[meteorite-list] Mars Exploration Rover Update - May 6, 2007

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu, 10 May 2007 09:00:09 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <200705101600.JAA02091_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

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

SPIRIT UPDATE: Spirit Examined Light--Colored Material Near 'Home Plate'
- sol 1179-1185, May 06, 2007:

Spirit is healthy and has completed its investigation of a knobby rock
target known as "GoodQuestion."

Next on Spirit's itinerary is a drive to the north and an attempt to
climb onto "Home Plate." On the way, Spirit will examine white--toned
material where one of the rover's wheels disturbed the soil.
Observations using the miniature thermal emission spectrometer suggest
it may be enriched in silica, similar to the "Elizabeth Mahon" rock
outcrop the rover studied last week. Science team members have nicknamed
the soil target "Gertrude Weise."

Sol-by-sol summary:

In addition to daily observations of atmospheric dust levels and surveys
of the sky and ground using the miniature thermal emission spectrometer,
Spirit conducted the following activities:

Sol 1179 (April 28, 2007): Spirit acquired panoramic camera images of
targets known as "Gooli" and "Joyce Ricketts," surveyed Gooli and a
target known as "Yolande Schick" with the miniature thermal emission
spectrometer, and studied GoodQuestion using the alpha--particle X--ray
spectrometer.

Sol 1180: Spirit surveyed the horizon with the panoramic camera, watched
for dust devils, studied GoodQuestion with the M?ssbauer spectrometer,
and acquired panoramic camera images of GoodQuestion. The rover also
surveyed a target known as "Joan Sindelar."

Sol 1181: Spirit acquired panoramic camera images of a target known as
"Everett" and studied GoodQuestion using the M?ssbauer spectrometer. The
rover acquired panoramic camera images of a target called "Yolanda Schick."

Sol 1182: Spirit recorded a movie in search of dust devils using the
navigation camera and studied light--toned soil using the miniature
thermal emission spectrometer. Spirit drove 1.9 meters (6.2 feet) to the
new science target, Gertrude Weise. The rover acquired mid--drive images
with the navigation camera in support of observations of GoodQuestion
with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer, then made those same
observations. After the drive, the rover acquired more images with both
the navigation and panoramic cameras.

Sol 1183: Spirit monitored dust on the rover mast, surveyed Gertrude
Weise with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer, and acquired
full--color images of GoodQuestion using all 13 filters of the panoramic
camera. Spirit acquired super--resolution images of a target known as
"Fern Shollenberger" with the panoramic camera. The rover studied
targets nicknamed "Philomena Zale," "Alma Ziegler," and "Ruth Heverly"
using the miniature thermal emission spectrometer.

Sol 1184: Spirit watched for dust devils in the morning and checked for
drift (changes over time) in the miniature thermal emission
spectrometer. Spirit drove 6.7 meters (22 feet) to a target called
"White Soil." The rover acquired post--drive images with both the
navigation camera and the panoramic camera.

Sol 1185 (May 4, 2007): Plans called for Spirit to watch for dust devils
in the morning and complete a systematic foreground study with the
miniature thermal emission spectrometer. The rover was also to acquire
navigation camera images in support of observations with the miniature
thermal emission spectrometer, conduct a study of atmospheric argon
using the alpha--particle X--ray spectrometer, and watch for dust devils
and take panoramic images of the sky the next morning.

Odometry:

As of sol 1184 (May 3, 2007), Spirit's total odometry was 7,103 meters
(4.4 miles).
Received on Thu 10 May 2007 12:00:09 PM PDT