[meteorite-list] Mars Rover Opportunity Update: January 25 - February 01, 2012

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri, 3 Feb 2012 15:10:07 -0800 (PST)
Message-ID: <201202032310.q13NA7Um010516_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

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

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Radio Doppler Tracking Continues at Cape York -
sols 2846-2852, January 25 - February 01, 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.

While positioned for the winter, Opportunity is conducting regular radio
Doppler tracking measurements to support geo-dynamic investigations of
the planet, in-situ (contact) science investigations of the rock target,
"Amboy," including an extended Microscopic Imager mosaic, and continued
collection of the 13-filter 360-degree "Greeley" panorama.

Additionally, during the late afternoon radio Doppler tracking passes,
the rover is collecting spectacular low-light (low sun elevation)
images. Decreasing energy levels with the approach to the winter
solstice has constrained conducting both a radio Doppler tracking pass
and an afternoon Ultra High Frequency relay pass on the same sol. The
operations team performs energy trades on the tactical timeline as to
which, if not both, of these communication passes are performed on a
given sol. On Sol 2846 (Jan. 25, 2012), a low-light Panoramic Camera
(Pancam) image was collected during the late afternoon radio Doppler
tracking pass. On the next sol, the robotic arm was used to re-place the
Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer on the target Amboy for multi-sol
integration. More radio Doppler tracking passes with Pancam low-light
imagery were performed over the next sols.

On Sol 2852 (Feb. 1, 2012), the robotic arm collected a Microscopic
Imager mosaic, part of an extended mosaic campaign, of the surface area
that includes the target Amboy. The M?ssbauer spectrometer was then
placed on Amboy for a multi-sol integration. New parameters are being
used to optimize the Moessbauer spectrometer performance.

As of Sol 2852 (Feb. 1, 2012), solar array energy production was 270
watt-hours with an atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.679 and a solar array
dust factor of 0.469.

Total odometry is unchanged at 21.35 miles (34,361.37 meters).
Received on Fri 03 Feb 2012 06:10:07 PM PST