NASA sends software update to fix failure … – Trade

Share

Rate Article

descricion

Outraged 0

Sad 0

preference 0

Surprised 1

Content 0

The robot Curiosity NASA spent more than two and a half years on the surface of Mars , achieving important part of its scientific objectives. But the weather on Mars has generated certain problems on the rover, one of which was solved by an update of software.

“Last November we discovered that a small laser used to focus the telescope ChemCam (one of the instrumental aboard Curiosity) had failed,” said Roger Wiens, director of instruments Los Alamos National Laboratory NASA .

“Without this laser ChemCam was something blind . The main laser creates plasma flashes when analyzing rocks and ground at a distance of up to 25 feet was not affected, but the analysis laser works only when the Telescope it projects the objective is focused “.

And that was the problem, the instrument could not focus well, so since November Curiosity made the team took nine images , each with a different approach.

Then, the robot sent all the materials to Earth for scientists to decide which to use. The measure was also used for the analyzes made by laser.

The development of the solution was between December and January, with tests conducted during the months after a clone of ChemCam stored by the laboratory itself, in addition to test Complementary made in France and the Jet Propulsion Lab of NASA.

The update, with a weight of 40 KB, was sent during the third week of May to Curiosity, which will now have the ability to capture the nine images but determine for themselves what is it which is focused to send only that.

“We now have better images and Analysis with this new software that the original, “he said Wiens.

descricion

Have you served this article:

If ( 0 )

No ( 0 )