[meteorite-list] Mars Exploration Rover Update - February 14, 2008

[Ron Baalke]

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

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Opportunity Proceeds with Caution on Sandy Slopes -
sol 1437-1443, Feb 14, 2008:

After recovering from a stall in Joint 1, which controls the compass
orientation of the shoulder on the rover's robotic arm, Opportunity is
proceeding carefully to its next target, an exposure of layered rocks
known as "Gilbert."

Opportunity ran the usual diagnostic tests for this sort of fault, which
occurred while the rover was studying a rock target known as "Buckland,"
and successfully placed the Moessbauer spectrometer on the target on Sol
1437 (Feb. 8, 2008). On Sol 1438 (Feb. 9, 2008), the rover's handlers
decided to relinquish further scientific studies of the target and
proceed instead with a drive toward Gilbert. As this meant the rover
would wander into new terrain, the team created a series of steps to
allow Opportunity to characterize the surroundings along the way.

One of these steps involved placing the front two wheels on an area of
soil to leave a scuff on the surface and backing up to take images of
the exposed area. On Sol 1438, however, prior to reaching the intended
soil area, Opportunity aborted the drive. The rover completed the second
planned "scuffing" on Sol 1441 (Feb. 12, 2008). This time the scuff was
successful, though it revealed an interesting surprise -- Opportunity's
right front wheel dug in much more than the rover's handlers had
expected, highlighting the need to proceed cautiously toward Gilbert.

Because Opportunity was unable to relay all of the diagnostic data to
Earth at one time because the volume of data was more than could be
accommodated, the rover's handlers decided that the prudent course of
action was to wait one planning cycle before having Opportunity proceed
with the drive. On Sol 1443 (Feb. 14, 2008), Opportunity completed a
diagnostic examination of the grind bit on the rock abrasion tool and
collected a mosaic of microscopic images of a rock target dubbed "Lyell
Exeter," commemorating the college attended by geologist Sir Charles
Lyell in the early 1800s, as well as compositional data using the
alpha-particle X-ray spectrometer.

Opportunity is healthy and all subsystems are performing as expected.
The latest available measurements on Sol 1443 showed a power level of
469 watt-hours (100 watt-hours is the amount of energy needed to light a
100-watt bulb for 1 hour). Plans for the coming weekend called for the
rover to proceed with the first of a two-step drive toward Gilbert.

Sol-by-sol summary:

In addition to receiving instructions directly from Earth via the
rover's high-gain antenna, relaying data to Earth via the UHF antenna on
the Mars Odyssey orbiter, and assessing atmospheric dust levels with the
panoramic camera, Opportunity completed the following activities:

Sol 1437 (Feb. 8, 2008): Opportunity recovered from last week's stall of
Joint 1 on the robotic arm, succesfully placing the Moessbauer
spectrometer on the surface of the rock target dubbed "Buckland" and
spending 12 hours studying iron-bearing minerals with the instrument.
The rover acquired a 2-by-1 mosaic of images of dunes with the panoramic
camera.

Sol 1438: Opportunity surveyed and took spot images of the sky with the
panoramic camera. The rover acquired movie frames in search of clouds
with the navigation camera before rolling a short distance to get into
position for a photo session, during which the rover took full-color
images of Buckland, using all 13 filters of the panoramic camera.
Opportunity then drove in the direction of Gilbert and acquired a
mid-drive, 3-by-1 image mosaic of Gilbert using the panoramic camera.
The rover collected a 2-by-2 mosaic of post-drive images with the
navigation camera, took images with the hazard avoidance cameras, and
unstowed the robotic arm. Opportunity was unable to complete a planned
soil scuff followed by a backward drive.

Sol 1439: After awakening, Opportunity took spot images of the sky,
surveyed the horizon, and surveyed the sky at high Sun with the
panoramic camera. Opportunity then completed a systematic ground survey,
using all 13 filters of the panoramic camera. After relaying data to
NASA's Odyssey orbiter as it passed overhead, the rover studied argon
gas in the Martian atmosphere with the alpha-particle X-ray spectrometer.

Sol 1440: Upon receiving enough solar energy to wake up autonomously,
Opportunity took thumbnail images of the sky with the panoramic camera.
The rover searched for morning clouds in movie frames taken with the
navigation camera, took spot images of the sky with the panoramic
camera, and monitored dust accumulation on the mast assembly.
Opportunity made additional measurements of atmospheric argon with the
alpha-particle X-ray spectrometer after transmitting data to Odyssey.

Sol 1441: Upon awakening, the rover surveyed the sky with the panoramic
camera. Opportunity then acquired movie frames in search of morning
clouds with the navigation camera. The rover stowed the robotic arm,
scuffed the soil with its wheels while driving toward Gilbert, and
acquired a 3-by-1 mosaic of post-drive images of Gilbert with the
panoramic camera as well as a 2-by-2 mosaic of navigation camera images
and hazard avoidance camera images. Opportunity unstowed the robotic arm.

Sol 1442: Upon awakening, Opportunity took spot images of the sky and
surveyed the horizon with the panoramic camera. The rover also surveyed
the sky at high Sun with the panoramic camera.

Sol 1443 (Feb. 14, 2008): Upon awakening, Opportunity took thumbnail
images of the sky with the panoramic camera and acquired movie frames in
search of clouds with the navigation camera. The rover surveyed the
grinding bit on the rock abrasion tool and acquired a 2-by-2-by-14 stack
of stereo microscopic images of Lyell Exeter. Opportunity placed the
alpha-particle X-ray spectrometer on Lyell Exeter, acquired a 2-by-1
mosaic of images of Gilbert with the navigation camera, and, after
sending data to Odyssey, collected compositional data with the
spectrometer. The following morning, Opportunity was to acquire
full-color images, using all 13 filters of the panoramic camera, of the
area exposed by the rover's wheels and survey the sky at high Sun with
the panoramic camera.

Odometry:

As of sol 1443 (Feb. 14, 2008), Opportunity's total odometry was
11,668.08 meters (7.25 miles).