[meteorite-list] Mars Exploration Rovers Update: May 4-12, 2011

[Ron Baalke]

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

SPIRIT UPDATE:  Spirit Remains Silent at Troy - sols 2608-2614, 
May 5-11, 2011:

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

The project is continuing the recovery effort of both Deep Space Network
X-band and ultra-high frequency (UHF) relay communication attempts.

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

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OPPORTUNITY UPDATE:  Opportunity Past 18-Mile Mark!  - sols 2588-2594, 
May 4-12, 2011:

Opportunity continues the trek towards Endeavour crater after a brief
jog last week through a small field of young impact craters, named in
honor after the spacecraft of the NASA Mercury Program.

On Sol 2588 (May 5, 2011), Opportunity headed east with a drive of over
126 meters (413 feet). On Sol 2589 (May 6, 2011), the rover drove
further east achieving almost 129 meters (423 feet). On Sol 2592 (May
10, 2011), Opportunity again achieved another long drive to the east
covering another 126 meters (413 feet). With this drive, Opportunity
passed 29 kilometers (18 miles) of total mission odometry.

On Sol 2593 (May 11, 2011), the rover repeated another long drive to the
east of about 117 meters (384 feet). The science team spied an
interesting crater in the distance, so on Sol 2594 (May 12, 2011),
Opportunity drove 72 meters (236 feet) to stop near the crater named
Skylab for a brief imaging sequence before moving on with a drive
planned for the next sol.

As of Sol 2594 (May 12, 2011), solar array energy production was 382
watt-hours with an atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.816 and a solar array
dust factor of 0.514.

Total odometry is 29,278.59 meters (29.28 kilometers, or 18.19 miles).