Space

DATE=01/27/04

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=MARS ROVERS (L-ONLY)

NUMBER=2-312374

BYLINE=DAVID McALARY

DATELINE=WASHINGTON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Scientists are excited about a new image from the second U-S Mars rover showing the planet's underlying rock for the first time. While they plan an exploration of the site, engineers are reporting a heater problem aboard the craft. V-O-A's David McAlary reports from Washington.

TEXT: The Opportunity rover landed several kilometers from its prime target on Mars Sunday, but mission scientists at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California are nevertheless jubilant.

The spacecraft rolled into a small crater 20-meters wide, where an exposed outcrop of layered bedrock has set them agog. Bedrock is a terrestrial planet's hard crust under soil and other surface materials. Mission scientist Andrew Knoll of Harvard University says the layers within it are key to understanding a planet's geological past.

/// KNOLL ACT ///

Each one of those layers records an event in the history of the planet, and by stringing them together, we develop a sense of history. So that is truly exciting, better than we could have hoped for and something that every geologist in the world is probably developing opinions about right now. (LAUGHTER)

/// END ACT ///

The Opportunity rover is equipped to study the rock when it rolls off its landing platform in a week or two. On its third day on Mars, the six-wheeled vehicle has transmitted a picture of the layered bedrock that has mission scientists practically salivating.

/// SQUYRES ACT ///

Opportunity has now sent us the most striking image yet obtained by the Mars exploration rover mission.

/// END ACT ///

This is lead mission scientist Steven Squyres [rhymes with WIRES] of Cornell University, who displayed the rover pictures to reporters.

/// 2nd SQUYRES ACT ///

There, look at that wonderful layer cake structure there. It's going to be fascinating beyond words to get up close and personal with this thing. These are something we've never seen on Mars before. So we are about to embark on what is arguably going to be the coolest geologic field trip in human history.

/// END ACT ///

The researchers want to know if the bedrock was formed from pressure on volcanic ash over billions of years or if it is sedimentary rock, which forms from sediments blown by wind or deposited by water.

Evidence of water would overjoy scientists because Opportunity and its twin rover Spirit on the other side of Mars are seeking signs that it once flowed. This would hint that the red planet might have supported life.

/// OPT /// Again, Andrew Knoll.

/// OPT KNOLL ACT ///

If it is volcanic, then all bets are off with regard to liquid water. You simply wouldn't need liquid water to form the layering in that case. If it's sedimentary, I think you need liquid water. I doubt that these are wind-born deposits.

/// END ACT /// /// END OPT ///

As engineers prepare Opportunity to roll, they have found a technical malfunction. A heater that keeps the robot's instrument arm warm during science operations turns on by itself when Martian temperatures drop and is draining power from the batteries. Mission manager James Erickson says engineers cannot control its thermostat and are evaluating whether this is going to hurt operations.

/// REST OPT ///

/// ERICKSON ACT ///

We don't normally always want it on because we aren't normally always operating the arm. Right now, we're believing that it's going to be continuously on wherever it's cold enough.

/// END ACT ///

In the meantime, engineers for the Spirit rover are continuing to flush its memory of excess files that they believe caused its computer to lock up. (SIGNED)

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