PIA12973: Image Analyzed by Mars Rover for Selection of Target


Image Analyzed by Mars Rover for Selection of Target

Caption:

NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity took this image in preparation for the first autonomous selection of an observation target by a spacecraft on Mars.

Opportunity used its navigation camera to take this image after a drive during the 2,172nd Martian day, or sol, of its mission on Mars (March 4, 2010). Using newly developed and uploaded software named Autonomous Exploration for Gathering Increased Science, or AEGIS, the rover analyzed the image to identify the feature that best matched criteria given for selecting a target. The top target that Opportunity selected with AEGIS is shown by the yellow marker. AEGIS was directed to look for rocks that were larger and darker in color. The rover then used the software to take more detailed observations of the selected target using its panoramic camera (see PIA12974 ).

The more-than-50 rocks in this image are near a young crater called "Concepcion" and might have been thrown outward by the impact that excavated the crater.

Cataloging Keywords:

Name Value Additional Values
Target Mars
System
Target Type Planet
Mission Mars Exploration Rover (MER)
Instrument Host Opportunity (MER-B)
Host Type Rover
Instrument Navigation Camera (Navcam)
Detector
Extra Keywords Color, Crater, Impact
Acquisition Date
Release Date 2010-03-23
Date in Caption 2010-03-04
Image Credit NASA/JPL-Caltech
Source photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA12973
Identifier PIA12973