[meteorite-list] Mars Rover Opportunity Update: August 25-31, 2011

[Ron Baalke]

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

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE:  Finishing Work at Tinsdale 2 - sols 2697-2702,
August 25-31, 2011:

Opportunity is continuing the in-situ (contact) investigation of rocks
around the rim of Endeavour crater.

On Sol 2697 (Aug. 25, 2011), the rover bumped a mere 0.15 meters (about
6 inches) to reposition at the large ejecta block, named "Tinsdale 2."
This allowed Opportunity to reach targets on the top of the blocky rock.
On Sol 2699 (Aug. 28, 2011), the rover used the Instrument Deployment
Device (IDD, robotic arm) to collect a Microscopic Imager (MI) mosaic of
a new target, called "Shaw 1," then place the Alpha Particle X-ray
Spectrometer (APXS) on the same target for an overnight integration. On
Sol 2700 (Aug. 29, 2011), another set of diagnostic tests were performed
on the miniature thermal emission spectrometer (Mini-TES) instrument.
Preliminary test results continue to show no performance from the
instrument. On Sol 2701 (Aug. 30, 2011), Opportunity again collect MI
mosaics and performed an Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS)
placement on target "Shaw 2."

With in-situ work completing at "Tinsdale 2" the plan ahead is for
Opportunity to drive away and head to the northeast where the iron
magnesium smectite clays are seen from orbit.

As of Sol 2702 (Aug. 31, 2011), solar array energy production was 352
watt-hours with an atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 1.07 and a solar array
dust factor of 0.540.

Total odometry is 20.83 miles (33,525.68 meters, or 33.53 kilometers).