[meteorite-list] Mars Rover Opportunity Update: April 13-17, 2012

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon, 23 Apr 2012 09:42:20 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <201204231642.q3NGgKs8024021_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

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

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Opportunity Benefits From Brighter Skies and Small
Dust Cleaning of Solar Panels - sols 2922-2926, April 13-17, 2012:

Opportunity is positioned on the north end of Cape York on the rim of
Endeavour Crater with an approximate 15-degree northerly tilt for
favorable solar energy production.

The solar insolation has been improving and the rover has benefitted
from some small dust cleaning events. Radio Doppler tracking passes for
the geo-dynamic investigation were performed on Sols 2922, 2924, and
2925 (April 13, 15 and 16, 2012).

Since resuming in-situ (contact) science with the robotic arm
instruments, the team has continued work on the Microscopic Imager
mosaic they have been building over the winter, with additional pieces
acquired on Sols 2924 and 2926 (April 15 and 17, 2012). Each of these
was followed by a placement of the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer
(APXS) for an overnight integration on the rock target "Amboy".

As of Sol 2926 (April 17, 2012), solar array energy production was 342
watt-hours with an atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.504 and a solar array
dust factor of 0.525.

Total odometry is unchanged at 21.35 miles (34,361.37 meters).
Received on Mon 23 Apr 2012 12:42:20 PM PDT