[meteorite-list] Mars Rover Opportunity Update: July 19-24, 2012

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri, 27 Jul 2012 10:31:17 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <201207271731.q6RHVHnm009989_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

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

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Opportunity Picks Up the Pace With Several Drives
This Week - sols 3017-3022, July 19-24, 2012:

Opportunity is roving at the north end of Cape York on the rim of
Endeavour Crater.

Progress was again impacted by a second safe mode entry by the Mars
Odyssey orbiter. With normal Ultra-High Frequency relay with Odyssey
restored, Opportunity was able to drive on Sol 3019 (July 21, 2012).

That drive, of over 138 feet (42 meters), was a "V" trajectory with the
rover first driving toward the small impact crater named "Sao Gabriel"
for mid-drive imaging, then a near reverse drive away toward the
geologic cut called "Whim Creek."

On Sol 3021 (July 23, 2012), Opportunity drove across Whim Creek with a
33 foot (10 meter) drive toward some surface targets. On the next Sol,
the rover collected a Microscopic Imager mosaic of the target "Mons
Cupri" before placing the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer down on the
same. The plan ahead is some more driving before the operational
stand-down around the time of the landing for Curiosity.

As of Sol 3022 (July 24, 2012), the solar array energy production was
507 watt-hours with an elevated atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.772 and
an improved solar array dust factor of 0.727.

Total odometry is 21.52 miles (34,633.40 meters).
Received on Fri 27 Jul 2012 01:31:17 PM PDT