[meteorite-list] Mars Exploration Rovers Update - April 27, 2004

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue Apr 27 15:08:12 2004
Message-ID: <200404271908.MAA12334_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status.html

SPIRIT UPDATE: Spirit Continues to Drive - sol 110-111,
Apr 27, 2004

After a successful weekend of driving on sols 108 and 109,
Spirit kicked off its week with a 140-meter (459.3 feet)
drive over sols 110 and 111 toward its destination at
the base of the "Columbia Hills."

Spirit began sol 110, which ended at 7:10 a.m. PDT on
April 25, 2004, with a stretch of its "arm" to take
microscopic imager pictures of an area of soil called
"Waffle Flats." It then placed the M?ssbauer
spectrometer instrument on that spot for a 90-minute
integration. Spirit did double-duty and was able to get
panoramic camera and mini thermal emission spectrometer
images of the area for localization and science purposes
while the M?ssbauer was at work.

Spirit then stowed its instrument deployment device and
began an 80-meter (262.5 feet) drive, half of it directed
by rover planners and half using the autonomous navigation
software. During the autonomous navigation portion, the
rover detected a hazard and did not complete the final
short-drive intended at the end of the journey. Images
from the front hazard avoidance camera show no sign of
a hazard, leaving rover controllers with a bit of a
mystery to investigate.

Following the drive, Spirit took panoramic camera and
navigation camera images in the drive direction and
performed atmospheric science with the panoramic camera
and mini thermal emission spectrometer.

Sol 111, which ended at 7:50 a.m. PDT on April 26, 2004,
was also a sol full of driving for Spirit. After
acquiring panoramic camera images of its surroundings
and completing atmospheric science with the panoramic
camera and mini thermal emission spectrometer, the rover
began its drive.

Spirit successfully completed a 60.8-meter (199.5 feet)
drive toward the Columbia Hills and then acquired
navigation and panoramic camera images of the driving
direction. Spirit ended the day with mini thermal
emission spectrometer observations of the soil and
then a coordinated mini thermal emission spectrometer
and panoramic camera study of the atmosphere.



OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Finishing Up at 'Fram' - sol 88-89,
Apr 27, 2004

On Opportunity's 88th sol, which ended at 6:12 p.m. PDT
on April 23, the rover team decided that although "Fram
Crater" was an intriguing depression, the potential
hazards and the time involved in investigating it
made it more of a tour stop than a destination.

With the goal of "Endurance Crater" in mind, the rover
finished its investigation of the rock called "Pilbara."
A final M?ssbauer spectrometer measurement was taken,
and then the miniature thermal emission spectrometer
studied the recently carved rock abrasion tool hole.

The rover then successfully drove out onto the nearby
plains for a photometry experiment (measurement of
light detectable by the human eye). The 33-meter (about
108 feet) south-easterly drive ended with a front
wheel "scuff" mark in the soil.

On the rover's 89th sol, which ended at 6:52 p.m. PDT on
April 24, the microscopic imager photographed a soil
target called "Nougat" within the scuff. A M?ssbauer
spectrometer reading of the target followed.

The photometry experiment continued on this sol along
with miniature thermal emission spectrometer remote
sensing.
Received on Tue 27 Apr 2004 03:08:00 PM PDT