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Monthly Archives: September 2018
MarCO makes space for small explorers
Twenty years ago, CubeSats — a class of boxy satellites small enough to fit in a backpack — were used by universities as a teaching aid. Simpler, smaller and cheaper than traditional satellites, they’ve made space more accessible to private … Continue reading
Posted in Reports
Tagged CubeSats, InSight, Interior Exploration Using Seismic Investigations Geodesy and Heat Transport, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, JPL, MarCO, Mars Cube One, NASA
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HiRISE: Rubicon Valles
Rubicon Valles. We dare you to cross this! Beautiful Mars series. [More at links]
Posted in Reports
Tagged Beautiful Mars, High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment, HiRISE, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, MRO, NASA, Rubicon Valles, University of Arizona
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Curiosity update: Go for drill at Inverness
Sols 2170-71, September 13, 2018, update by MSL scientist Catherine O’Connell: In our previous plan, we assessed the suitability of the Inverness target for drilling. We used APXS to determine if it fell within the required geochemical parameters, first brushing … Continue reading
Posted in Reports
Tagged Aeolis Mons, Black Isle, Curiosity, Gale Crater, Grange, Inverness, Mars Science Laboratory, Mount Sharp, MSL, Murray Formation, NASA, Pentland, Vera Rubin Ridge
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THEMIS: Dunes and Escorial Crater ejecta in false color
THEMIS Image of the Day, September 13, 2018. The ‘brown’ in this VIS image is part of the ejecta surrounding Escorial Crater. The material of the ejecta blanket is much more resistant to local winds and remains as a plateau … Continue reading
Posted in Reports
Tagged Arizona State University, ASU, dunes, Escorial Crater, Hyperboreae Undae, Mars Odyssey, NASA, north polar sand sea, sand dunes, THEMIS, THEMIS Image of the Day, Thermal Emission Imaging System
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MARCI weather report, September 3-9, 2018
Slightly hazy conditions continued across many regions of Mars last week. Near the start and end of the week, a couple small dust lifting events occurred over the low-latitudes of Noachis Terra. Looking to the eastern hemisphere, a transient local-scale … Continue reading
Posted in Reports
Tagged atmosphere, clouds, dust, dust storms, global dust storms, haze, Malin Space Science Systems, MARCI, Mars Color Imager, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, MRO, MSSS, NASA, storms, weather, wind
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Curiosity: Inverness gets the brush-off
Sol 2168, September 11, 2018. Before and after, by MAHLI: Inverness gets the brush-off as part of the drill-site assessment. Click either image to enlarge it. Sol 2168 raw images (from all cameras).
Posted in Reports
Tagged Aeolis Mons, Curiosity, Gale Crater, Inverness, Mars Science Laboratory, Mount Sharp, MSL, Murray Formation, NASA, Vera Rubin Ridge
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THEMIS: Siton Undae dunes in false color
THEMIS Image of the Day, September 12, 2018. The blue features in this VIS image are sand dunes located near Escorial Crater and the north polar cap. The dune field is called Siton Undae. The THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 … Continue reading
Posted in Reports
Tagged Arizona State University, ASU, dunes, Escorial Crater, Mars Odyssey, NASA, north polar sand sea, sand dunes, Siton Undae, THEMIS, THEMIS Image of the Day, Thermal Emission Imaging System
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Opportunity: A new listening plan
NASA Mars Exploration Rover Status Report, September 4, 2018: No signal from Opportunity has been heard since Sol 5111 (June 10, 2018), though NASA has approved a strategy for listening for the rover through January of 2019. It is expected … Continue reading
Posted in Reports
Tagged Cape Byron, Endeavour Crater, Mars Exploration Rover, MER, NASA, Opportunity, Perseverance Valley
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Curiosity update: Starting the drill campaign at ‘Inverness’
Sols 2168-69, September 11, 2018, update by MSL scientist Kristen Bennett: In the weekend plan Curiosity drove to an area that the team thought would be a good location for the next drill site on Vera Rubin Ridge. The drive … Continue reading
Posted in Reports
Tagged Aeolis Mons, Curiosity, Gale Crater, Inverness, Mars Science Laboratory, Mount Sharp, MSL, Murray Formation, NASA, Sandend, Skene, Stoneyburn, Vera Rubin Ridge
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THEMIS: Mesas, plains, craters in Terra Sabaea
THEMIS Image of the Day, September 11, 2018. This VIS image shows part of Terra Sabaea, including plains, craters, and mesas. The dark blue tones often indicate locations of basaltic sands. The THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data … Continue reading
Posted in Reports
Tagged Arizona State University, ASU, basaltic sand, craters, false color, Mars Odyssey, mesas, NASA, Terra Sabaea, THEMIS, THEMIS Image of the Day, Thermal Emission Imaging System
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