[meteorite-list] Mars Exploration Rover Update - June 27, 2007

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2007 09:31:13 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <200706281631.JAA15848_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

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

SPIRIT UPDATE: Spirit's Solar Power Levels Continue to Rise -
sol 1226-1233, June 27, 2007:

Spring cleaning continued on NASA's Spirit rover, as atmospheric
turbulence on Mars cleared away more dust from the solar panels on the
rover's 1,233rd sol, or Martian day, of exploration (June 22, 2007). As
a result of this most recent dust-clearing event, Spirit out-produced
the electrical energy of Spirit's twin, the Opportunity rover on the
opposite side of Mars, by about 50 watt-hours. (That's the amount of
electricity needed to burn a 50-watt light bulb for one hour.) Tau
measurements estimating the amount of dust in the atmosphere rose from
0.69 to 0.75. (Perfectly clean solar arrays would have a dust factor of
1.0, so the larger the dust factor, the cleaner the arrays.) Electrical
energy rose to 738 watt-hours.

In addition, Spirit investigated an unbrushed rock outcrop known as
"Nancy Warren," a candidate high-silica target. On sols 1226, 1227, and
1228 (June 15-17, 2007), the rover worked on a second investigation
intended to study the brushed surface of the rock. Because the rover did
not complete the brushing operation, Spirit ended up taking a second set
of measurements that was identical to the first.

On the rover's 1,232nd sol of exploration (June 21, 2007), Spirit
attempted to scuff a rock target known as "Virginia Bell" but didn't
quite reach it and ended up scuffing a soil exposure about 15
centimeters (6 inches) away, creating a new target that scientists
dubbed "Innocent Bystander."

Sol-by-sol summary:

In addition to daily observations of atmospheric dust levels using the
panoramic camera, surveys of the sky and ground using the miniature
thermal emission spectrometer, and communication activities including
morning direct-from-Earth uplinks via the rover's high-gain antenna and
evening downlinks at UHF frequencies via the Mars Odyssey orbiter,
Spirit completed the following activities:

Sol 1226: Spirit placed the rock abrasion tool on Nancy Warren, placed
the alpha-particle X-ray spectrometer on the target, collected data with
the instrument, and completed an overnight transmission of data to the
Odyssey orbiter.

Sol 1227: Spirit acquired a mosaic of microscopic images of Nancy
Warren, placed the Moessbauer spectrometer on the target, and acquired
data with the instrument. The rover acquired images of the spacecraft
deck with the navigation camera. Spirit conducted reconnaissance and
surveyed targets known as "Patricia Courtney," "Lenora Mandella,"
"Barbara Rotvig," and "Pauline Crawley" with the miniature thermal
emission spectrometer. The rover scanned for clouds using the navigation
camera and monitored dust on the rover mast.

Sol 1228: Spirit continued to study Nancy Warren using the Moessbauer
spectrometer. The rover acquired a full-color panorama of light-colored
wheel tracks using all 13 filters of the panoramic camera. Spirit
conducted reconnaissance and surveyed the tracks as well as targets
known as "Shirley Crites," "Betty McKenna," and "Naomi Meier" using the
miniature thermal emission spectrometer. The rover completed an
overnight transmission of data to the Odyssey orbiter and acquired an
eastward-looking mosaic of images using the navigation camera.

Sol 1229: Spirit continued analysis of Nancy Warren using the Moessbauer
spectrometer. The rover acquired images of the spacecraft deck with the
panoramic camera to document the previous week's dust-cleaning event
that occurred on sol 1224 (June 13, 2007). Spirit acquired movie frames
with the navigation camera in search of dust devils.

Sol 1230: Spirit acquired microscopic images of the solar arrays, the
dust capture magnet, and the filter magnet, along with panoramic camera
images of the solar arrays, to document the dust-cleaning event of sol
1224 (June 13, 2007). The rover acquired microscopic images of
undisturbed soil near the silica-rich outcrop known as Nancy Warren
along with data using the alpha-particle X-ray spectrometer. Members of
the science team hope to use the data to characterize local soil that
might be contaminating the outcrop.

Sol 1231: Spirit resumed measurements of Nancy Warren using the
Moessbauer spectrometer. The rover surveyed targets on Nancy Warren known
as "Gertrude Weise," "Naomi Meier," "Rykors," "Silian," "Sith," "Skeel,"
"Sompus," and "Betty Jane Comet" using the miniature thermal emission
spectrometer.

Sol 1232: Spirit acquired microscopic images of a target called "Darlene
Mickelson" and attempted to crush the outcrop in the vicinity of
Virginia Bell by driving over it to expose more silica-rich outcrop
material. The rover acquired post-drive images of the target area using
the navigation camera.

Sol 1233: Spirit acquired movie frames in search of morning dust devils
using the navigation camera and surveyed the post-crush target area
using the miniature thermal emission spectrometer.

Odometry:

As of sol 1232 (June 21, 2007), Spirit's total odometry was 7,143.87
meters (4.44 miles).
Received on Thu 28 Jun 2007 12:31:13 PM PDT