[meteorite-list] Mars Rover Opportunity Update: Jul 21-30, 2015

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 2015 22:56:03 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <201508310556.t7V5u38q019618_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Beginning to Explore 'Marathon Valley',
sols 4085-4093, July 21, 2015-July 30, 2015

Opportunity has entered 'Marathon Valley' on the west rim of Endeavour
Crater and has begun the search for clay minerals.

Previously, the project tested returning to using Flash memory for data
storage. The Flash exhibited instability after a few sols, so the project
returned Opportunity to operating in RAM-only mode on Sol 4085 (July 21,
2015). Over the next two sols a 360-degree Navigation Camera (Navcam)
panorama was collected.

On Sol 4088 (July 24, 2015), the rover resumed contact science with the
collection of a Microscopic Imager (MI) mosaic of a surface target followed
by the placement of the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) on the
same for a multi-hour integration. Additional MI images were collected
on the next sol to complete the mosaic. Atmospheric observations were
also made as part of this multi-sol plan.

On Sol 4091, (July 28, 2015), the Rock Abrasion Tool (RAT) was used to
brush the surface target to prepare it for further investigation. This
was followed by another MI mosaic and the placement of the APXS. On Sol
4093 (July 30, 2015), an offset MI mosaic was collected and the APXS placed
on the offset target. Other than the Flash, Opportunity is in good health.

As of Sol 4092 (July 29, 2015), the solar array energy production was
424 watt-hours with an atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.695 and a solar
array dust factor of 0.611.

Total odometry is 26.40 miles (42.48 kilometers), more than a marathon.
Received on Mon 31 Aug 2015 01:56:03 AM PDT