[meteorite-list] Mars Exploration Rovers Update - October 16, 2006

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue Oct 17 12:05:24 2006
Message-ID: <200610171605.JAA10869_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

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

SPIRIT UPDATE: Spirit Studies Layers of Volcanic Rock - sol 982-987,
October 16, 2006:

As Spirit enters a period known as solar conjuction, when the sun
interferes with transmissions between Mars and Earth, mission planners
sent a complete set of plans for science activities during solar
conjunction to Spirit on the rover's 982nd sol, or Martian day, of
exploring inside Gusev Crater (Oct. 7, 2006). During that time, the
rover will achieve a new milestone: exploring Mars for 1,000 consecutive
days.

Solar conjunction will begin on sol 991 (Oct. 16, 2006) and end on sol
1015 (Nov. 10, 2006). During this period, both NASA rovers, Spirit and
Opportunity, will not receive any new command loads, but they will send
daily downlinks to Earth, averaging 15 megabits of data per
transmission. The data will be relayed to Earth via NASA's Mars Odyssey
spacecraft in orbit above Mars.

Each day during conjunction, Spirit will spend 3 hours analyzing dust
collected on the rover's filter magnet using the Moessbauer spectrometer
and 24 minutes conducting a variety of early morning science
observations. The morning science activities are designed to monitor the
atmosphere and to search for any possible surface changes. The workload
will make optimum use of solar power levels available with the retreat
of Martian winter.

Spirit is healthy and continues to make progress on the winter science
campaign of experiments. The rover's solar energy levels continue to
rise slowly. Solar power is currently about 300 watt-hours. One hundred
watt-hours is the amount of electricity needed to light one 100-watt
bulb for one hour.

Sol-by-sol summary:

Sol 982 (Oct. 7, 2006): Spirit measured atmospheric dust opacity with
the panoramic camera and surveyed the sky, ground, and dark soil in the
rover's tracks using the miniature thermal emission spectrometer. Spirit
took panoramic camera images of the rover's tracks and analyzed rock
targets known as "Gueslaga" and "Tor" with the miniature thermal
emission spectrometer. The rover measured the brightness of the morning
sky in the west using the panoramic camera.

Sol 983: Spirit measured atmospheric dust opacity with the panoramic
camera and surveyed the sky, ground, and dark soil in the rover's tracks
using the miniature thermal emission spectrometer. Spirit took a look at
the elemental chemistry of the atmosphere with the alpha particle X-ray
spectrometer. The rover acquired super-resolution panoramic camera
images of a target called "Mitcheltree Ridgecrest 11."

Sol 984: Spirit measured atmospheric dust opacity with the panoramic
camera and surveyed the sky, ground, and soil in the rover's tracks
using the miniature thermal emission spectrometer. Spirit analyzed a
rock target dubbed "O'Higgins" with the miniature thermal emission
spectrometer and referenced instrument measurements to the calibration
target on the rover. The rover scanned the sky for clouds with the
navigation camera, measured morning sky brightness with the panoramic
camera, and monitored dust on the panoramic camera mast assembly.

Sol 985: Spirit measured atmospheric opacity using the panoramic camera,
surveyed the sky and ground with the miniature thermal emission
spectrometer, and restarted analysis of dust collected by the filter
magnets using the Moessbauer spectrometer. Spirit scanned the sky for
clouds using the navigation camera and acquired thumbnail images of the
sky with the panoramic camera.

Sol 986: Spirit measured atmospheric opacity using the panoramic camera,
checked for drift (changes with time) in the miniature thermal emission
spectrometer, and surveyed the sky and ground with the miniature thermal
emission spectrometer. Spirit scanned the sky for clouds using the
navigation camera and acquired thumbnail images of the sky with the
panoramic camera.

Sol 987 (Oct. 12, 2006): Spirit measured atmospheric dust opacity using
the panoramic camera, checked for drift in the miniature thermal
emission spectrometer, and surveyed the sky and ground with the
miniature thermal emission spectrometer. The rover restarted Moessbauer
analysis of dust on the filter magnets. Spirit surveyed the sky during
high sun using the panoramic camera.

Odometry:

As of sol 986 (Oct. 11, 2006), Spirit's total odometry remained at
6,876.18 meters (4.27 miles).

------------------------------------------------------------------------

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: On the Promontory - sol 954-960, October 16, 2006:

Opportunity is healthy and perched at the tip of the promontory "Cape
Verde," 3.1 meters (10.2 feet) from the edge of a sharp drop off on the
rim of "Victoria Crater." Soon after arriving at Victoria Crater's "Duck
Bay" last week, Opportunity was sent on its way to Cape Verde. Six sols,
four drives and 127.61 meters (419 feet) later, Opportunity arrived at
the rock target "Fogo" near the tip of Cape Verde.

Along the way, Opportunity made remote-sensing observations including a
panorama from Duck Bay, imagery of Cape Verde and atmospheric science.

On Sol 957 (Oct. 3, 2006) Opportunity performed a coordinated
observation with NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO). MRO imagery
included a picture of Opportunity itself! The image was taken with MRO's
HiRISE (High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment) camera, the
highest-resolution camera ever to orbit Mars.

Sol-by-sol summaries:

Sol 954 (Sept. 30, 2006): The navigation camera had a look at the skies,
searching for clouds. The panoramic camera gauged atmospheric clarity (a
"tau" measurement). The panoramic camera was then used to take a mosaic
image of "Duck Bay 2." The miniature thermal emission spectrometer was
put to work to scan the target "Cape Verde Maio". The afternoon included
another panoramic camera tau measurement.

Sol 955: The morning of this sol saw the panoramic camera imaging target
Cape Verde Maio. The rover also assessed the clarity of the atmosphere.
The robotic arm was then stowed and the rover drove 55.71 meters (183
feet) toward Cape Verde. After the drive, the rover took images with its
hazard avoidance cameras, panoramic camera and navigation camera, and
unstowed its arm.

Sol 956: In the morning, Opportunity used its panoramic camera to survey
the sky. A measurement of atmospheric clarity was taken by the panoramic
camera, and the navigation camera spied for clouds. More remote sensing
was conducted before the Mars Odyssey communication window. During that
window, the rover examined points in the sky and on the ground with its
miniature thermal emission spectrometer.

Sol 957: The rover was busy this morning, using its navigation and
panoramic cameras to survey the sky. The miniature thermal emission
spectrometer was also used to scan the sky and ground. Opportunity
assessed the clarity of the atmosphere with a tau measurement and then
stowed its robotic arm. The rover drove 42.17 meters (138 feet) toward
Cape Verde, took hazard avoidance camera images, then unstowed its arm
and took navigation and panoramic camera images. A tau measurement was
taken with the panoramic camera before an overflight by the Mars
Reconnaissance Orbiter. In coordination with observations by that
orbiter, Opportunity's cameras were busy imaging and the miniature
thermal emission spectrometer assessed the sky and ground. To end the
sol, the panoramic camera made another tau measurement.

Sol 958: The rover monitored its dust level this morning and looked for
clouds with its navigation camera. The miniature thermal emission
spectrometer was then used to assess the sky and ground. A tau
measurement was taken and then a 23.01 meter (75.5 feet) drive
commenced, toward Cape Verde. The rover then did post-drive imaging. In
coordination with observations by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter,
Opportunity took another tau measurement and did albedo measurements.

Sol 959: On this sol, Opportunity began the day by scanning for clouds
with its navigation camera and taking thumbnail images with its
panoramic camera. A panoramic camera tau measurement was taken and then
the rover drove 6.72 meters (22 feet) to the target Fogo at Cape Verde.
Post-drive imaging was done and a tau measurement taken. During the
communication window with Mars Odyssey, the miniature thermal emission
spectrometer observed the sky and ground.

Sol 960 (Oct. 6, 2006): In the morning of this sol, the navigation
camera looked for clouds and the miniature thermal emission spectrometer
observed the sky and ground. Opportunity then took a tau measurement and
used the miniature thermal emission spectrometer to assess dunes, the
sky and the ground. Another panoramic camera tau measurement was taken.
During the communication window with Mars Odyssey, the miniature thermal
emission spectrometer was used again to assess the dunes.

As of sol 959 (Oct. 5, 2006), Opportunity's total odometery was 9,406.95
meters (5.85 miles).
Received on Tue 17 Oct 2006 12:05:21 PM PDT