Mars Rover finds it tough in martian sand
13 May 2005
by Richard Conan-Davies
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Roving around on Mars for a year you are bound to run into a few sandy spots eventually, some a bit trickery than others. NASA/JPL technician are practicing maneuvers on a mock up of sand and a second rover here on Earth to try and come up with the best moves to send to the Opportunity Rover on Mars that is slipping on the martian sand. Jim Erickson, rover project manager at JPL, explained "We choose to proceed cautiously, so we don't expect to begin actually driving out of the dune before next week, possibly later," Having driven about 40 meters of a planned 90-meter journey, Opportunity's wheels began slipping and ended up positioned across a ridge of soft sand that is about one-third meter tall and 2.5 meters wide. "We've climbed over dozens of ripples, but this one is different in that it seems to be a little taller and to have a steeper slope, about 15 degrees on part of its face," said Mark Maimone, a JPL rover mobility engineer. |
 Technicians test out the duplicate rover in the lab to see what might happen next. image: NASA/JPL |
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