From: earlcp@idirect.com   
      
   Brian Thorn  :   
      
   > 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?   
      
   If you watch any of the PBS shows you would know that it was tested on Earth.   
    What they are testing for is any damage/failures caused by the flight to   
   Mars or the landing.   
      
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