[meteorite-list] Mars Rover Opportunity Update: June 18-24, 2014

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed, 2 Jul 2014 14:54:39 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <201407022154.s62LsdMj008881_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

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

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Rover Has Enough Energy for Some Late-Night Work
- sols 3697-3703, June 18, 2014-June 24, 2014:

Opportunity is exploring the west rim of Endeavour Crater. The rover is
continuing south along the ridgeline that forms the spine of the crater
rim, collecting color imagery of targets and outcrops along the way.

With ample energy, Opportunity has been able to conduct some late-night
activities. On Sol 3697 (June 18, 2014), the rover collected an
atmospheric argon measurement with the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer
(APXS), and took advantage of a Phobos moon imaging opportunity. On Sol
3698 (June 19, 2014), the rover proceeded just over 82 feet (25 meters)
to the south with another Phobos imagining opportunity that night, and
an argon measurement on the next night. Sol 3700 (June 21, 2014), was
the first sol of a 2-sol 'touch 'n go' with the collection of a
Microscopic Imager (MI) mosaic and subsequent APXS measurement on a
surface target of opportunity. The rover then drove on the next sol,
heading 42 feet (13.5) meters south.

On Sol 3703 (June 24, 2014), Opportunity began an approach to a surface
target with a 31 feet (9.4-meter) move. Also, the project continues with
the spacecraft clock correction, moving the clock about 3 seconds back
each sol. There have been no Flash-related anomalies and the rover
continues in good health.

As of Sol 3703 (June 24, 2014), the solar array energy production was
743 watt-hours with an atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.652 and a solar
array dust factor of 0.894.

Total odometry is 24.60 miles (39.59 kilometers).
Received on Wed 02 Jul 2014 05:54:39 PM PDT