[meteorite-list] Mars Exploration Rover Update - May 25, 2004

[Ron Baalke]

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

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Opportunity on the Edge - sol 115-116, 
May 25, 2004

On Sol 115 Opportunity drove 11.7 meters (38.4 feet), coming 
to rest about 3 meters (10 feet) from the edge of "Endurance 
Crater," as intended. Rover planners had commanded Opportunity 
to go 10 centimeters (3.9 inches) farther, but the rover 
decided to stop when it "saw" the edge of the crater in the 
navigation camera images. This was actually a more 
conservative response than necessary, as it would have been 
safe to complete the drive. Rover planners are looking into 
changing the way they send commands to prevent this
over-conservatism next time. 

Opportunity used its navigation camera to acquire images 
showing its proximity to the crater. On Sol 116 Opportunity 
turned slightly to the right and crept a little closer to the 
edge of Endurance Crater to get into just the right position 
to set up camp for a few sols. The rover executed this 1.5 
meter (4.9 feet) traverse as planned, ending up facing 
northwest with a total tilt of about 8 degrees pitched 
"nose-up". From this position, Opportunity will make many 
observations with the panoramic camera and mini thermal 
emission spectrometer to fully characterize the parts of 
the crater that can be seen from here. Opportunity now sits
only about 1 meter from the edge of the crater, and there 
is a sloping drop-off of about 40 degrees dead ahead.