[meteorite-list] Mars Rover Opportunity Update - December 12-18, 2012

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed, 19 Dec 2012 15:58:25 -0800 (PST)
Message-ID: <201212192358.qBJNwPnJ024088_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

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

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Shoulder Work At 'Copper Cliff' -
sols 3159-3165, Dec. 12, 2012-Dec. 18, 2012:

Opportunity is working at "Matijevic Hill" (named in honor of Jake
Matijevic) at the inboard edge of "Cape York" on the rim of Endeavour
Crater. There, the rover has been conducting in-situ (contact) science
measurements at a location called "Copper Cliff."

On Sol 3160 (Dec. 13, 2012), Opportunity began taking images with its
Microscopic Imager (MI) for a mosaic of a surface target. Partway
through the activity, the rover's robotic arm experienced a stall in the
shoulder azimuth joint. This has been seen a few times before when the
arm is commanded to move at a slow rate, but not the slowest rate.
Magnetic detents normally hold the motor armature when unpowered, and
under certain slow-rate conditions they are able to restrain the
armature from spinning. At higher rates, the armature has enough
momentum to keep spinning, while at the slowest rates a higher stall
threshold is used. Activities on Sol 3162 (Dec. 15, 2012) confirmed the
joint is OK, and an offset placement of the Alpha Particle X-ray
Spectrometer (APXS) was completed.

On Sol 3165 (Dec. 18, 2012), Opportunity bumped about 18 feet (5.5
meters) to the west to reach a new set of surface targets in this Copper
Cliff area. The rover will likely continue in-situ investigations in the
area through the coming holiday.

As of Sol 3165, the solar array energy production was 533 watt-hours
with an increased atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.955 and a solar array
dust factor of 0.607.

Total odometry is 22.02 miles (35438.37 meters).
Received on Wed 19 Dec 2012 06:58:25 PM PST