[meteorite-list] Mars Rover Opportunity Update - December 5-11, 2012

[Ron Baalke]

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

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE:  Checking Out Rocks  - sols 3152-3158, Dec. 5,
2012-Dec. 11, 2012:

Opportunity is located at a place named "Matijevic Hill" (named in honor
of Jake Matijevic) at the inboard edge of Cape York on the rim of
Endeavour Crater.

On Sol 3153 (Dec. 6, 2012), the rover moved 7 feet (2.2 meters) to the
west approaching an outcrop, called "Copper Cliff." This outcrop shows a
distinct contact between two geologic units. On Sol 3155 (Dec. 8, 2012),
Opportunity bumped 3 feet (1 meter) closer to a candidate surface target
on Copper Cliff.

With surface targets now within reach of the robotic arm, the rover
collected a Microscopic Imager (MI) mosaic of the surface target called
"Onaping." This was then followed by an Alpha Particle X-ray
Spectrometer (APXS) overnight integration. The plan ahead is to perform
more in-situ (contact) science on surface targets within reach of the
rover's robotic arm before moving to other locations.

As of Sol 3158 (Dec. 11, 2012), the solar array energy production was
524 watt-hours with an increased atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.923 and
a solar array dust factor of 0.590.

Total odometry is 22.02 miles (35,432.84 meters).