06-May-2004
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Mars Rover Arrival at Deeper Crater Provides a Tempting Eyeful
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A Crater of Clues to Mars' Buried Past
This approximate true-color image taken by the panoramic camera on the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows the impact crater known as "Endurance." Scientists are eager to explore Endurance for clues to the red planet's history. The crater's exposed walls provide a window to what lies beneath the surface of Mars and thus what geologic processes occurred there in the past. While recent studies of the smaller crater nicknamed "Eagle" revealed an evaporating body of salty water, that crater was not deep enough to indicate what came before the water. Endurance may be able to help answer this question, but the challenge is getting to the scientific targets: most of the crater's rocks are embedded in vertical cliffs. Rover planners are currently developing strategies to overcome this obstacle.
Presently, Opportunity is perched 40 centimeters (15.7 inches) away from the crater's edge. Endurance is roughly 130 meters (430 feet) across.
This image mosaic was taken by the panoramic camera's 480-, 530- and 750-nanometer filters on sols 97 and 98. It consists of a total of 258 individual images.
Image credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell
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'Endurance' Vs. 'Eagle'
This image is a portion of a previously released approximate true-color image (PIA05163) of the rocky outcrop lining the inner wall of "Eagle Crater." It was taken by the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's panoramic camera. Studies of this ridge revealed that it was once soaked in a body of salt water. Scientists are preparing to explore another larger and deeper crater called "Endurance" for signs of what geologic events preceded the salt water.
Image credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell
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A Precious Opportunity
This three-dimensional model superimposes the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity on one of its potential targets, a scientific treasure chest of martian rocks contained within the landing site, a crater on Meridiani Planum, Mars. The rover is placed on the rock outcrop for scale. Opportunity has not yet visited these rocks; it is currently still on its lander. Scientists plan to use the tools on the rover's instrument deployment device, or robotic "arm," to examine these rocks, which are about 10 centimeters (4 inches) high and approximately 8 meters (26 feet) away from the rover. The image of the terrain was acquired on Sol, or martian day, 2 of Opportunity's journey. This model was created using data from the rover's panoramic camera and is displayed using software developed by NASA's Ames Research Center.
Image credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell/Ames/Maas Digital LLC
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'Burns Cliff' Beckons
This approximate true-color image taken by the panoramic camera on the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity highlights a feature called "Burns Cliff" within the impact crater known as "Endurance." Scientists are eager to explore this layered ridge for clues to the red planet's past. The only problem is its location: Burns Cliff is a vertical drop, which poses an interesting challenge for rover planners. Burns Cliff was named after the late scientist Roger Burns, who was one of the first to correctly propose the importance of sulfate and jarosite to the study of Mars' geologic history.
This image is a portion of a larger mosaic taken with the panoramic camera's 480-, 530- and 750-nanometer filters on sols 97 and 98.
Image credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell
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'Endurance': A Daunting Challenge
This image shows the approximate size of the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity in comparison to the impressive impact crater dubbed "Endurance," which is roughly 130 meters (430 feet) across. A model of Opportunity has been superimposed on top of an approximate true-color image taken by the rover's panoramic camera. Scientists are eager to explore Endurance for clues to the red planet's history. The crater's exposed walls provide a window to what lies beneath the surface of Mars and thus what geologic processes occurred there in the past. While recent studies of the smaller crater nicknamed "Eagle" revealed an evaporating body of salty water, that crater was not deep enough to indicate what came before the water. Endurance may be able to help answer this question, but the challenge is getting to the scientific targets: most of the crater's rocks are embedded in vertical cliffs. Rover planners are developing strategies to overcome this obstacle.
This image is a portion of a larger mosaic taken with the panoramic camera's 480-, 530- and 750-nanometer filters on sols 97 and 98.
Image credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell
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'Karatepe': An Approachable Target
This approximate true-color image taken by the panoramic camera on the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity highlights a feature called "Karatepe" within the impact crater known as "Endurance." Scientists believe this layered band of rock may be a good place to begin studying Endurance because it is less steep and more approachable than the rest of the crater's rocky outcrops.
This image is a portion of a larger mosaic taken with the panoramic camera's 480-, 530- and 750-nanometer filters on sols 97 and 98.
Image credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell
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At the Edge of 'Endurance'
This image shows the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity at the end of its sol 95 drive to the edge of "Endurance Crater." The rover stopped within 40 centimeters (15.7 inches) of the crater's edge on its first approach, seen in this image. The terrain model in this image was generated with a special software program called the Rover Sequencing and Visualization Program. The program is used by rover drivers to simulate and safely plan the rover's approach path. Blank areas in the image denote missing data.
Image credit: NASA/JPL
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