[meteorite-list] Mars Exploration Rover Update - June 7, 2007

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri, 8 Jun 2007 08:59:27 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <200706081559.IAA10718_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

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

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Checking Out New Driving Capabilities - sol
1194-1199, June 7, 2007:

Opportunity is healthy and continues to circumnavigate "Victoria Crater"
back toward "Duck Bay."

On sol 1194, Opportunity performed a Visual Target Tracking (VTT)
technology checkout (drive software) on a target called "Paloma." This
VTT checkout tested VTT in combination with other drive software,
Autonav and Visodom. The first segment was a blind (no Autonav or
Visodom) VTT drive to back away from the target. The second segment
combined VTT and Visodom to drive towards the target. The third segment
combined VTT and Autonav to continue driving towards the target.

Sol-by-sol summary:

Sol 1194: Opportunity took a tau measurement then had a look at the sky
and ground with its miniature thermal emission spectrometer. The rover
then stowed its arm and conducted a test of its new drive software, VTT
(visual target tracking). The VTT drive checkout was about 6.8 meters
(22 feet). Post-VTT drive, the rover took navigation camera images of
its tracks then drove about 30 meters (98 feet) and unstowed its arm.
After that drive, the rover took navigation camera images and a
post-drive panoramic camera image in the drive direction. Before the
Mars Odyssey pass, the rover took another tau measurement. During
Odyssey's pass, the rover again used its miniature thermal emission
spectrometer to look at the sky and ground

Sol 1195: On the morning of this sol, Opportunity took thumbnail images
of the sky with its panoramic camera. The rover then did a tau
measurement and followed that with an observation of the sky and ground
by the miniature thermal emission spectrometer.

Sol 1196: Opportunity took a morning panoramic camera image of the
horizon. The rover then took a tau measurement and used its miniature
thermal emission spectrometer to observe the local sky. Opportunity then
stowed its arm, drove and then unstowed its arm. After the drive, the
rover took navigation and panoramic camera images. Before the Odyssey
pass, the rover took a panoramic camera image. During the Odyssey pass,
the miniature thermal emission spectrometer had a look at the sky and
ground.

Sol 1197: In the morning of this sol, Opportunity monitored for dust.
Some regular checks were completed on the much-used miniature thermal
emission spectrometer.

Opportunity took a tau measurement and then used the miniature thermal
emission spectrometer to look at the sky. The panoramic camera then
looked at the local foreground using all 13 of its filters. The
miniature thermal emission spectrometer also had a look at the
foreground and, again, at the sky. The panoramic camera did a sky survey
at midday.

Sol 1198: On this sol, Opportunity took a tau measurement, then
calibrated its miniature thermal emission spectrometer. The rover then
stowed its arm, drove and took images with its hazard avoidance cameras.
Opportunity then unstowed its arm and took post-drive navigation and
panoramic camera images. During the Odyssey pass, Opportunity conducted
a routine utility test on its miniature thermal emission spectrometer.

Sol 1199: Opportunity's miniature thermal emission spectrometer took a
sky and ground observation. The panoramic camera took a tau measurement.
The miniature thermal emission spectrometer continued a day of hard
work, completing a systematic ground stare and a 7-point sky and ground
observation. The panoramic camera also conducted a systematic ground
survey of the local area using its 13 filters.

Opportunity's total odometry as of sol 1197 is 11,108 meters (6.90 miles).
Received on Fri 08 Jun 2007 11:59:27 AM PDT