Media Information

 
 
 
Collection:
NASA Planetary Photo Journal Collection
Title:
Circular Signs of the Rock Abrasion Tool
Original Caption Released with Image:
This image was taken by Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's front hazard-avoidance camera, providing a circular sign of the success of the rover's first grinding of a rock. The round, shallow hole seen in this image is on a rock dubbed "McKittrick," located in the "El Capitan" area of the larger outcrop near Opportunity's landing site.

Opportunity used its rock abrasion tool to grind off a patch of rock 45.5 millimeters (1.8 inches) in diameter during the 30th martian day, or sol, of its mission (Feb. 23, 2004). The grinding exposed fresh rock for close inspection by the rover's microscopic imager and two spectrometers located on its robotic arm. The Honeybee Robotics team, which designed and operates the rock abrasion tool, determined the depth of the cut at "McKittrick" to be 4.4 millimeters (0.17 inches) deep.

On sol 34 (Feb. 27, 2004), the rover is scheduled to grind into its second target on the "El Capitan" area, a rock dubbed "Guadalupe" in the upper middle part of this image. The rock abrasion tools on both Mars Exploration Rovers were supplied by Honeybee Robotics, New York, N.Y.
Image Credit:
NASA/JPL
Produced By:
JPL
Mission:
Mars Exploration Rover (MER)
Spacecraft:
Opportunity
Target Name:
Mars
Is a satellite of:
Sol (our sun)
Instrument:
Hazard Identification Camera
Instrument:
Rock Abrasion Tool (RAT)
Product Size:
1024 samples x 1024 lines
facet_what:
Sun
facet_what:
Mars
facet_what:
Opportunity
facet_what:
Imager
facet_what:
Microscopic Imager
facet_what:
Rock Abrasion Tool
facet_what:
RAT
facet_what:
Hazard-identificatio n Camera
facet_what:
Hazard-Avoidance Camera
facet_what:
Mars Exploration Rover (MER)
facet_where:
Mars
facet_where:
New York
facet_where:
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
Image #:
PIA05459
UID:
SPD-PHOTJ-PIA05459
orignial url:

Circular Signs of the Rock Abrasion Tool