassini Significant Events
for 05/13/04 - 05/19/04
The most recent spacecraft telemetry was acquired from the Goldstone
tracking station on Wednesday, May 19. The Cassini spacecraft is in an

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status.html
OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: A Sol for Rest and Recharging. - sol 112,
May 18, 2004
Opportunity is healthy, but feeling a bit sluggish today. The

Gazooks!  Mars bunnies have hijacked a mysterious third rover and are
forcing it to drive around in a camouflaged Martian warehouse and take
microscopic pictures of barbecque lava rock.  I would never have
believed it if I didn't see the pictures on the Internet.

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/press/spirit/20040517a.html
 "In this color-coded map, quicker reddening during the day suggests
  sand or dust. Red is about 270 Kelvin"
If this is really true, that suddenly we have 20-30 K lower surface

Hey all
Just wondering if JPL/ESA have a contingency plan in the
horrible-to-contemplate event that the orbital insertion rocket fails
to fire and Cassini essentially becomes an ultra-expensive flyby