TES NEWS Volume 3, Number 4, November - December 1994

MARS PATHFINDER TO WEAR SOCKS

Mars Pathfinder will measure wind speed and direction using "wind socks." The orientation of three small flags spaced at intervals along a mast a little more than 1 meter high will be monitored using images taken by the IMP camera. The flags will point in the direction the wind is blowing and the angle at which they hang will give an indication of wind speed.

The wind sock experiment is part of the IMP project. The design was devised by Dr. Robert Sullivan and Dr. Ronald Greeley at Arizona State University. So far, the team has produced 8 prototype wind sock / mast combinations for testing. A Critical Design Review was held in August 1994, and the best wind sock configuration was chosen to be included on Mars Pathfinder. The actual instrument that will fly to Mars should be complete in early 1995.

Back to Contents of TES News November - December 1994

Edited by: K. S. Edgett

Arizona Mars K-12 Education Program / edgett@elvis.mars.asu.edu