[meteorite-list] Mars Rover Opportunity Update: April 2-9, 2014

[Ron Baalke]

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

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE:  Getting in Place for a Better View of 'Endeavour 
Crater' - sols 3622-3629, April 02, 2014-April 09, 2014:

Opportunity is exploring 'Murray Ridge,' part of the west rim of Endeavour 
Crater.

On Sol 3623 (April 3, 2014), the rover moved about 52 feet (16 meters) 
in a clockwise arc around some obstacles in an approach to a large rock 
outcrop. Moving closer to the outcrop would be difficult, so it was decided 
to document the outcrop with imagery and then back away and resume the 
path south.

On Sol 3625 (April 5, 2014), Opportunity retraced some of her path with 
a 28 feet (8.6 meter) drive to the northwest, collecting documentary images 
of the rock target 'Hoonah,' and imaging her tracks for engineering evaluation 
purposes. On Sol 3628 (April 8, 2014), the rover drove about 69 feet (21 
meters) to the south in an approach to a local ridge top, a vantage point 
that offers a view with an entire sweep of Endeavour Crater. Once there, 
the plan is to collect a spectacular color panorama of Endeavour.

As of Sol 3628 (April 8, 2014), the solar array energy production was 
642 watt-hours with an atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.423 and a solar 
array dust factor of 0.843.

Total odometry is 24.18 miles (38.91 kilometers).