# Presentation: 945343

## Mars Exploration Rover Mission

**Mars Exploration Rover Mission**

**Week in Review               **
**March 27 - April 2**

**Spirit               and Opportunity **

## Scientists working on Spirit spent the majority of the week mulling over Mazatzal.

** ****03/27/04**

**Scientists working on Spirit spent the majority of the week mulling over Mazatzal.**

**Notes:**
 'Mazatzal' Before the Grind

This approximate true-color image taken by the panoramic camera on the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit shows the rock dubbed "Mazatzal" before the rover drilled into it with its rock abrasion tool. Image Credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell

## contained fluids from which minerals precipitated along its walls. 

***The crack seen in this false color microscopic image may have once ***
***contained fluids from which minerals precipitated along its walls.****** ***

**Scientists began to understand how Mazatzal formed by studying the differences between the brushed, clean surface (right) and the dust-covered surface (left).**

**Notes:**
This enhanced-color image taken by the microscopic imager on the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit on sol 79 shows the rock dubbed "Mazatzal" after a portion of its surface was brushed clean by the rover's rock abrasion tool. The reddish material on the right side of the image is the original dust coating. The darker, grayer surface on the left side was exposed after brushing. The crack in the rock may have once contained fluids from which minerals precipitated along its walls. The color in this image was created by combining pictures taken with the microscopic imager's orange-tinted dust cover in both its open and closed positions. 

Image credit: NASA/JPL/USGS/Cornell

## After Spirit brushed the surface of two targets, 

**After Spirit brushed the surface of two targets, **
**the rock abrasion tool (RAT) ground into **
**the area to the left dubbed “New York.”**

**Notes:**
On sol 82, Spirit ground into a circular patch of the rock called "New York," then repeated this operation on sol 85 to complete the hole. Several observations were made during this grinding process with the rover's suite of scientific instruments. Preliminary results suggest that fluid may have been present during Mazatzal's formation. Images from the panoramic camera's blue, green and red filters (480, 530 and 600-nanometer filters) were combined to make this picture. 

## Because the rock was rough, the RAT had to drill

***sol 85 (March 30, 2004 )***

**Because the rock was rough, the RAT had to drill**
**twice in order to grind away the right side of the**
**target and complete an even hole.**

**Notes:**
After the First Grind
This mosaic of four images from the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's Microscopic Imager shows a target called "New York" on the surface of "Mazatzal." The image was acquired on sol 82 of the rover's mission after the rover ground into the left half of the target. The right side of the target has been brushed but not drilled. Later, on sol 85, the rover ground the right side to complete the hole. Each image making up this mosaic is 3 centimeters (1.2 inches across).

After the Final Grind
This mosaic of four images from the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's microscopic imager shows a target called "New York" on the surface of "Mazatzal." The image was acquired on sol 85 after the rover drilled into New York a second time with its rock abrasion tool. Remnants of the dark grey coating that covers Mazatzal's interior can be seen at the right side of the hole. The crack in the rock may have once contained fluids out of which minerals precipitated. Each image making up this mosaic is 3 centimeters (1.2 inches) across. 

Image credit: NASA/JPL/USGS/Cornell

## What minerals are in the rock?

**Spirit,**
** ****03/31/04**

***Art on Mars:  The Rat Daisy***

**What minerals are in the rock?**

**To find out, the rock abrasion tool brushed six times, creating a dust-free zone that’s big enough for the mini-TES instrument to measure minerals.**

**Notes:**
NASA's Spirit took this image after the rover's rock abrasion tool had brushed for three minutes on each of six locations on the rock named "Mazatzal" to create a flower-shaped mosaic. The goal for this operation was to create a brushed area big enough for the miniature thermal emission spectrometer to capture within one of its pixels,which are 11 centimeters (4.3 inches) in diameter at the distance between the rock and the instrument. Because the rock abrasion tool creates individual brushed areas only about 5 centimeters (2 inches) in diameter, the team designed this six-location series of tool placements in order to brush 92 percent to 95 percent of the spectrometer's pixel size. This operation was only the second time the rock abrasion tool has created a brushing mosaic. The first time was a three-spot brushing on the rock called “Humphrey.” The brush was originally designed to be used as an aide during full grinding operations, however it has been very effective in brushing the top layer off of dusty martian rocks to allow scientists a multi-depth look into the rocks on Mars. 

Image credit: NASA/JPL

## Mini-TES revealed that the surface coating of Mazatzal is made up of different minerals than its interior.

**Spirit,**
**3/31/04**

**Mini-TES revealed that the surface coating of Mazatzal is made up of different minerals than its interior.**

**Notes:**
This graph shows the infrared light signatures, or spectra, of the rock dubbed "Mazatzal" before and after it was brushed clean with the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's rock abrasion tool. The comparison reveals that the surface coating of Mazatzal is of a different mineralogical make-up than its interior. 

Image credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell/ASU

## Meanwhile, Opportunity spent its first week outside of Eagle Crater, where it had been examining the rock outcrop and soil since it landed on January 24, 2004.

**Meanwhile, Opportunity spent its first week outside of Eagle Crater, where it had been examining the rock outcrop and soil since it landed on January 24, 2004.**

## Opportunity drove away from the crater to the largest rock scientists could see on the extensive martian plains.

**03/30/04**

**Opportunity drove away from the crater to the largest rock scientists could see on the extensive martian plains.**

**Notes:**
This panoramic camera image shows "Bounce Rock," a rock the airbag-packaged rover struck while rolling to a stop on January 24, 2004. This is the largest rock for as far as the eye can see, approximately 35 centimeters (14 inches) long and 10 centimeters (4 inches) high. There appears to be a dusty coating on the top of parts of the rock, which may have been broken when it was struck by the airbags. The rock was about 5 meters (16 feet) from the rover when this image was obtained. This is an enhanced color composite image, generated using the camera's L2 (750 nanometer), L5 (530 nanometer), and L6 (480 nanometer) filters. 

Image credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell 

## Scientists named it “Bounce Rock” because the airbag-covered rover actually hit this large, lone rock during landing!

**Scientists named it “Bounce Rock” because the airbag-covered rover actually hit this large, lone rock during landing!**

## Opportunity’s airbag impact on Bounce Rock apparently caused the rock to move...

**03/31/04**

**Opportunity’s airbag impact on Bounce Rock apparently caused the rock to move...**

**...****as seen by the gap and cracks in the soil around the rock.**

## Throughout the week, scientists and engineers barraged Bounce Rock with Opportunity’s science instruments to see what it is made of.

***Microscopic image of Bounce Rock ***
***pre-RAT, 3/31/04***

**Panoramic camera image of Bounce Rock **
**post-RAT, 4/1/04**

**Throughout the week, scientists and engineers barraged Bounce Rock with Opportunity’s science instruments to see what it is made of.**

**Results are pending.**

## Opportunity will continue to study Bounce Rock and then roll on to Endurance Crater, which is about a half-mile away.

**COMING UP!**

**Opportunity will continue to study Bounce Rock and then roll on to Endurance Crater, which is about a half-mile away.**

**After finishing its studies of Mazatzal, Spirit said “bye-bye” to Bonneville crater and is on a long haul toward the Columbia Hills (over a mile away).**

**Notes:**
Next Stop: 'Endurance'

This previously released Opportunity image (PIA05229) shows the terrain surrounding the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity at Meridiani Planum, Mars. On sol 57 (March 22, 2004), the rover rolled out of 'Eagle Crater' -- its home since landing over two months ago -- and is now headed for a larger crater nicknamed 'Endurance' seen to the right of the image. The journey, covering about 750 meters (2461 feet), is expected to take weeks if not months. Remnants of the rover's landing are also shown, including its lander; backshell and parachute; first bounce mark; and the site where its heat shield impacted the surface. The image was taken by the camera on the Mars Global Surveyor orbiter. 

Image credit: NASA/JPL/MSSS

To the Hills! (SPIRIT)

This image shows the rocky road the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit will travel to reach its ultimate destination - the Columbia Hills. The hills, seen here in the background, are located 2.3 kilometers (1.4 miles) away to the southeast. Rover planners estimate the journey will take about two months, or 60 sols, including stops at interesting targets along the way. As of sol 81 (March 26, 2004), Spirit has traveled 492 meters (1614 feet).