[meteorite-list] Mars Rover Opportunity Update: August 5-11, 2015

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 2015 16:06:45 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <201508312306.t7VN6jLi013132_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: The Challenges of RAM Mode, sols 4099-4105, August
05, 2015-August 11, 2015

Opportunity is in Marathon Valley on the west rim of Endeavour Crater
exploring for clay minerals. The rover is operating in persistent RAM
mode (not using Flash memory for data storage). In RAM mode, it is sometimes
challenging to collect images at the right time of day to send them back
to Earth via the orbital relay passes.

On Sol 4099 (August 5, 2015), Pancam images were taken of the North Wall
within Marathon Valley. On Sol 4100 (August 6, 2015) the robotic arm was
used to conduct contact science on a surface target. The Microscopic Imager
(MI) collected a mosaic and then the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer
(APXS) was placed for a multi-hour integration. Navcam panoramas are also
being collected from this site.

On Sol 4102 (August 8, 2015), another set of MI images along with an offset
placement of the APXS were performed. The APXS integration was sequenced
on the next sol. On Sol 4104 (August 10, 2015), more Pancam images of
the North Wall were taken. Then on Sol 4105 (August 11, 2015), Opportunity
turned just slightly more than 1.5 degrees using a tank turn to allow
the robotic arm to reach an exposed outcrop that will be brushed by the
Rock Abrasion Tool (RAT) on a subsequent sol.

Other than the Flash, Opportunity is in good health. As of Sol 4105 (August
11, 2015), the solar array energy production was 420 watt-hours with an
atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.736 and a solar array dust factor of 0.608.

Total odometry is 26.41 miles (42.51 kilometers) more than a marathon.
Received on Mon 31 Aug 2015 07:06:45 PM PDT