[meteorite-list] Mars Rover Opportunity Update: November 22-25, 2013

[Ron Baalke]

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

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE:  Robotic Arm Within Reach of Rock Outcrop  - 
sols 3495-3498, Nov. 22, 2013-Nov. 25, 2013:

Opportunity is ascending 'Solander Point' at the rim of 'Endeavour Crater.'

The rover is maintaining favorable northerly tilts for improved energy
production. On Sol 3496 (Nov. 23, 2013), the rover bumped nearly 2 feet
(half a meter) towards the target outcrop, called 'Moreton Island' to
position reachable targets within the work volume of the robotic arm. On
Sol 3498 (Nov. 25, 2013), Opportunity began the in-situ (contact)
investigation of the outcrop with the collection of a Microscopic Imager
(MI) mosaic and then the placement of the Alpha Particle X-ray
Spectrometer (APXS) for an overnight integration. Additional APXS
measurements, along with remote sensing images are planned over the
Thanksgiving Holiday period.

As of Sol 3498 (Nov. 25, 2013), the solar array energy production was
310 watt-hours with an atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.603 and a solar
array dust factor of 0.496.

Total odometry is 24.01 miles (38.65 kilometers).