Based on the trouble Opportunity had getting out of Eagle crater, it seems likely that if it goes into Endurance crater, it will end its days there. Today it is at the rim, and will begin looking around for a way in.

Should it go in if it is a one way trip?

Personally, I think the answer is yes. At the rate that ths robot makes observations, it could spend the next five hundred days down there before it had exhausted the interesting features, and the mission isn't scheduled to last even that long.

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NASA should have pics of the interior later today. We may have to wait a few days, given their slow web updating. If there are more layers of bedrock visible below that which they have already explored and they have any chance of accessing it with Opportunity, they will go in. Whether they can get out is probably indeterminate, and not terribly relevant to the decision to go in. As you say, Opportunity can spend an enormous amount of time in there examining stuff that is otherwise not within her range on the plains. The side of the crater Opportunity is approaching seems to be the lowest part of the rim, to boot.

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Burmese

It would certainly be interesting if they can get some scientific information from the interior of the crater - but if if it means it can´t get out again I don´t think it would be a good idea to go in - even if
"At the rate that ths robot makes observations, it could spend the next five hundred days down there before it had exhausted the interesting features, and the mission isn't scheduled to last even that long."

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Surely if it is a one way trip, then it would be wise to do other observations (outside the crater) first, and then go in last! That seems like common sense to me.

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Climate Change Australia

Yeah, they may circle the perimeter of Endurance 1st. ButEndurance is undoubtedly the most science-rich feature anywhere around.

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Burmese

So, how many meters has this robot traveled? How much bigger is the surface of Mars? For all they know, there could be a better crater just a few more meters over that-a-way.

I'm with Kashi on this one. Fine, go around the thing, look around a bit more and then come back if ya can't find anything better.

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That being said, there's probably enough stuff in that crater to keep the rover busy for the rest of its lifespan. I think the rover SHOULD go in, it's just a matter of whether it goes in now, or later.

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Climate Change Australia

From the satellite photos of the area, Endurance is the only significant crater for tens of kilometers around. The whole area is relatively free of craters other than little ones like Eagle crater.

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Burmese

I say it should go in-NASA doesn't really have a whole lot to loose because both rovers have already accomplished everything that they were set out to do.

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There is a verdict, Mars rover Opportunity will drive into Endurance Crater.

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Yeah, I just got that in the email today. Hopefully it will gather some great data.

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"Human curiosity and the desire to make the intangible tangible, has led us into a new age where the New World has been settled, and the West has been won. But if you think that we, the human race, has conquered everything there is to conquer, then just look to the sky--at space--last and greatest of the frontiers."

It wasn't clear, though, whether they will check out Fram crater and/or the heatshield impact site before going in. Earlier they had indicated that they would check those out prior to entering Endurance, in case they got stuck in there. This report suggests they will dive into the crater by next week, skipping those other studies. Perhaps they are more concerned about having a still-working Mini-TES inside the crater and that takes priority over spending time looking at Fram or the heatshield.

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Burmese

Opportunity by Sol 131 appears to be in place to enter the crater. It made a run around the rest of the crater the past couple of days, crossing over its' own apporach tracks, and is now located along the edge SE of where it first arrived at the crater. Cameras seem to be focusing on the ground directly in front of it, to evaluate the slope and texture.

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Burmese

The JPL people are on the ball lately, posting pics shortly after they come in. You can already see a nice hazcam series showing the 'peek-a-boo' manuever that Opportunity executed on Tuesday. And Spirit is almost snuggled up against the Columbia hills now, with even the jpegged images NASA puts up showing enormous detail in the hillsides.

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Burmese

Excellent article by Bruce Moomaw here:

http://www.spacedaily.com/news/mars-mers-04zzzzx.html

I really like the tidbits like NASA having Opportunity 'rough-up' its' wheels prior to entering Endurance to improve their traction.

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Burmese