[meteorite-list] Mars Exploration Rovers Update - February 26, 2004

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:31:28 2004
Message-ID: <200402270008.QAA09646_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/mer2004/daily/2-26-04.cfm

Spirit Status for sol 53
Eyeing Martian Dust Devils
posted Feb. 26, 3:15 pm PST

On sol 53, which ends at 4:34 p.m. PST on February 26, Spirit woke up to
the 70s ballad "Dust in the Wind" by Kansas, with the anticipation of
possibly capturing dust devils spinning across the martian surface. The
rear hazard avoidance camera was commanded to "roll tape" from 12:00
to 12:30 local solar time to record these so-called "mini-tornadoes." The
behavior of dust devils helps scientists track the transfer of dust on the
red planet.

A final, .85-meter (about 2.8 feet) drive brought Spirit to its exact target
at the "Middle Ground" site. The rover also conducted an examination,
using its microscopic imager and alpha particle X-ray spectrometer, of
the magnet arrays that are collecting airborne dust.

In the coming sols Spirit will inspect the soil at its current position with
the tools on its arm. Following that, the plans call for the rover to
approach the rock called "Humphrey." After a thorough assessment of
"Humphrey," the rock abrasion tool will be used to brush and then grind.
                 
 
Opportunity Status for sol 32
New Communications Plan
posted Feb. 26, 11:15 am PST

On sol 32, which ended at 4:15 a.m. Thursday, February 26, Opportunity
awoke to "Let It Be" by the Beatles. Opportunity's day was focused on
getting a second Moessbauer instrument measurement of the hole
created by the rock abrasion tool at the "McKittrick" rock site. The
Moessbauer can detect spectral signatures of different iron-bearing
minerals.

The data from the first Moessbauer spectrum of "McKittrick" was
received on Earth Wednesday afternoon. The alpha proton X-ray
spectrometer data from yestersol at this target was retransmitted to
Earth again Wednesday to get missing packets of data that were not
received during the first data communications relay. Opportunity also
snapped pictures of the rock areas named "Maya" and "Jericho" with the
panoramic camera and took miniature thermal emission spectrometer
measurements of the sky and "El Capitan" throughout the sol.

The amount of power Opportunity is able to generate continues to
dwindle due to the decreasing amount of sunlight (energy) reaching the
solar panels during the martian seasonal transition to winter. Because of
this, the engineers are adjusting the rover's daily communications
activities. To minimize power use for communications sessions,
engineers began a new "receive only" morning direct-from-earth
communication relay. This lower-power communication mode was
successful. Opportunity will continue with this approach to maximize the
available power for driving and science activities as Mars moves farther
away from Earth and the Sun in its elliptical orbit.

In conjunction with the morning communications session change,
engineers added a second afternoon Mars Odyssey orbiter relay pass,
which uses less power in transmitting data volume than direct-to-Earth
communication. This additional Odyssey pass more than compensated for
the elimination of the morning direct-to-Earth downlink. Engineers also
continue to effectively use rover "naps" throughout the day to maximize
energy savings.

The plan for sol 33, which ends at 4:55 a.m. Friday, February 27, is to
take a very short trip (10 to 20 centimeters or 4 to 8 inches) towards the
next rock abrasion tool target site, "Guadalupe."
                 
 
Received on Thu 26 Feb 2004 07:08:00 PM PST