[meteorite-list] Mars Exploration Rovers Update: December 9-15, 2010

[Ron Baalke]

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

SPIRIT UPDATE:  Spirit Remains Silent at Troy - sols 2465-2470,
December 9-14, 2010:

No communication has been received from the rover since Sol 2210 (March
22, 2010).

The project continues to listen for Spirit with the Deep Space Network
and Mars Odyssey orbiter for autonomous recovery communication from the
low-power fault case. The project is also conducting a paging technique
called "Sweep & Beep" to stimulate the rover in the case of a
mission-clock fault. The period of peak solar insolation (energy
production) is not until mid-March 2011.

Total odometry is unchanged at 7,730.50 meters (4.80 miles).

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OPPORTUNITY UPDATE:   Rover Arrives at Santa Maria Crater - 
sols 2445-2450, December 9-15, 2010:

Opportunity has arrived at the 80-meter (262-foot) diameter Santa Maria
crater, a stop on the way to Endeavour crater.

Opportunity will conduct an in-situ (contact) science campaign at the
crater, which will likely extend through Solar Conjunction (through
early February 2011).

In addition to a sophisticated wide-baseline stereo-imaging survey from
several positions halfway around the crater, the rover will explore
minerals located around the southeast portion of the crater, using the
instruments on the end of the rover's robotic arm.

Opportunity drove several times in the last week, with drives on Sols
2447 (Dec. 11, 2010), 2449 (Dec. 14, 2010), and 2450 (Dec. 15, 2010),
totaling over 300 meters (984 feet). Morning Ultra-High Frequency (UHF)
relay passes are being sequenced as power permits to off-load additional
data from the rover, permitting more frequent drives.

As of Sol 2449 (Dec. 14, 2010), solar array energy production was 592
watt-hours, with a slightly elevated atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.727
and a solar array dust factor of 0.6355.

Total odometry is 26,430.86 meters (26.43 kilometers, or 16.42 miles).