Re: Mars Exploration Rover Update - April 8, 2005

> The Duck wrote: 
On Mon, 11 Apr 2005 12:07:21 -0700, baalke wrote:


http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status.html

SPIRIT UPDATE: Spirit Switchbacking Uphill - sol 442-448, April 08,
2005

Spirit continues slipping in sandy terrain but forges ahead using
crafty
techniques such as switchbacking and creating a zigzag course.

Sol-by-sol summaries:

Sol 442 (March 31, 2005):
Spirit drove successfully uphill for 12.6 meters (41.3 feet). At the
start of the drive, Spirit averaged a 42.7 percent slip, but this
quickly improved. In the last 3 meters (10 feet), Spirit only slipped
14.6 percent. The average slip for the drive was 17.6 percent.


and so on...

Can somebody please tell me what a 'sol-by-sol' summary is? Does 'sol'
stand for a solar day (on Earth or on Mars)?

"Sol" is a Martian day ... about 37 minutes (I think :-) longer than an Earth day. The early press releases talked about this but now it is sort of standard. Your implication is right though, they need a acronym list or an FAQ that explains the use of the term "Sol" ...


The Duck. 
.

Relevant Pages