[meteorite-list] Mars Exploration Rover Update - January 6, 2005

[Ron Baalke]

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

SPIRIT UPDATE: Spirit Celebrates Year Anniversary on Mars - sol 346-352, 
January 06, 2005

Spirit landed on Mars one year ago on Jan. 3, 2004, (Pacific Time) and 
is still healthy and going strong!

On sol 346, Spirit confirmed that it had dumped a potato-shaped rock 
that had been plaguing Spirit's right rear wheel. Confirmation came by 
comparison of before and after images from the rear hazard-avoidance 
camera. The total distance driven on sol 346 was 0.33 meters (1.08 feet).

On sol 347, Spirit observed selected targets with its panoramic camera 
and miniature thermal emission spectrometer.

On sol 348 took pictures of a target called "Dreaming" with the 
microscopic imager, and then did a tool change to the alpha particle 
X-ray spectrometer. Spirit also made some remote-sensing observations 
of targets with holiday theme names.

On sol 349, Spirit did a tool change to the Mosssbauer spectrometer 
and made more observations.

On sol 350, the plan was to drive Spirit 5 meters (16 feet) towards 
the rock named "La Brea." However, the drive achieved less than a meter 
(3 feet) due to slippage.

On sol 351, Spirit attempted to drive again. This drive involved a 
series of rearward and forward arcs to get to more favorable terrain. 
Most of the slip occurred during the forward arcs. The estimated slip 
on the rearward arcs was 15 per cent, but the estimated slip on the 
forward arcs was 39 per cent. The destination, a rock called 
"Dick Clark," was still about 4.2 meters away (14 feet).

On sol 352, the incomplete drive on the previous sol had left the 
rover team with a rock of interest right between the rover's front wheels. 
Spirit examined a target called "Bubbles" with its microscopic imager, 
then changed tools to the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer. Spirit 
also made sky observations with its thermal emission spectrometer 
and panoramic camera. Sol 352 ended on Dec. 29.