Slightly concerning update about #MarsHelicopter
It performed another popup flight for localization after Flight 71 ended prematurely. However, during descent the communications with the heli were lost prematurely.
In theory such a loss of contact should have happened before due to the heli landing behind an obstacle, blocking radio communications. This LOS was apparently unexpected.
Voici Valinor Hills, le champ de dunes qui tapisse le fond de l'ancienne rivière Neretva où repose pour toujours Ingenuity 🚁
Cette mosaïque de 3 images a été acquise ce matin par la caméra SuperCam 🇫🇷🇺🇸 à bord du rover Perseverance.
Perseverance rover is checking out the condition of its systems after solar conjunction. In this image we can see the rover's 'Bit Carousel' (image center). The rover acquired this photo using its SHERLOC WATSON camera, located on the turret at the end of the rover's robotic arm. The raw image was acquired on December 2, 2023 (Sol 990) at the local mean solar time of 11:45. NASA/JPL-Caltech #PerseveranceRover#Marsrover#Mars#NASA#JPL
Here is a 2.38 billion pixel 360° mosaic taken by Mars rover Perseverance from a location named “Airey Hill”, where the rover was parked during the recent solar conjunction.
Mounted on the crossbeam in the back above the RTG power source is a plate with some interesting markings and a coded message.
Let's take a closer look at the graphic on that plate.
(Yes, the mosaic has not been put together very well.)
At the top of the metal plate on Mars rover Perseverance are 3 silicon chips containing 10.9 million names of Mars enthusiasts.
In the center is a graphic of the Sun, Earth and Mars. The Sun’s rays feature a message in Morse code.
The dots and dashes of the Morse code are written as short and long radial dashes.
Some letters use two adjacent rays.
An example of one of the letters is shown below.
Can you decode the rest?
The #Ingenuity#MarsHelicopter, which made history by flying on another planet, has ended its mission after three years and dozens more flights than planned.
NASA's Viking mission landed two spacecraft on Mars in 1976, Viking landers 1 and 2. This video by Tom Dahl describes the lander's Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs).
Cette photo est une mosaïque de 8 images acquises aujourd'hui par Perseverance avec sa caméra de navigation 📷
Le rover se dirige vers une zone riche en carbonates en longeant le lit asséché de la rivière Neretva.
L'horizon diffus témoigne que l'atmosphère est très poussiéreuse. Une tempête de poussière est en effet passé sur le cratère Jezero il y a quelques semaines. https://www.flickr.com/photos/thomasappere/53617450798/in/dateposted-public/
A deeply eroded giant volcano, active from ancient through recent times and with possible remnants of glacier ice near its base, had been hiding near Mars’ equator in plain sight. Its discovery points to an exciting new place to search for life, and a potential destination for future robotic and human exploration.
Now that Mars rovers and orbiters are communicating again with earth after the recent Solar Mars Conjunction event, rover Perseverance seems to be inspecting its instruments and getting ready to collect more rock samples.
This is a pic of the upper door of Percy's Bit Carousel, from where drill bits and sample tubes are picked by the robotic arm and where sample-filled tubes are deposited.
Let's take a deeper look at the rover's Sampling and Caching System.
This was taken on Ingenuity's 70th flight which was on Sol-1009 (December 22, 2023). The camera was pointing south-west looking through the center of the Neretva Vallis river flow channel which carried rushing flows of liquid water and sediment that ultimately formed the Jezero Crater river delta billions of years ago. #Ingenuity#MarsHelicopter#JPL#Mars2020#NASA#Mars#Space#PerseveranceRover
My family really does get me. Depending on how you count, this is either one big gift or 1,132 little gifts. ;) Now I have to clear some table space. #LEGO#perseverance#Mars 🚀
A mission to Mars will put unprecedented stress on the team of astronauts.
The trip will bring more psychological and interpersonal pressures from being away from home for multiple years and being confined with a small group of people for a long period of time.
The Ingenuity team has nicknamed the spot where the helicopter completed its final flight “Valinor Hills” after the fictional location in J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy novels, which include “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy.
20 years ago, on Jan 4, 2004, at 04:35 UTC, Mars rover Spirit landed on Mars. It was followed 3 weeks later by its twin rover Opportunity.
Like other NASA overachievers, Spirit breezed thru its prime mission of 3 months and continued exploration until 2010.
Its demise came when it got stuck in soft sand on May 1, 2009. It continued operating as a stationary lander until March 22, 2010, when it lost power and comms. The mission officially ended on May 24, 2011.