[meteorite-list] Mars Exploration Rover Update - June 2, 2004

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Jun 3 12:22:35 2004
Message-ID: <200406031608.JAA01715_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

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

SPIRIT UPDATE: Taking Time to Trench - sol 140-142, June 02, 2004

Spirit spent most of sol 140 investigating the trench it dug on
sol 135. It got an up-close look at the trench with the
microscopic imager and then began a five-and-a-half hour
integration with the M?ssbauer spectrometer. Doing double
duty, Spirit surveyed the "Columbia Hills" with the panoramic
camera and miniature thermal emission spectrometer during the
M?ssbauer observation. Following the afternoon Odyssey
communications window, Spirit changed tools and began an
overnight integration on two targets with the alpha particle
X-ray spectrometer.

On sol 141, Spirit continued to observe the trench with the
M?ssbauer spectrometer and microscopic imager. The rover
also obtained panoramic camera images of its surroundings
while doing work with the robotic arm. It then stowed the
instrument deployment device and backed up 0.85 meters
(2.8 feet). Spirit spent most of the afternoon observing
the trench using the miniature thermal emission spectrometer.

Spirit got a chance to stretch its wheels and do some driving
on sol 142, but before taking off, the rover finished the
trench observations with some panoramic camera imaging. Then
it was time to rove. Spirit completed a 30-minute,
engineer-directed drive and then turned the wheel over to
the autonomous navigation software for another hour and 15
minutes of driving. Spirit roved a total of 61 meters
(200.1 feet) closer toward the Columbia Hills.

Spirit has 2,647.7 meters (1.65 miles) on its odometer, and
just over 620 meters (.4 miles) to rove before reaching the
base of the Columbia Hills.
Received on Thu 03 Jun 2004 12:08:32 PM PDT