[meteorite-list] Mars Rover Opportunity Update: March 13-19, 2014

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2014 14:39:15 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <201403242139.s2OLdFdt021096_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

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

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Helpful Wind Cleans Solar Panels - sols 3603-3609,
Mar. 13, 2014-Mar. 19, 2014:

Opportunity is exploring 'Murray Ridge' on Solander Point, part of the
rim of Endeavour Crater.

The rover continues to investigate the region called 'Cook Haven.' On
Sol 3603 (March 13, 2014), Opportunity completed the in-situ (contact)
analysis of a target called 'Augustine' with a Microscopic Imager (MI)
mosaic and a placement of the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS)
on the same. On the next two Sols, the rover conducted remote sensing
with the collection of Navigation Camera (Navcam) and Panoramic Camera
(Pancam) images and a measurement of atmospheric argon with the APXS.
Atmospheric opacity (tau) measurements using the Navcam were performed
in support of the InSIght mission. On Sol 3607 (March 17, 2014) a short
bump was planned to approach a target rock, called 'Sugarloaf.' However,
the drive stopped after just 2.3 meters (7.55 feet) due to the rover
sensing higher average current in three of the rover wheels. This was a
safety check to detect possible embedding events. Although the rover did
experience as much as 50% slip, there was no risk of embedding, just a
steep upward climb. Given the difficult terrain, the approach to
Sugarloaf would require multiple additional drives to be able to use the
robotic arm on the rock surface. So, the science team chose to document
Sugarloaf with more color imagery and to drive further south and west to
new targets. On Sol 3609 (March 19, 2014), Opportunity drove about 16.35
meters (53.64 feet) to the southwest. The rover experienced a solar
panel dust cleaning event between Sols 3605 and 3606 (March 15 and March
16, 2014). This resulted in about a 10% improvement in power production.

As of Sol 3609, the solar array energy production was 574 watt-hours
with an atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.450 and an improved solar array
dust factor of 0.777.

Total odometry is 24.10 miles (38.79 kilometers)
<http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/credits/>
Received on Mon 24 Mar 2014 05:39:15 PM PDT