From: bthorn64@cox.net   
      
   On Sun, 11 Jan 2004 18:10:52 GMT, henry@spsystems.net (Henry Spencer)   
   wrote:   
      
   >>Someone at JPL needs to read that paragraph to the MER engineers. The   
   >>clock is ticking, folks. Get that puppy moving. No sense sending a   
   >>rover to Mars if you're too timid to drive it off the lander.   
   >   
   >The timeline has always included a few days of checkout on the lander   
   >before driving off.  The MER engineers are fully aware that the clock is   
   >ticking, but there's lots to do.  They aren't sitting around dithering.   
      
   My main complaint is that they are reportedly "testing the turn to   
   drive off in another direction." Now, they going to rehearse the   
   maneuver and not drive off until Thursday (Sol 12, I think).   
      
   Why wasn't this tested before they got to Mars?   
      
   Brian   
      
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