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Rocky 7 - Mojave Desert Field ExperimentsExperimenter's Notebook
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During these tests the Sunshine Flow Margin traverse and Caliche Search were completed. No specific distance or stopping point for this traverse was designated. Instead, the traverse was designed to continue as long as time permitted. To begin, Rocky 7 was placed at the last point of the Day 3 Sunshine Flow Margin traverse and the route was continued further out onto the playa. After about 70 m of northward travel Rocky 7 turned westward and headed in the direction of waypoint B. After 67 m of additional travel, the traverse was ended so that the Caliche Search portion of the Sunshine Flow Margin and Caliche Search traverse could be accomplished.
For the Caliche Search, an aeolian accretion mantle with caliche fragments was located on the flow by team members in the field and Rocky 7 was placed on the playa just off of the basalt flow in this area. The specific location of the caliche deposit was not communicated to the operators in the trailer. The operators in the trailer began the search with a stereo panoramic image to help guide their route. The rover then began traveling up the basalt flow. It was hoped that during this search Rocky 7 would be remotely operated by team members from JPL. However, satellite link problems made this impossible, and the operators in the trailer kept control of the rover. Concern arose when Rocky 7 began traveling over the dark rock of the basalt flow and its internal temperature rose significantly. After 29 m of travel (11 m short of the caliche field) the test had to be aborted as the rover CPU temperature had nearly reached its maximum temperature of 65 degrees Celsius (149 degrees Fahrenheit). The day's testing was concluded; unfortunately, there was never time to finish this caliche search.