[meteorite-list] Mars Rover Opportunity Update: May 8-13, 2014

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed, 21 May 2014 10:37:09 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <201405211737.s4LHb9Hu011931_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

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

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Opportunity Explores Region of Aluminum Clay
Minerals - sols 3657-3662, May 08, 2014-May 13, 2014:

Opportunity is exploring south of 'Solander Point' on the west rim of
Endeavour Crater. The rover is exploring the region of aluminum-hydroxyl
clay minerals seen from orbit.

On Sol 3657 (May 8, 2014), Opportunity collected a Microscopic Imager
(MI) mosaic of the surface outcrop, called 'Ash Meadows,' then placed
the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) for a multi-sol
integration. On Sol 3659 (May 10, 2014), the rover drove just under 85
feet (26 meters) to the east, approaching a region of extended outcrop
as a possible site for clay minerals. Also, Opportunity tested the new
two-second spacecraft clock correction sequence. Over the next two sols,
the rover collected an atmospheric argon measurement with the APXS and
performed two more one-second-clock corrections.

On Sol 3662 (May 13, 2014), Opportunity bumped 7 feet (2 meters) forward
to approach an exposed rock outcrop for further in-situ (contact)
investigation.

As of Sol 3662, the solar array energy production was 761 watt-hours
with an atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.621, and an improved solar array
dust factor of 0.964. Perfectly clean solar arrays would have a dust
factor of 1.0, so the larger the dust factor, the cleaner the arrays.

Total odometry is 24.49 miles (39.41 kilometers).
Received on Wed 21 May 2014 01:37:09 PM PDT