[meteorite-list] Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity Update: February 19-26, 2014

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue, 4 Mar 2014 14:11:36 -0800 (PST)
Message-ID: <201403042211.s24MBaAT026966_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

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

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Crushing Rocks With Wheels - sols 3581-3588,
Feb. 19, 2014-Feb. 26, 2014:

Opportunity is exploring 'Murray Ridge' on Solander Point, part of the
rim of Endeavour Crater.

Investigation continued on 'Anchor Point,' Sol 3581 (Feb. 19, 2014)
through Sol 3583 (Feb. 21, 2014), with Microscopic Imager (MI) and Alpha
Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) on two soil locations.

On Sol 3585 (Feb. 23, 2014), the arm crushed the rock 'Sledge Island'
some more and then backed up to inspect the results. Sledge Island was
indeed crushed, and parts of it were in the Instrument Deployment Device
(IDD) work volume. The team generated a Microscopic Imager mosaic and
placed the APXS on it Sol 3587 (Feb. 25, 2014). The subsequent
integration appears to have been successful. This should largely wrap-up
the work at the current location, though the team will attempt to crack
'Stuart Island' under the wheel as the rover drives away.

As of Sol 3588 (Feb. 26, 2014), the solar array energy production was
464 watt-hours with an atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.498 and a solar
array dust factor of 0.691.

Total odometry is 24.07 miles (38.74 kilometers).
Received on Tue 04 Mar 2014 05:11:36 PM PST