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1536 - A closer look at the broken bedrock
(lemmy.world)
MastCam-Z at full zoom checks out the fractured bedrock where the rover tried to core a few days ago. I've processed the image to pull out the details as the raw image was a little over exposed. Hope that they acquire some SuperCam close-ups :) Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
Two whole sols with absolutely no images on the server. And this is far from the first time we've seen this in 2025.
Maybe we should send these volunteers to sniff and taste the damned fragments for us, it might get to be more efficient. 🤬
I'm assuming the delay is due to engineering checks on the drill and it's electrical circuits. One of those broken plates appears to have been wedged between between a drill support, and the coring bit. If it was wedged tightly, the sudden additional load on the drill motor may have tripped the rotation of the drill, or if it tripped because the sensors in the robotic arm detected the movement that we can see in the image set.
Whatever it was, I'm assuming that they will need to check out the hardware and electric systems. JPL can communicate in direct mode to the rover rather than through the orbiters for engineering activities. We we would normally be able to see that direct communication on the DSN, but each time I have checked it today there has been zero communications activity from any of the mission missions. that's either a fault or it's another cutback.
DSN: https://eyes.nasa.gov/apps/dsn-now/dsn.html
BTW I'll volunteer to go and check out those fractured rocks. I just need a ride ;)