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A Standing Ovation For Spirit's Stand-up

January 09, 2004

Engineers in mission control cheer as they receive confirmation that Spirit has successfully achieved the first two steps of stand-up.
Engineers in mission control cheer as they receive confirmation that Spirit has successfully achieved the first two steps of stand-up.
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Amidst the hypnotic cadence of Bob Marley's inspirational reggae tune "Get-up, Stand-up," engineers in mission control cheered the successful completion of the first two stages of Spirit's stand-up maneuver.

"This was intense!" exclaimed Chris Voorhees, Lead Mechanical Engineer for stand-up. "This is like Spirit's birth - it's getting up on its legs for the first time."


Picture of Chris Voorhees in mission control.
Chris Voorhees in mission control.
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Like labor, stand-up comes in stages and after each "contraction" or command, engineers must verify that their baby is still kicking. The complicated, four-part exercise transforms the rover from a folded-up, tightly packed bundle of wheels, latches, and actuators into a fully-functioning vehicle that is ready to rove.

"I like to call it robotic origami," said Chris. "By the end of tonight, we'll be half-way through the process of becoming a rover."


This diagram graphically depicts the transition of the front wheels from their stowed, inverted position to their final driving position.
This diagram graphically depicts the transition of the front wheels from their stowed, inverted position to their final driving position.
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Stand Up: Part I & II

This first half of rover stand-up consisted of raising Spirit up on a lift, which took about ten minutes. Then, within 15 seconds, with the help of two motorized deployment mechanisms (one on each side of the rocker bogie suspension system), the front wheels flipped out and over from an inverted position to their latched driving position.


This diagram demonstrates how the two back wheels will
This diagram demonstrates how the two back wheels will "drive" to pull themselves out seven inches.
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The third and fourth steps of Spirit's journey to a fully mobile rover happened after positive confirmation of the first two steps. At that point, the lift mechanism that supported the rover was retracted, and the front wheels were set down. These actions allowed Spirit to stand on her own and hold her own weight.

"This is a lot like lowering and removing a car jack after changing a tire. Spirit will now be completely on her own after her middle wheels are released," explains Chris.

Once the rover was secured, pyrotechnic devices fired to release the two back wheels. The wheels "drove" on a small cogged platform that pulled them out seven inches toward the back of the rover so that Spirit is stable on all six legs.


Now stretched out and ready to roll, Spirit should be feeling a little more comfortable and ready for the challenging mission that lies ahead.

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