Scientists yet to analyze imaging data
When asked by the media about more details of the data, the scientists admitted they just hadn't had the time to analyze them.
Image above with arrows shows "Barnacle Bill" on the left, the soil to be analyzed with the other arrow. The large rock to the right is "Yogi."
"We now have the ability to look at our landing site from a standing position," says Peter Smith, principal investigator of Pathfinder's imager, dubbed IMP (Imager for Mars Pathfinder).
Standing view of landing site, with Pathfinder's airbags. Click on image above for a pan of the landing site from a standing position if you have a 28.8 connection.
Standing view of Yogi among other rocks, which appeared much larger from the ground.
Sojourner checking out Barnacle Bill.
The first rock to be analyzed is Barnacle Bill, named after its barnacle-like structures on its surface. Sojourner's
spectrometer was already locked onto Bill late Sunday night. Both the analysis of the Martian soil and of Barnacle Bill
will be presented tomorrow.
But, they do have a view of the Martian surface from a standing position.
IMP was raised on its mast, and the view from above showed the large boulders that formed much of the Martian horizon were much smaller than thought.
"[They] now seem small and as we look over them and we realize they're one to two feet high, we have a new perspective," says Smith.
The scientists were excited about the diversity in the rocks, naming them in an ad hoc fashion that are "sort of fun,
" says project scientist Matthew Golombek, with bags under his eyes. A name "czar" screens the names the scientists give them.
The team's scientists also relayed that everything was working perfectly, including the lander, rover, IMP and the
weather station. It was all a matter of time and much needed sleep before they could present the data to the public.