[meteorite-list] Mars Exploration Rover Update - May 27, 2004

[Ron Baalke]

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

SPIRIT UPDATE: Taking Time to Trench - sol 134-135, 
May 27, 2004

Spirit roved an impressive 109.5 meters (359.3 feet) 
on sol 134. Two hours of the drive were guided by the
autonomous navigation system. After the long traverse, 
Spirit completed an hour of post-drive science
observations with the panoramic and navigation cameras 
and mini thermal emission spectrometer. The rover
finished the sol healthy and ready for another day on 
Mars.

After so much driving on sol 134, Spirit got a break 
and spent sol 135 doing in-situ science investigations 
of its surroundings. It began the sol observing nearby 
soil with the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer and
Moessbauer spectrometer. It then used the microscopic 
imager to see the soil up close. After stowing the
instrument deployment device, Spirit used its wheels 
to dig a trench and then imaged the trench with the
cameras on the mast.

Spirit's odometer now reads 2,585.52 meters (1.6 miles). 
The rover still has 680 meters (0.42 miles) to go
before reaching the base of the "Columbia Hills," but 
will likely get there before sol 160.