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NASA Will Attempt to Clear Way for Mars Rover

Posted on: Friday, 9 January 2004, 06:00 CST

Jan. 9--PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA engineers planned a final attempt late today to reel in puffy air bag fabric that poses a potential obstruction to the Spirit Mars rover as it rolls onto the planet's rocky terrain for the first time.

The much-anticipated "roll off" from its landing platform is tentatively planned for the middle of next week.

However, if the overnight retraction is not successful, the maneuver may have to be postponed for several days while mission planners prepare Spirit to drive off its perch in another direction.

"I think everyone is in agreement. We want to egress in the safest direction. There is just no other answer," said NASA's Matt Wallace, a Spirit mission manager. "There is risk inherent in getting off the lander."

NASA would like to proceed without delay so the experts can turn their attention to Opportunity, Spirit's twin rover on course to land on Mars on Jan. 24. That landing site is halfway around the planet from Spirit.

Since bouncing onto the Martian terrain Saturday night, the $410 million Spirit has been sitting on a lander about 2 feet above the ground. The spacecraft's descent was slowed by parachute, and the impact with the ground was cushioned by two dozen air bags that inflated moments before touchdown in Mars' Gusev Crater.

Post-landing computer commands were designed to deflate and reel in the air bags. However, the process left some of the fabric puffed up in front of Spirit.

Without adequate clearance, the fabric could snare the rover's solar arrays or the robot arm in front that holds key science instruments.

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(c) 2004, Houston Chronicle. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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