[meteorite-list] Mars Rover Opportunity Update: December 6-7, 2013

[Ron Baalke]

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

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE:  Communications Slow, But Expected to Return to
Normal This Week  - sols 3508-3509, Dec. 06, 2013-Dec. 07, 2013:

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

The rover is maintaining favorable northerly tilts for improved energy
production. Mars Odyssey went into safe mode and was unable to provide
relay support for Opportunity since Sol 3509 (Dec. 7, 2013). The rover
was healthy as of that sol. A Direct-To-Earth (DTE) transmission from
Opportunity occurred on Sol 3512 (Dec. 10, 2013), providing a small
amount of rover telemetry. That telemetry indicated a healthy rover. A
drive was sequenced for Opportunity on Sol 3512. The results of that
drive will have to wait on the return to relay service of Odyssey.
Odyssey exited safe-mode on Dec. 10, 2013, and is expected to return to
relay service later this week.

As of Sol 3509 (Dec. 7, 2013), the solar array energy production was 268
watt-hours with an atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.587 and a solar array
dust factor of 0.468.

Total odometry is 24.05 miles (38.70 kilometers).