[meteorite-list] Mars Rover Opportunity Update: July 22-28, 2011

[Ron Baalke]

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

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE:  Opportunity Completes Four Drives: Studies Rock
Outcrop - sols 2663-2669, July 22-28, 2011:

Opportunity is less than 500 meters (0.31 miles) from "Spirit Point,"
the first landfall on the rim of Endeavour crater.

The rover drove four times in the last week on Sols 2663, 2664, 2667 and
2668 (July 22, 23, 26 & 27, 2011), totaling over 460 meters (0.29 miles)
of drive distance. The right-front wheel currents remain behaved. On Sol
2669 (July 28, 2011), Opportunity paused in her driving to collect a
microscopic imager (MI) mosaic of the surface and an overnight alpha
particle X-ray spectrometer (APXS) spectrum of exposed outcrop. The
rover also performed a diagnostic test of the MI poker. The results of
that test will be received later today. The plan ahead is more driving.

As of Sol 2668 (July 27, 2011), solar array energy production was 413
watt-hours with an atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 1.01 and a solar array
dust factor of 0.587.

Total odometry is 32,973.44 meters (32.97 kilometers, 20.49 miles).