[meteorite-list] Mars Exploration Rover Update - June 2, 2004

[Ron Baalke]

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

SPIRIT UPDATE: Taking Time to Trench - sol 140-142, June 02, 2004

Spirit spent most of sol 140 investigating the trench it dug on 
sol 135. It got an up-close look at the trench with the 
microscopic imager and then began a five-and-a-half hour 
integration with the Mössbauer spectrometer. Doing double 
duty, Spirit surveyed the "Columbia Hills" with the panoramic 
camera and miniature thermal emission spectrometer during the 
Mössbauer observation. Following the afternoon Odyssey 
communications window, Spirit changed tools and began an 
overnight integration on two targets with the alpha particle 
X-ray spectrometer.

On sol 141, Spirit continued to observe the trench with the 
Mössbauer spectrometer and microscopic imager.  The rover 
also obtained panoramic camera images of its surroundings 
while doing work with the robotic arm.  It then stowed the 
instrument deployment device and backed up 0.85 meters 
(2.8 feet). Spirit spent most of the afternoon observing 
the trench using the miniature thermal emission spectrometer.

Spirit got a chance to stretch its wheels and do some driving 
on sol 142, but before taking off, the rover finished the 
trench observations with some panoramic camera imaging. Then 
it was time to rove. Spirit completed a 30-minute, 
engineer-directed drive and then turned the wheel over to 
the autonomous navigation software for another hour and 15 
minutes of driving. Spirit roved a total of 61 meters 
(200.1 feet) closer toward the Columbia Hills.

Spirit has 2,647.7 meters (1.65 miles) on its odometer, and 
just over 620 meters (.4 miles) to rove before reaching the 
base of the Columbia Hills.