Missoulian:
Mars rover Curiosity prepares for test drive
“Curiosity will soon have a different patch of ground
beneath it. Today, the six-wheeled rover wiggled its four corner wheels side to
side for the first time on Mars, as a test of the steering actuators on those
wheels. This was critical preparation for Curiosity's first drive on Mars.
"Late tonight, we plan to send Curiosity the commands
for doing our first drive tomorrow," said Curiosity Mission Manager
Michael Watkins of JPL.
The Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft delivered Curiosity
to Mars on Aug. 5, PDT (Aug. 6, EDT). In a two-year prime mission researchers
are using the rover's 10 instruments to assess whether the selected study area
has ever offered environmental conditions favorable for microbial life and for
preserving evidence about whether life has existed.”
“Redistricting is the act of drawing new political
boundaries. In Montana, the five-member Districting and Apportionment
Commission has authority under the Montana
Constitution to draw the boundaries of congressional and legislative
districts every 10 years. Using population data from the most recent U.S.
Census, the commission will draw districts with approximately the same number
of people in them. The process must be completed by early 2013. Because Montana
has only one congressional district, the commission will focus on redrawing
state legislative district lines.”
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