[meteorite-list] Mars Exploration Rover Update #2 - July 21, 2006

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon Jul 24 00:56:16 2006
Message-ID: <200607240453.VAA00166_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

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

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Bounding Toward 'Beagle Crater' - sol 879-885,
July 21, 2006:

Opportunity is healthy and is driving toward "Beagle Crater," which is
about 50 meters (164 feet) away as of sol 884 (July 20). "Victoria
Crater" is about 510 meters (just over a quarter of a mile) away. The
rover used its panoramic camera, microscopic imager and alpha particle
X-ray spectrometer on soil target "Westport," (soil without spherules in
a wheel scuff) in order to provide the science team with a soil sample
outside the vast, outlying rim of Victoria Crater. A step in upgrading
the flight software was successfully completed on sol 881. Opportunity
drove about 106 meters (348 feet) between sols 878 and 884.

Sol-by-sol summaries:

Sol 879 (July 14, 2006): Opportunity examined the soil target Westport
with its panoramic camera, microscopic imager and alpha particle X-ray
spectrometer. The rover also completed a panoramic camera observation of
"Dallas," a disturbed patch in the tracks intended to be similar to the
spots examined with the contact instruments. A target referred to as
"Waco," a raised patch of outcrop that may be a crater, was also
examined with the panoramic camera. Work was completed for the flight
software build, which is the assembling and validating of many files of
new software transmitted to the rover in preceding weeks.

Sol 880: The rover took a microscopic image of an undisturbed soil
target, "Fort Graham," and completed a Moessbauer spectrometer
integration on Westport. The miniature thermal emission spectrometer
observed a block of ejecta (material ejected from a crater) called
"Preston." The panoramic camera checked the clarity of the atmosphere.
Part of the flight software build took place this sol.

Sol 881: The Moessbauer integration continued this sol on Westport. A
13-filter panoramic camera image was taken of Preston and "Red Rock,"
another ejecta block. Opportunity profiled the atmosphere and
near-surface temperature with its miniature thermal emission
spectrometer. That instrument was also used to analyze Dallas.

Sol 882: Due to the planned loss of use of the Deep Space Network on
this sol, some data was left onboard: a panoramic camera mosaic of the
area behind the rover, dust monitoring data, sky thumbnail images and a
measurement of atmospheric clarity.

Sol 883: Opportunity took a pre-drive panoramic camera image of Fort
Graham and a ripple band. The miniature thermal emission spectrometer
was used to profile the atmosphere in the morning. The rover then drove
about 37 meters (121 feet).

Sol 884: The rover drove about 40 meters (131 feet). A navigation camera
picture was taken of "Jesse Chisholm," a dark mound about 35 meters (115
feet) from the location the rover reached on sol 883. The miniature
thermal emission spectrometer completed an observation of the area
around the rover. The panoramic camera was also used to characterize the
location.

Sol 885 (July 21): The rover drove back and forth to create a scuff in
the surface material to examine the soil underneath. It was then
commanded to approach Jesse Chisholm, the next target for examining with
the instruments on the robotic arm.

Opportunity's total odometry as of the end of the drive on sol 884 (July
20) was 8,599.14 meters (5.34 miles).
Received on Mon 24 Jul 2006 12:53:42 AM PDT