Spirit Rover at Engineering Flats on Mars
Explanation:
Is it art?
If so, the paintbrush was the
Spirit robotic rover,
the canvas was the
soil on Mars,
and the
artists were the
scientists and engineers
of the Mars Exploration Rover Mission.
This
panoramic picture, created in 2004 and shown above compressed horizontally,
was mostly unintentional -- the
MERS
team was primarily instructing Spirit to investigate rocks in and around
Hank's Hollow in a location called
Engineering Flats on Mars.
After creating the ground display with its treads, the
Spirit rover was instructed to
photograph the area along with itself in
shadow.
In 2010 as winter approaches in northern Mars, Spirit, still
mired in sand,
has been
placed in an energy saving "hibernating" mode until
spring arrives and more direct sunlight might be used to
power the robotic explorer.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
