[meteorite-list] Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity Update: March 28 - April 3, 2012

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu, 5 Apr 2012 13:38:02 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <201204052038.q35Kc2L8011426_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

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

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Small Wheel Spin and Steering Wiggle to Stabilize
Left-Front Wheel - sols 2907-2913, March 28, 2012 - April 03, 2012:

Opportunity is positioned on the north end of Cape York on the rim of
Endeavour Crater with an approximate 15-degree northerly tilt for
favorable solar energy production. The winter solstice (March 30, 2012)
has now passed for the rover.

Radio Doppler tracking passes for the geo-dynamic investigation were
performed on Sols 2909 and 2912 (March 30 and April 2, 2012).
Atmospheric argon measurements were performed with the Alpha Particle
X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) on Sols 2907 and 2909 (March 28 and March 30,
2012). Additional Panoramic camera (Pancam) images were taken on several
sols, along with a 360-degree Navigation camera (Navcam) panorama to be
used to refine knowledge of the rover's attitude.

The project is continuing to investigate the anomalies from Sol 2899
(March 20, 2012), that indicate apparent downward motion (of a few
millimeters) of the left-front wheel and a stall in the robotic arm
(Instrument Deployment Device, IDD). On Sol 2910 (March 31, 2012), a
Quick Fine Attitude (QFA) was performed to establish the rover's
attitude using the Sun along with the collection of additional Hazardous
camera (Hazcam) imagery. No motion in the rover was observed when
comparing these images to ones collected just after the anomalous wheel
motion. However, the project is planning to stabilize the left-front
wheel by performing a small wheel spin and a steering wiggle. These
actions should remove any loose material under the wheel and relax any
tension in the rover's suspension. A small dust cleaning event around
Sol 2911 (April 1, 2012), improved the solar array dust factor by a few
percent.

As of Sol 2913 (April 3, 2012), solar array energy production was 321
watt-hours with an atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.521 and a solar array
dust factor of 0.506.

Total odometry is unchanged at 21.35 miles (34,361.37 meters).
Received on Thu 05 Apr 2012 04:38:02 PM PDT