Spirit's sandy sojourn - May 12, 2009
Spirit, the Mars rover recently troubled by memory loss, seems to have been trying its hand at wheel spins, but has become stuck in the mud.
The rover was rovering towards a pair of volcanic features named Von Braun and Goddard (Seattle Times) when it hit soft sand. As anyone who has tried to drive a car out of a muddy field will know trying to move often has the opposite effect, and it seems that Spirit’s controllers’ efforts to drive the rover out have actually embedded its five functioning wheels further. In fact the rover might have dug itself in so far that its belly is touching the rocks under the sand.
But at least it means that NASA scientists get a chance to play in a huge sandpit (press release). For the next few weeks, rover scientists are going to try and recreate the ground near Spirit and using a replica rover will try and find some way of manoeuvring the actual rover out of its sticky spot.
Until then, the rover will stay put. In fact, this could turn out to be the ultimate fate for Spirit. “If it is unable to move, Spirit could still perform some science, at least until winter arrives, when the sun is low on the horizon. It just wouldn't be a rover anymore,” the LA Times says.
Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech
