[meteorite-list] Mars Rover Opportunity Update: October 26 - November 01, 2011

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu, 3 Nov 2011 10:40:25 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <201111031740.pA3HePl2007417_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

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

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: On the Lookout for Light-Toned Material -
sols 2757-2763, October 26 - November 01, 2011:

The seasonal plan for Opportunity is to winter over on the north end of
Cape York on the rim of Endeavour crater where northerly tilts are
favorable for solar array energy production.

As such, the project has been driving the rover towards the north end of
the cape with a route along the west side that creates opportunities for
science along the way. The science team is on the lookout for veins of
light-toned material and has found some.

On Sol 2758 (Oct. 27, 2011), Opportunity traveled north/northwest about
180 feet (55 meters) heading toward a geologic contact that borders Cape
York on the west. The next drive on Sol 2760 (Oct. 29, 2011), moved the
rover roughly north to the contact. Imagery from the end of the Sol 2760
drive showed these light-toned veins the science team was searching for,
one just a few feet (meters) in front of the rover. On Sol 2763 (Nov. 1,
2011), Opportunity bumped 12 feet (3.7 meters) placing this light-toned
vein, called "Homestake" within reach of the rover's robotic arm. The
plan ahead is to collect some Microscopic Imager (MI) images of the vein
and place the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) on the vein
itself for an overnight integration.

As of Sol 2763 (Nov. 1, 2011), solar array energy production was 304
watt-hours with an atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.752 and a solar array
dust factor of 0.494.

Total odometry is 21.25 miles (34,199.25 meters, or 34.20 kilometers).
Received on Thu 03 Nov 2011 01:40:25 PM PDT