[meteorite-list] Mars Exploration Rover Update - June 29, 2004

[Ron Baalke]

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

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Rock Abrasion Tool Hops from 'Virginia' 
to 'London' - sol 144-149, June 29, 2004

While Opportunity is hard at work inside "Endurance Crater," 
engineers at JPL are busy testing engineering models in the 
Lab's simulated martian environment. A tilt platform is 
being used to determine Opportunity's ability to climb back 
up over the "curb" below its current location.

On sol 144, Opportunity completed the Mossbauer spectrometer 
integration on the rock abrasion tool hole on the "Cobble 
Hill" area. Microscopic images were also collected.

Sol 145 was a busy day, with the rover collecting more 
post-rock abrasion tool Cobble Hill and pre-"Virginia" 
microscopic images. The tool then bored a 4.3-millimeter 
(0.17 inches) hole in Virginia. Deep sleep mode was 
invoked for the overnight hours.

Sol 146 was used to examine the newly-abraded hole with 
the microscopic imager and the alpha particle X-ray 
spectrometer.

On sol 147 the rover performed a long Mossbauer 
spectrometer integration on Virginia and completed some 
remote sensing from its location in the crater. After 
relaying the data through both Mars Global Surveyor and 
Mars Odyssey, Opportunity went into deep sleep mode for 
the night.

"London" was Opportunity's target on sol 148. The rock 
abrasion tool ground a 4.5-millimeter (0.18 inches) hole 
in the rock. The alpha particle X-ray spectrometer was 
then placed on the hole for integration.

On sol 149 the rover continued to scrutinize London with 
the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer and the microscopic 
imager. A Mossbauer spectrometer integration was 
initiated and will be completed on sol 150. Deep sleep 
mode was invoked for the overnight hours.