NASA's Durable Spirit Sends Intriguing New Images From Mars

[Lance]

NASA's Durable Spirit Sends Intriguing New Images From Mars

News Release: 2005-141 September 1, 2005

NASA's Durable Spirit Sends Intriguing New Images From Mars

Working atop a range of Martian hills, NASA's Spirit rover is rewarding researchers with tempting scenes filled with evidence of past planet environments.

"When the images came down and we could see horizon all the way around, that was every bit as exhilarating as getting to the top of any mountain I've climbed on Earth," said Chris Leger, a rover planner at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.

The summit sits 82 meters (269 feet) above the edge of the surrounding plains. It is 106 meters (348 feet) higher than the site where Spirit landed nearly 20 months ago. Spirit and twin rover, Opportunity, successfully completed their three-month prime missions in April 2004. They have inspected dozens of rocks and soil targets since then, continuing their pursuit of geological evidence about formerly wet conditions on Mars.

"Spirit has climbed to the hilltop and looked over the other side, but NASA did not do this just to say we can do it. The Mars rovers are addressing fundamental questions about Martian history and planetary environments," said NASA's Mars Exploration Program Director Doug McCuistion.

The crest of "Husband Hill" offers Spirit's views of possible routes into a basin to the south with apparently layered outcrops. Shortly after Spirit landed, it observed a cluster of seven hills about 3 kilometers (2 miles) east of its landing site. NASA proposed naming the range "Columbia Hills" in tribute to the last crew of Space Shuttle Columbia. The tallest of the hills commemorates Rick Husband, Columbia's commander.

Volcanic rocks covering the plain Spirit crossed on its way to the hills bore evidence of only slight alteration by water. When Spirit reached the base of the hills five months after landing, it immediately began finding rocks with wetter histories.

"This climb was motivated by science," said Steve Squyres of Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y. Squyres is principal investigator for the rovers' science instruments. "Every time Spirit has gained altitude, we've found different rock types. Also, we're doing what any field geologist would do in an area like this: climbing to a good vantage point for plotting a route."

Researchers are viewing possible routes south to apparently layered ledges and to a feature dubbed "home plate," which might be a plateau of older rock or a filled-in crater.

The landing site and the Columbia Hills are within Gusev Crater, a bowl about 150 kilometers (95 miles) in diameter. The crater was selected as the landing site for the Spirit rover because the shape of the terrain suggests the crater once held a lake. Volcanic deposits appear to have covered any sign of ancient lakebed geology out on the plain, but scientists say the hills expose older layers that have been lifted and tipped by a meteorite impact or other event.

"We're finding abundant evidence for alteration of rocks in a water environment," said Ray Arvidson of Washington University, St. Louis, Mo. Arvidson is deputy principal investigator for the rovers' science instruments. "What we want to do is figure out which layers were on top of which other layers. To do that it has been helpful to keep climbing for good views of how the layers are tilted to varying degrees. Understanding the sequence of layers is equivalent to having a deep drill core from drilling beneath the plains."

Both Spirit and Opportunity have been extremely successful. Their solar panels are generating plenty of energy thanks to repeated dust-cleaning events. Spirit has driven 4,827 meters (3.00 miles), and Opportunity 5,737 meters (3.56 miles).

JPL manages the Mars Exploration Rover project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. For images and information about the rovers and their discoveries on the Web, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/solarsystem/mer_main.html or http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov .

For information about NASA and agency programs on the Internet, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/home .

[MM_Dandy]

It's been almost two years since they landed? Amazing. WOOT for Spirit and Oppy!

[Animal]

I can not believe you people are falling for this supposed "lander". First they say that it will last only a few weeks. Then a few months. Now its been two years. I mean, really, people, give me a break.

You can tell that they just figured out that pictures from "Mars" excites people and brings in more money in the form of funding. They don't want the gravy train to end so they're keeping the "rover" going. Its all a shame. Anyone could do this in about 30 minutes with Photoshop.

[Lance]

Anyone could do this in about 30 minutes with Photoshop.

More than 30 minutes in PhotoShop

[Animal]

Anyone could do this in about 30 minutes with Photoshop.

More than 30 minutes in PhotoShop

Getting a bit slow with the Mouse, Mr. Admin, sir? I've heard that this is a common problem with certain males...

:P

[MM_Dandy]

Lance -- it looks like you even had time to get a shave and a hair cut somewhere between the first and second photos!

At least you got the coloring right.

[Animal]

I have studied the pictures that lance posted and have come to the inescapable conclussion that he ha intentionally done a shoddy job in an attempt to "prove" that the Rover pictures are real.

In point of fact he has shown clearly how easily the "mars" images were faked and we tax payers duped into giving NASA/JPL more money.

I also think that his inclusion of such wonton beefcake and cheesecake into a serious discussion is inappropriate.

[Lance]

10,000 Bonus Points

To anyone who can figure out where I took the image I used as the source for frame two. More of that is real than you may guess.

[Animal]

10,000 Bonus Points

To anyone who can figure out where I took the image I used as the source for frame two. More of that is real than you may guess.

[spoiler]Badwater Creek.

I can also tell from a detailed analysis that the original sign said "Elevation: 282' BELOW sea level", which is the lowest point in the western hemisphere.

Judging by the amount of perspiration I see, it was 130+ degrees when this was taken.[/spoiler]

I want my points delivered in small, non-sequential amounts.

[Lance]

Now what was the fun in that?

[Animal]

Que? Wasn't I supposed to guess?

[Lance]

But you kind of cheated, don't you think?

I was wondering if anyone would recognize it without looking at my travel pix.

[MM_Dandy]

I was going to guess that it was somewhere near Wall, SD.

[Animal]

10,000 Bonus Points

To anyone who can figure out where I took the image I used as the source for frame two. More of that is real than you may guess.

Lance,

You didn't say I should "guess". You said "figure out" which is something quite different than "guess". WooWoo's guess. Illuminati figure things out. To do that, real Illuminati gather as much evidence as possible, sift that evidence to cull all impossibilities, then arrive at a logical concussion.

My "guess" was that you didn't mis-label or fabricate a certain description. I could have been 100% wrong in that guess, but I figured things out logically and with a minimum of fuss.

This whole thing lends a lot of validity to my assertion that you so-called debunkers just can't get over the fact that other people have a more logical bent than you and can grasp contradictory evidence and come to a conclusion. You debunkers merely regurgitate what you have heard from others.

Animal

[Lance]

*sigh*

You win.

[MM_Dandy]

You debunkers merely regurgitate what you have heard from others.l

Huh, that's on page 5 of Debunking for Dummies. Go figure.

[Animal]

You debunkers merely regurgitate what you have heard from others.l

Huh, that's on page 5 of Debunking for Dummies. Go figure.

I fail to see the relevence or even the humor in this statement. Once again you so-called 'debunkers' hide behind slanders an ill founded personal assurtions instead of applying logic.

Animal

[Halcyon Dayz, FCD]

And you woo-woos often sound like broken records.

[Animal]

And you woo-woos often sound like broken records.

Again with the unsubstantiated generalizations and personal attacks. I have never repeated myself and therefore can not be compared to a broken record.

But let's focus on what started this.

I have studied the pictures that lance posted and have come to the inescapable conclussion that he ha intentionally done a shoddy job in an attempt to "prove" that the Rover pictures are real.

In point of fact he has shown clearly how easily the "mars" images were faked and we tax payers duped into giving NASA/JPL more money.

I also think that his inclusion of such wonton beefcake and cheesecake into a serious discussion is inappropriate.

Animal

[Halcyon Dayz, FCD]

So you are saying that NASA and JPL and EVERYBODY working
there is a fraud and in it for the money?

[Animal]

So you are saying that NASA and JPL and EVERYBODY working
there is fraud and in it for the money?

Absolutely not! That's a ridiculous suggestion. I am saying that they are doups. All of these people at NASA and JPL only know what their computers tell them.

Animal

[Мастер]

I am saying that they are doups.

a.k.a. "dupes"

[Animal]

spelling nazi.

[Frogmarch]

I think that it would be stupid to pretend that a rover was working and sending back pictures if it wasn't but I dare say that said pictures are put in the public arena for PR perposes.


why shouldn't a rover work after all this time. good batteries no water in the atmosphere, they should last for years.

[Мастер]

spelling nazi.

Misspelling nazi.