Mars Exploration Rover -- Spirit has arrived.
The Mars Exploration Rover is a box-like chassis mounted on six wheels. The wheels are attached to a rocker-bogie suspension system.
Atop the Warm Electronics Box is the triangular rover equipment deck, on which is mounted the Pancam mast assembly, high gain, low gain, and UHF antennas, and a camera calibration target. Attached to the two forward sides of the equipment deck are solar arrays which are level with the deck and extend outward. Attached to the lower front of the Warm Electronics Box is the instrument deployment device, a long hinged arm which protrudes in front of the rover. The Warm Electronics Box houses the computer, batteries, and other electronic components.
Power is provided by the solar arrays, generating up to 140 Watts of power under full Sun conditions. The energy is stored in rechargeable batteries. Thermal control is achieved through the use of gold paint, aerogel insulation, heaters, thermostats, and radiators.
Communications with Earth are in X-band by way of the high gain directional dish antenna and the low gain omni-directional antenna. Communications with orbiting spacecraft are through the UHF antenna. An inertial measurement unit provides 3-axis information on position.
The panoramic camera and navigation cameras are mounted on top of the Pancam mast assembly, at a height of about 1.4 meters from the base of the wheels. The mast is also a periscope for the Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrometer. Attached to the end of the instrument deployment device are the Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer, Mossbauer Spectrometer, Microscopic Imager, and Rock Abrasion Tool. A magnet array is attached to the front of the equipment deck. Two hazard avoidance cameras are mounted on the front of the rover and two on the rear.
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