Of particular interest with the current NASA Spirit rover is the precision landing achieved by the mission Navigation Team. After an incredibly stupid navigation blunder that resulted in the loss of the 1999 Mars Climate Orbiter, the Jet Propulsion Lab has taken extra care with Spirit that has paid off by putting the lander exactly within a known 50 X 6 mile zone on Mars.

Previous successful American Mars landings such as Viking 1, Viking 2 and Mars Pathfinder had their exact surface locations determined only after years after their touchdowns. With picture-taking Mars orbiters now in place, landing zone wide-angle Martian weather photos may be taken at the time of landing to preclude dust storms or Martian dust devils as a source of mission failure. These same Mars orbiters are expected to photograph Spirit’s exact location on the surface within just a few days, before the lander is even ready to go on its trek across the Martian landscape.

Armed with this information, a precise travel plan for the rover may be plotted and (CAUTION: BIG 27 MB graphics file ahead) specific Martian features targeted for exploration even though they are currently out of rover visual range over the horizon. (That last link is a BIG 25-meter-per-pixel graphic image that takes a long time to load compared to this smaller image of entire 50 x 6 mile landing zone, but the big version is stunningly worth it!!! It’s the offical Mission Road Atlas; just add starting point!!!) This is the beginning of REAL Martian exploration – figuring out where we are on the surface of Mars, then figuring out where we CAN go and WANT to go within the rover range limitations, then going there.

Remember, it’s supposed to be a dry lake bed. Keep your fingers crossed for seashells.