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<h1>FAQ for Maestro</h1>
<div class="note">
<p>This FAQ is compiled voluntarily by Maestro users. We think it's great that NASA is releasing software and providing ways to talk to them, and this is our reciprocal gesture of appreciation :)</p>
<p>Note: the Maestro team (maestro [at] telascience.org) is also looking for feedback for the next version, specifically about a) the 'plan missions' feature, and b) ways to improve the public version (eg. interactive help).</p>
</div>
<div class="note">
<h2><a name="0" />Table of Contents</h2>
<p>
<a href="#1">1. Basic Questions</a><br />
<a href="#2">2. Software Questions</a><br />
<a href="#3">3. Mission Questions</a><br />
<a href="#4">4. Mars Expedition Rover Questions</a><br />
<a href="#5">5. Other Related Questions</a>
</p>
</div>
<p><b>If you've been wondering, like me, what all the salivating over the colour images is about, then look at this <a href="http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/press/spirit/20040106a/PIA04995.jpg">pancam picture</a> [8 MB]. Oh my GOD, <i>WOW</i>!!!</b></p>
<h2>
<a href="#1">1</a>.<a name="1" />
Basic Questions
</h2>
<h3><a href="#1.1">1.1</a><a name="1.1" />
What is Maestro?
</h3>
<p>
Maestro is the software that NASA scientists use to operate the Spirit and Opportunity Rovers. There is a simplified public version available for free download. You can use it to view pictures from Mars in 2D and 3D and create simplified rover activity plans. During the mission, updates will be released for Maestro containing the latest images from Mars. The home page is <a href="http://mars.telascience.org/">http://mars.telascience.org</a>.
</p>
<h3><a href="#1.2">1.2</a><a name="1.2" />
Where can I get it?
</h3>
<p>Here: <a href="http://mars.telascience.org/downloads.html">http://mars.telascience.org/downloads.html</a>.</p>
<p>Supported Platforms are:</p>
<ul>
<li>Windows XP/2000/Me/98</li>
<li>Macintosh (<a href="http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=120289">Java3D</a> required)</li>
<li>Linux</li>
<li>Solaris</li>
</ul>
<p>
Reported to work fine under Win95 too.
</p>
<h3><a href="#1.3">1.3</a><a name="1.3" />
Where can I talk about the mission, software, etc.?
</h3>
<p>Join the channel #maestro on irc.freenode.net. People working at NASA occasionally drop by. See the <a href="http://blog.sorrab.com/archives/000127.html">edited excerpts</a>.</p>
<p>
If you don't know what that means, you can find more info at the <a href="http://www.irchelp.org/irchelp/altircfaq.html">Internet Relay Chat FAQ</a>. Some IRC clients will recognize this link: <<a href="irc://irc.freenode.net/#maestro">irc://irc.freenode.net/#maestro</a>>. Try it, you might have a client installed and not know. (Bonus info: if you're just really confused, install <a href="http://www.mozilla.org/products/firebird/">Firebird</a> and <a href="http://www.hacksrus.com/~ginda/chatzilla/">ChatZilla</a>, then click the link.)
</p>
<h3><a href="#1.4">1.4</a><a name="1.4" />
Where can I find other related resouces on the web?
</h3>
<p>Many useful links: <a href="http://www.spurlock.info/mars/index.htm">http://www.spurlock.info/mars/index.htm</a></p>
<p><a href="#0">Return to <acronym title="Table of Contents">ToC</acronym></a></p>
<h2><a href="#2">2</a>.<a name="2" />
Software Questions
</h2>
<h3><a href="#2.1">2.1</a><a name="2.1" />
Where can I download more data for Maestro?
</h3>
<p>Right <a href="http://mars.telascience.org/data1.html">here</a>. Enjoy :)</p>
<h3><a href="#2.2">2.2</a><a name="2.2" />
What are the minimum system requirements?
</h3>
<p>The software is quite resource-intensive. The published system requirements are:</p>
<ul>
<li>Minimum:
<ul>
<li>500 Mhz processor</li>
<li>256 MB RAM</li>
<li>500 MB available disk space</li>
<li>Highly recommended: 3D graphics accelerator card</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Recommended:
<ul>
<li>1.5 Ghz processor</li>
<li>1 GB RAM</li>
<li>10 GB available disk space (that's what the documentation said, but it's unlikely)</li>
<li>A high-end 3D graphics accelerator (eg. NVidia FX series)</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3><a href="#2.3">2.3</a><a name="2.3" />
Where can I get help on using Maestro?
</h3>
<p>
The <a href="http://mars.telascience.org/downloads.html">download page</a> has links to documentation, which includes installation instructions. Try the <a href="http://mars0.sdsc.edu/forums">Forums</a>. Apart from that, the IRC channel is the best way.
</p>
<p><a href="#0">Return to <acronym title="Table of Contents">ToC</acronym></a></p>
<h2><a href="#3">3</a>.<a name="3" />
Mission Questions
</h2>
<h3><a href="#3.1">3.1</a><a name="3.1" />
More Resources:
</h3>
<h4>Official Resources</h4>
<ul>
<li>Lots of technical facts: <a href="http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/press_kits/merlandings.pdf">http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/press_kits/merlandings.pdf</a></li>
<li>Cornell: [<a href="http://www.news.cornell.edu/releases/rover/">http://www.news.cornell.edu/releases/rover/</a>], [<a href="http://athena.cornell.edu">http://athena.cornell.edu</a>]</li>
</ul>
<h4>Articles</h4>
<ul>
<li>Wikipedia: <a href="http://en2.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_Exploration_Rover_Mission">http://en2.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_Exploration_Rover_Mission</a></li>
</ul>
<h4>Video</h4>
<ul>
<li>Official List: <a href="http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/nasatv/">http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/nasatv/</a></li>
<li>Primary Feed (RealPlayer): <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/ram/35037main_portal.ram">http://www.nasa.gov/ram/35037main_portal.ram</a></li>
</ul>
<h4>Images</h4>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all/spirit.html">http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all/spirit.html</a></li>
<li><a href="http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/targetFamily/Mars">http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/targetFamily/Mars</a></li>
<li><a href="http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/jpegMod/">http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/jpegMod/</a></li>
<li>Unofficial collection: <a href="http://www.justinrossetti.com/gallery/NasaSpirit">http://www.justinrossetti.com/gallery/NasaSpirit</a></li>
<li>Unofficial stereo anaglyphs (very cool): <a href="http://hazyhills.com/mars3d/spirit/firstlight/">http://hazyhills.com/mars3d/spirit/firstlight/</a></li>
<li>Unofficial colouring (very cool!): <a href="http://www.lumiere.net/~fib/mer_enhance.html">http://www.lumiere.net/~fib/mer_enhance.html</a></li>
</ul>
<h4>Current Status:</h4>
<ul>
<li>Text Only: <a href="http://www.spaceflightnow.com/mars/mera/statustextonly.html">http://www.spaceflightnow.com/mars/mera/statustextonly.html</a></li>
</ul>
<h4>Weblogs</h4>
<ul>
<li>Susan Kitchens (description here): <a href="http://www.2020hindsight.org/">http://www.2020hindsight.org/</a></li>
</ul>
<h4>More Stuff:</h4>
<ul>
<li>Time on Mars, and other stuff: <a href="http://www.marsbase.net/">http://www.marsbase.net/</a></li>
<li>Software tool for time on Mars, including graphical sunlight representation: <a href="http://www.giss.nasa.gov/tools/mars24/">http://www.giss.nasa.gov/tools/mars24/</a></li>
<li>Landing site data visualisation: <a href="http://marsoweb.nas.nasa.gov/landingsites/">http://marsoweb.nas.nasa.gov/landingsites/</a></li>
</ul>
<h3><a href="#3.2">3.2</a><a name="3.2" />
How much did this mission cost?
</h3>
<p>Around $850 Million. For comparison, ETS' recent Mars mission cost around $378 Million.</p>
<h3><a href="#3.3">3.3</a><a name="3.3" />
Which teams have contributed to this project?
</h3>
<p>(Note: this is a running list, corrections/contributions welcome):</p>
<ul>
<li>NASA's JPL</li>
<li>Cornell</li>
</ul>
<h3><a href="#3.4">3.4</a><a name="3.4" />
What's the bigger picture?
</h3>
<p>
NASA's two Mars rovers are called Spirit and Opportunity. Opportunity's planned landing is on Jan 24th. There are 3 satellites around Mars, Mars Global Surveyor in orbit since 1997, and Mars Odyssey since 2001 are NASA. <a href="http://www.esa.int">ESA</a>'s Mars Express entered orbit on Christmas Day 2003.
</p>
<p>
The <a href="http://www.jaxa.jp/index_e.html">Japanese Aersopace Exploration Agency</a> had a Mars orbiter called Nozomi due to enter Mars orbit in mid December 03 (after many delays); unfortunately they <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/space/12/09/japan.mars.ap/">couldn't quite get it under control</a> to enter martian orbit.
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