Dear Martians!
In today's post we would like to give you some information about other science instruments mounted on the Spirit and Opportunity rovers - Magnet Array and Calibration Targets.
Magnet Array
Magnet Array is an instrument that is used to collect the airborne dust for the analysis by scientific tools that identify the composition of the Red Planet. Magnetic grains in Martian dust are the pieces of the Red Planet's past.
Each rover is equipped with three sets of magnetic targets: one set of magnets carried by the Rock Abrasion Tool (RAT), a second set of two magnets mounted on the front of the rover, next to the color calibration / sundial, and a third magnet mounted on the top of the rover deck.
- Rat magnets - four magnets carried by the RAT, used to detect magnetic minerals in the rock material;
- Capture magnet - magnet mounted on the front of the rover, designed to capture any magnetic particles.
- Filter magnet - magnet mounted on the front of the rover, designed to capture the most magnetic particles.
- Sweep magnet - mounted on the top of the rover deck, designed to only allows non-magnetic particles to settle in the center of the magnet.
Calibration Targets
The rover is also equipped with Calibration Targets (such as sundial) that are used by instruments to determine accurate colors, brightnesses, and other specific details.
- Pancam calibration target is in the shape of a sundial, mounted on the rover deck.
- Mössbauer Spectrometer calibration target mounted under the rover solar panels (it can also be used by the APXS).
- APXS calibration target is on the inside of its dust doors.
- Mini-TES has an internal target located the Pancam Mast Assembly as well as an external target on the deck of the rover near the low-gain antenna.The colored blocks in the corners are used to calibrate the color in images of the Martian landscape.
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That would be all for this week. Keep following us on social media and feel free to join our discord channel
Best Regards,
Rover Mechanic Simulator Team
https://store.steampowered.com/app/864680/Rover_Mechanic_Simulator/