Concurrent Mars Rovers: The Challenges and Opportunities of Dual Uplink Lead Operations

As the uplink lead for the Opportunity Microscopic Imager and engineering cameras (Hazcams and Navcams) on Mars, I have been unable to closely follow the MSL planning. It’s a unique challenge to operate two rovers on Mars simultaneously, but it’s a good problem to have. The MSL weekend plan includes conducting more MAHLI imaging of the rover wheels and a short drive to a promising location for dumping and examining the drill sample. If all goes smoothly, most of next week will be dedicated to upgrading the rover flight software.

During this time, many MSL scientists will be attending the fall meeting of the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco next week. This timing is ideal for the software upgrade, which will require suspending scientific observations but will ultimately enhance the rover’s capabilities. The meeting will also feature a press briefing to highlight recent science findings and discoveries.