[meteorite-list] Mars Rover Opportunity Update - October 15-20, 2015

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sun, 8 Nov 2015 21:13:55 -0800 (PST)
Message-ID: <201511090513.tA95Dt6I023705_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Power Levels Low Due to Winter Setting In -
sols 4168-4173, October 15, 2015-October 20, 2015

Opportunity is within 'Marathon Valley' on the west rim of Endeavour Crater
conducting a valley floor survey for clay minerals.

Low-elevation orbiter relay passes to the west continue to result in little
to no data return on some relay passes. This is just a function of orbit
geometry and the high valley wall to the west within Marathon Valley.

>From a location on the south side of the valley, the rover has been conducting
a campaign of Panoramic (Pancam) Camera color imaging of Marathon Valley
with panoramas collected on Sols 4169, 4171 and 4173 (Oct. 16, Oct. 18
and Oct. 20, 2015). A salute (raise) of the robotic arm on Sol 4173 (Oct.
20, 2015) was performed so the rover's work volume for the arm could be
imaged ahead on an in-situ (contact) science activities.

Further readouts of Flash Bank 7 were attempted on Sol 4170 (Oct. 17,
2015). The rover's activities are being constrained by the winter power
levels. Opportunity will remain on north-facing slopes for the balance
of the winter.

As of Sol 4173 (Oct. 20, 2015), the solar array energy production was
337 watt-hours with an atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.522 and a solar
array dust factor of 0.568.

Total odometry is 26.48 miles (42.62 kilometers), more than a marathon.
Received on Mon 09 Nov 2015 12:13:55 AM PST