|
Collection:
|
|
NASA Planetary Photo Journal Collection
Collection
NASA Planetary Photo Journal Collection
Collection
|
|
Title:
|
|
Rover touchdown on Martian surface
Title
Rover touchdown on Martian surface
Title
|
|
Original Caption Released with Image:
|
|
This picture taken by the IMP (Imager for Mars Pathfinder) aboard the Mars Pathfinder spacecraft depicts the rover Sojourner's position after driving onto the Martian surface. Sojourner has become the first autonomous robot ever to traverse the surface of Mars. This image reflects the success of Pathfinder's principle objective -- to place a payload on Mars in a safe, operational configuration.
The primary mission of Sojourner, scheduled to last seven days, will be to use its Alpha Proton X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) instrument to determine the elements that make up the rocks and soil on Mars. A full study using the APXS takes approximately ten hours, and can measure all elements except hydrogen at any time of the Martian day or night. The APXS will conduct its studies by bombarding rocks and soil samples with alpha particle radiation -- charged particles equivalent to the nucleus of a helium atom, consisting of two protons and two neutrons.
Mars Pathfinder is the second in NASA's Discovery program of low-cost spacecraft with highly focused science goals. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, developed and manages the Mars Pathfinder mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C.
Original_Caption_Rel eased_with_Image
This picture taken by the IMP (Imager for Mars Pathfinder) aboard the Mars Pathfinder spacecraft depicts the rover Sojourner's position after driving onto the Martian surface. Sojourner has become the first autonomous robot ever to traverse the surface of Mars. This image reflects the success of Pathfinder's principle objective -- to place a payload on Mars in a safe, operational configuration.
The primary mission of Sojourner, scheduled to last seven days, will be to use its Alpha Proton X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) instrument to determine the elements that make up the rocks and soil on Mars. A full study using the APXS takes approximately ten hours, and can measure all elements except hydrogen at any time of the Martian day or night. The APXS will conduct its studies by bombarding rocks and soil samples with alpha particle radiation -- charged particles equivalent to the nucleus of a helium atom, consisting of two protons and two neutrons.
Mars Pathfinder is the second in NASA's Discovery program of low-cost spacecraft with highly focused science goals. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, developed and manages the Mars Pathfinder mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C.
Original Caption Released with Image
|
|
Addition Date:
|
|
1997-07-06
Addition_Date
1997-07-06
Addition Date
|
|
Produced By:
|
|
JPL
Produced_By
JPL
Produced By
|
|
Mission:
|
|
Mars Pathfinder (MPF)
Mission
Mars Pathfinder (MPF)
Mission
|
|
Spacecraft:
|
|
Mars Pathfinder Lander
Spacecraft
Mars Pathfinder Lander
Spacecraft
|
|
Target Name:
|
|
Mars
Target_Name
Mars
Target Name
|
|
Is a satellite of:
|
|
Sol (our sun)
Is_a_satellite_of
Sol (our sun)
Is a satellite of
|
|
Instrument:
|
|
Imager for Mars Pathfinder
Instrument
Imager for Mars Pathfinder
Instrument
|
|
Product Size:
|
|
471 samples x 285 lines
Product_Size
471 samples x 285 lines
Product Size
|
|
Primary Data Set:
|
|
MARS_PATHFINDER_PAGE
Primary_Data_Set
MARS_PATHFINDER_PAGE
Primary Data Set
|
|
Producer ID:
|
|
P48841
MRPS81302
Producer_ID
P48841
MRPS81302
Producer ID
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Sun
facet_what
Sun
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Spectrometer
facet_what
Spectrometer
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Mars
facet_what
Mars
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Imager
facet_what
Imager
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Mars Pathfinder
facet_what
Mars Pathfinder
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
MPF
facet_what
MPF
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Mars Pathfinder Lander
facet_what
Mars Pathfinder Lander
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Imager for Mars Pathfinder
facet_what
Imager for Mars Pathfinder
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Alpha Proton X-ray Spectrometer
facet_what
Alpha Proton X-ray Spectrometer
facet_what
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
facet_where
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
facet_where
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
Mars
facet_where
Mars
facet_where
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
Washington
facet_where
Washington
facet_where
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
Washington, D.C.
facet_where
Washington, D.C.
facet_where
|
|
Image #:
|
|
PIA00623
|
|
UID:
|
|
SPD-PHOTJ-PIA00623
UID
SPD-PHOTJ-PIA00623
UID
|
|
orignial url:
|
orignial_url
orignial url
|
