Spirit sends a picture!!!

[Unbunker]

Woohoo!! I'm sure spirit isn't up and running 100% but a picture is good news on the road to recovery!

http://origin.mars5.jpl.nasa.gov/gal...20040128a.html

[The Bad Astronomer]

That is excellent news! =D>

I am heading down to JPL for a non-Mars meeting in a couple of weeks, and I am hoping to stop by the Mars center. If I can, I'll post some pix.

[Unbunker]

That would be really cool, I'm so jealous! [-(

[Sparks]

That would be really cool, I'm so jealous! [-(

Seconded Phil, ya lucky so-and-so

[Snowdog]

Did I read that caption correctly? Spirit's Moessbauer spectrometer has been leaning against a rock this entire time while they try to work out the software issues? Wasn't that some cause for concern? I've not even cursory knowledge of Martian weather or surface conditions, but does the precariousness of that position strike the better informed here as at least a little risky?

[Amadeus]

Did I read that caption correctly? Spirit's Moessbauer spectrometer has been leaning against a rock this entire time while they try to work out the software issues? Wasn't that some cause for concern? I've not even cursory knowledge of Martian weather or surface conditions, but does the precariousness of that position strike the better informed here as at least a little risky?

I think it would be better than have the spectrometer out in the open getting scratch by dust in the air. If its against the rock that might have sheilded it a bit.

Of course we all know that the "rock" is actual the top of a huge pyramid shaped nuclear reator/scrap metal maker. And the static charge from touching it shorted the rover.