Back in early February, 2022 in the world, about sol 341 for the life time of Perseverance on Mars, a rock wound up in the rovers left front wheel. The rock has actually now been riding around with the rover for over 100 sols. NASA states the rock isnt doing any damage, and the rover team approximates the rock has now traveled more than 8.5 kilometers (5.3 miles) from its initial place.
Why does a Mars rover have a rock in among its wheels? Perhaps its due to the fact that a rover doesnt have pockets.
Who amongst us hasnt chosen up an excellent rock, brought it around, maybe waited for a long period of time, or even put it someplace safe or special? The Perseverance rover is doing simply that, having actually brought a random Mars rock in its wheel for rather a long time.
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Planetary researcher Paul Byrne did create a potential down-side to the rock in the wheel:
Back in early February, 2022 on Earth, about sol 341 for the lifetime of Perseverance on Mars, a rock ended up in the rovers left front wheel. The rock has now been riding around with the rover for over 100 sols. NASA states the rock isnt doing any damage, and the rover group approximates the rock has actually now taken a trip more than 8.5 kilometers (5.3 miles) from its original location.
Perhaps the microphone on Perseverance can record a few of that frustrating grinding, clanking noise?
As Eleni Ravanis, a trainee collaborator with the Perseverance mission from University of Hawai?i at M?no, writes in a NASA blog site post, this is not the very first time a rock has ridden on a Mars rover objective. Over 18 years earlier, the Spirit rover picked up a “potato-sized” rock in its best rear wheel, and throughout the Curiosity rover objective, numerous rocks have actually gotten lodged or discovered its method inside the wheels.
” While its uncertain exactly the length of time these rocks stuck around,” composed Ravanis, “they tended to hop off after a few weeks. Perseverances existing companion is for that reason on its way to setting Mars hitch-hiking records!”
Perhaps pet rocks are a popular fad on Mars.
This image from early March 2022 shows NASAs Perseverance Rover has a rock going along for a trip in among its wheels. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
The rock appears in various images taken by the rover, especially in photos taken by the Left Hazard Avoidance Camera. Scientists and engineers for the objective are certainly watching on the rock, wanting to see where and when the rock may fall out.
” If it does so, it will land among rocks that we anticipate to be really different from itself,” Ravaini stated. “As one of our employee quipped today, “we may puzzle a future Mars geologist who finds it out of location!”
Lead image caption: NASAs Mars Perseverance rover obtained this image of a rock inside the rovers wheel, along with the area in front of it utilizing its onboard Front Left Hazard Avoidance Camera A. This image was acquired on May 26, 2022 (Sol 449) at the regional mean solar time of 15:39:48. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
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A quick pointer that, for some time now, @NASAPersevere has had a rock stuck in its front left wheel.The rock does not seem to posture any problems.But take a minute to consider the dreadful grinding sound that thing makes as it moves around each time the rover relocations. pic.twitter.com/oqaxx1U66c— Paul Byrne (@ThePlanetaryGuy) June 5, 2022
Lead image caption: NASAs Mars Perseverance rover got this image of a rock inside the rovers wheel, along with the area in front of it utilizing its onboard Front Left Hazard Avoidance Camera A. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech