[meteorite-list] Mars Explorations Rovers Udpate: May 26 - Jun 1, 2011

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri, 3 Jun 2011 12:50:35 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <201106031950.p53JoZEm022189_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

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

SPIRIT UPDATE: Spirit Remains Silent at Troy - sols 2621-2627,
May 18-24, 2011:

More than 1,300 commands were radiated to Spirit as part of the recovery
effort in an attempt to elicit a response from the rover. No
communication has been received from Spirit since Sol 2210 (March 22,
2010). The project concluded the Spirit recovery efforts on May 25,
2011. The remaining, pre-sequenced ultra-high frequency (UHF) relay
passes scheduled for Spirit on board the Odyssey orbiter will complete
on June 8, 2011.

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

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

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Opportunity Studies Rock Outcrop -
sols 2608-2614, May 26 - June 01, 2011:

Opportunity has exceeded 30 kilometers (nearly 19 miles) of odometry!
The rover spent the last few sols investigating some exposed rock
outcrop en route to Endeavour crater, now just a few kilometers away.

On Sol 2608 (May 26, 2011), Opportunity bumped 60 centimeters (24
inches) to position the outcrop targets within reach of the robotic arm
instruments. On Sol 2611 (May 29, 2011), the rover used the Microscopic
Imager (MI) to collect an extensive mosaic of the exposed outcrop.
Opportunity then conducted a MI poker test, which exhibited anomalous
behavior the last time it was used. The test indicated positive switch
trip on just one of three tries. The project is investigating this further.

The Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) was placed on the surface
target, named Valdivia for a multi-sol integration. On Sol 2614 (June 1,
2011), Opportunity drove away with a 146-meter (479-foot) drive,
crossing the 30 kilometer (18.64 mile) odometry mark.

As of Sol 2614 (June 1, 2011), solar array energy production was 408
watt-hours with an atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.860 and a solar array
dust factor of 0.545.

Total odometry is 30,055.50 meters (30.06 kilometers, or 18.68 miles).
Received on Fri 03 Jun 2011 03:50:35 PM PDT