Old age creeping up on Mars Rovers

William Atkins
Monday, 26 November 2007 05:24

Science - Space

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Opportunity is unable to use its infrared spectrometer, a device that measures infrared radiation, because it has become obscured by dust. Engineers with the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) program are investigating how to remove the dust and get it working again.

The rock abrasion tool (RAT), which is a rock grinding tool, is being used on Opportunity without its computer encoder, a device that transfers computer code into usable data, which stopped showing the movements of the grinding head. Computer programmers wrote new software to bypass the faulty encoder.

Another encoder on Opportunity, which monitors a brush that clears away dust on the RAT, had broken down. Engineers solved the problem, but in doing so, bent back the bristles on the brush. They are considering whether it can be safely used or not in that condition.

The right front wheel of Opportunity has stopped spinning and turning. Its other three wheels are working without it.

A motor on Opportunity that moves its arm at its shoulder joint is worked at less torque (rotating force) than normal.

SPIRIT

The right front wheel of Spirit has a broken motor. It is moving in reverse and dragging the bad wheel.

Spirit had a problem with its RAT, like Opportunity’s RAT, which involves its computer being unable to determine if the grinder head is moving or not. Computer programmers also wrote new software to solve the grinding tool problem.

OLD AGE or DUST

Within the New Scientist article “Mars rover hobbled as instruments show their age,” the two rovers look to be limited only by how long their components function before wearing out, and not by what was originally expected to be their limiting factors: dust accumulating on their solar panels, thus, reducing their power generating ability, which was thought would decrease their ability to survive the cold winters on Mars.

Project manager John Callas, of the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, is hopeful that the two rovers can still remain active for several more years, despite their age-related problems. He states, "I'm planning to keep these rovers going for years more. They're still very effective robotic geologists." [New Scientist]

This article is based on the November 16, 2007 New Scientist article mentioned earlier [subscription required].

More information on the MER mission is found at: http://mars5.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html