[meteorite-list] Mars Exploration Rovers Update: June 30 - July 7, 2010

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri, 9 Jul 2010 16:36:30 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <201007092336.o69NaUjI010579_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

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

SPIRIT UPDATE: Spirit Still Silent - sols 2308-2314, July 01-07, 2010:

Spirit remains silent at her location called "Troy" on the west side of
Home Plate. No communication has been received from the rover since Sol
2210 (March 22, 2010).

As stated previously, it is likely that Spirit has experienced a
low-power fault and has turned off all sub-systems, including
communication and gone into a deep sleep. While sleeping, the rover will
use the available solar array energy to recharge her batteries. When the
batteries recover to a sufficient state of charge, Spirit will wake up
and begin to communicate.

There is the additional risk that the rover may trip a mission clock
fault. If that happens, the rover would remain asleep until the
batteries have recharged sufficiently and there is enough sunlight on
the solar arrays to wake the rover. With the southern winter solstice
back on May 13, 2010, solar energy levels and temperatures are expected
to be improving.

Total odometry is unchanged at 7,730.50 meters (4.80 miles).

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

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Opportunity Has Two More Drives - sols
2287-2294, June 30 - July 07, 2010:

Opportunity drove twice, tested the autonomous exploration for gathering
increased science, or AEGIS software, and collected an atmospheric argon
measurement over the past week.

The rover drove on Sol 2288 (July 1, 2010), covering about 71 meters
(233 feet) in a simple zigzag pattern to the east. Over the 4th of July
weekend, Opportunity performed two more tests of the AEGIS autonomous
pointing software and collected an atmospheric argon measurement with
the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS). On Sol 2293 (July 6,
2010), Opportunity drove again heading east and covering another 71
meters (233 feet).

As of Sol 2294 (July 7, 2010), solar array energy production has
improved to 359 watt-hours, atmospheric opacity (Tau) was 0.226 and the
solar array dust factor is 0.577.

Total odometry is 21,550.77 meters (21.55 kilometers, or 13.99 miles).
Received on Fri 09 Jul 2010 07:36:30 PM PDT