[meteorite-list] Mars Exploration Rover Update - February 23, 2004

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:31:26 2004
Message-ID: <200402240207.SAA05610_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/mer2004/daily/2-23-04.cfm

Spirit Status for sol 50
Heading for Middle Ground
Feb. 23, 1:30 pm PST

On Sol 50, ending at 2:35 p.m. PST, Spirit finished observations
of the trench at "Laguna Hollow," then continued on its journey
toward the crater called "Bonneville." Driving in a dog-leg
pattern to avoid some bumpy terrain, Spirit traveled
approximately 18.8 meters (61.7 feet) toward the halfway point,
called "Middle Ground." The last 2.8 meters (9.2 feet) were
covered using autonomous navigation software.

After completing the drive, Spirit gathered miniature thermal
emission spectrometer data on the ground on both sides of the
rover, and its panoramic camera and navigation camera took
pictures.

The wake-up song this morning (Sunday evening Pacific time)
was "Samba De Marte" by Beth Carvalho from her "Perolas Do
Pagode" album. The lyrics include a verse about waking up the
rover on Carnival Day. This song was written by Beth Carvalho
after she heard that one of her songs was used to wake up
Mars Pathfinder's Sojourner rover during the 1997 mission.
This is quite appropriate, as this spirited sol 50 also began on
Carnival day in Brazil!

In the coming sols, Spirit will complete the drive to "Middle
Ground."
Received on Mon 23 Feb 2004 09:07:19 PM PST