[meteorite-list] Mars Rover Opportunity Update: April 26, 2012 - May 01, 2012

[Ron Baalke]

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

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE:  Opportunity Getting Ready to Leave Her Winter Perch - 
sols 2927-2934, April 26, 2012 - May 01, 2012:

Opportunity is still positioned on the north end of Cape York on the rim of 
Endeavour Crater with an approximate 15-degree northerly tilt, but not for 
much longer.

With the improvement in solar insolation and the recent modest dust cleaning 
events on the solar arrays, the project has determined that the rover has 
sufficient energy resources to begin moving again on level terrain. Therefore, 
Opportunity will soon be backing down off her winter perch and resume driving 
on the near-level terrain around the north end of Cape York.

Radio Doppler tracking passes for the geo-dynamic investigation are continuing 
for now with passes performed on Sols 2935, 2936, 2937 and 2940 (April 26, 27, 
28 and May 1, 2012). The project is also finishing the campaign of Microscopic 
Imager mosaics and Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer measurements of the 
extended region around the surface rock target "Amboy." These measurements 
were performed on Sols 2935, 2937 and 2940 (April 26, 28 and May 1, 2012). An 
extended thermal behavior test of the inertial measurement unit on the rover 
was performed on Sol 2938 (April 29, 2012), and found to be in good order.

As of Sol 2940 (May 1, 2012), solar array energy production was 365 watt-hours 
with an atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.480 and an improved solar array dust 
factor of 0.534.

Total odometry is unchanged at 21.35 miles (34,361.37 meters).