[meteorite-list] Mars Exploration Rover Update - May 25, 2007

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu, 31 May 2007 08:35:56 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <200705311535.IAA02874_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

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

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Opportunity Studies Rocks Representative of Crater
Wall - sol 1171-1177, May 25, 2007:

Opportunity is healthy and continues to circumnavigate "Victoria Crater"
back toward "Duck Bay." While stationed at the "Madrid/Guadarrama"
outcrop on the "Cape of Good Hope," Opportunity has been studying a
cobble with unusual spectral characteristics as measured by the
panoramic camera.

The cobbles appear to be similar to two rock faces, nicknamed "Madrid"
and "Guadarrama," exposed in the wall of the crater. Because the crater
walls are hard to reach, scientists hope to get an idea of their
composition by examining similar cobbles nearby. These rocks have
different color properties from other materials seen at Victoria Crater
and are believed to be crater ejecta. They are chock full of "big
blueberries" -- small, round rocks.

On the rover's 1,172nd sol, or Martian day (May 11, 2007), Opportunity
performed a thermal inertia experiment on a soil target to complete
measurements inside and outside of the dark streaks on the northern side
of the crater. This experiment measured temperature-related properties
of the soil.

Sol-by-sol summary:

In addition to daily observations that included measuring atmospheric
dust with the panoramic camera and surveying the sky and ground with the
miniature thermal emission spectrometer, Opportunity completed the
following activities:

Sol 1171 (May 10, 2007): Opportunity acquired panoramic camera images of
Guadarrama and Madrid and stowed the robotic arm. The planned drive to a
cobble called "Pedriza" ended prematurely after about 0.86 meters (2.8
feet) when Opportunity's left middle wheel snagged a rock. The rover
unstowed the robotic arm, acquired post-drive navigation camera images,
and measured atmospheric argon with the alpha-particle X-ray
spectrometer. Opportunity scanned the sky for clouds with the navigation
camera.

Sol 1172: In the morning, Opportunity surveyed the horizon with the
panoramic camera. The rover acquired panoramic camera images of targets
known as "Cercedilla" and "Fuenfria" as well as Guadarrama. The rover
studied Cercedilla as well as the rover's own external calibration
target and another target known as "Navacerrda" with the miniature
thermal emission spectrometer. Opportunity acquired panoramic camera
images of Guadarrama, searched for clouds with the navigation camera,
and studied thermal inertia of soil during the day and overnight.

Sol 1173: Opportunity started the day with continued studies of thermal
properties of the soil. Then Opportunity stowed the robotic arm,
completed the previously planned drive, and unstowed the robotic arm.
The rover acquired navigation camera images to the front and to the rear
following the drive. Opportunity measured atmospheric dust levels at
sunset and scanned the sky for clouds using the navigation camera.

Sol 1174: Opportunity spent the day acquiring detailed scans of the sky,
ground, and rover mast with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer
and measuring atmospheric dust. The rover also scanned the sky for
clouds with the navigation camera.

Sol 1175: In the morning, Opportunity took panoramic camera images of
the sky. The rover stowed the robotic arm, inched backward toward
Cercedilla, acquired panoramic camera images of Cercedilla, and unstowed
the robotic arm. Opportunity acquired navigation camera images after the
drive and surveyed targets known as "Cardosillas," "Quintanar," the
rover's external calibration target, "Machotas," and "Hierro" using the
miniature thermal emission spectrometer. The rover surveyed the sky at
low sun and acquired thumbnail images of the sky using the panoramic
camera.

Sol 1176: Opportunity searched for morning clouds with the navigation
camera and acquired stereo microscopic images of a particular exposure
of Cercedilla known as "Penota." The rover placed the alpha-particle
X-ray spectrometer on Penota, surveyed Hierro with the miniature thermal
emission spectrometer, and acquired post-drive images with the
navigation camera in support of observations with the miniature thermal
emission spectrometer. The rover surveyed targets known as "Matabueyes,"
"Morcuera," "Carpetanos," and "Somosietta" with the miniature thermal
emission spectrometer. Opportunity then proceeded with alpha-particle
X-ray spectrometer observations of Penota.

Sol 1177 (May 17, 2007): Opportunity monitored dust on the rover mast,
conducted a seek/grind procedure with the rock abrasion tool, and
acquired post-drive images as well as images of Mataueyes, Morcuera,
Carpetanos, Somosierra, and Pedriza with the panoramic camera. The
following morning, the rover was to acquire thumbnail images of the sky
using the panoramic camera.

Odometry:

As of sol 1177 (May 17, 2007), Opportunity's total odometry was 10,791
meters (6.71 miles).
Received on Thu 31 May 2007 11:35:56 AM PDT