[meteorite-list] Mars Rover Opportunity Update: October 17-23, 2013

[Ron Baalke]

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

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE:  Busy Week of Science and Driving  - 
sols 3460-3466, Oct. 17, 2013-Oct. 23, 2013:

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

The rover is maintaining favorable northerly tilts for improved energy
production as winter approaches. On Sol 3460 (Oct. 17, 2013),
Opportunity conducted an in-situ (contact) investigation of the outcrop
named 'Kangaroo Paw' using the instruments on the end of the robotic
arm. The Rock Abrasion Tool (RAT) was employed to brush the surface
target prior to placement of the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS).

On the next sol, a Microscopic Imager (MI) mosaic was collected,
followed by another placement of the APXS. On Sol 3466 (Oct. 23, 2013),
after several sols of APXS integration and Panoramic Camera (Pancam) and
Navigation Camera (Navcam) remote sensing, the rover continued ascending
Solander Point driving 41 feet (12.5 meters) forward towards more rock
outcrop. Opportunity also fit in after the drive an atmospheric argon
measurement with the APXS.

As of Sol 3466 (Oct. 23, 2013), the solar array energy production was
320 watt-hours with an atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.596 and a solar
array dust factor of 0.514.

Total odometry is 23.90 miles (38.47 kilometers).