[meteorite-list] NASA Rover Opportunity's Selfie Shows Clean Machine

[Ron Baalke]

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2014-118

NASA Rover Opportunity's Selfie Shows Clean Machine
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
April 17, 2014

In its sixth Martian winter, NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity 
now has cleaner solar arrays than in any Martian winter since its first 
on the Red Planet, in 2005. Cleaning effects of wind events in March boosted 
the amount of electricity available for the rover's work.

A new self-portrait from Opportunity's panoramic camera (Pancam), showing 
the cleaned arrays, is online at:

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/spaceimages/details.php?id=PIA18079

The mission is using the rover's added energy to inspect "Murray Ridge," 
on the western rim of Endeavour Crater, to learn about wet environments 
on ancient Mars.

During Opportunity's first decade on Mars and the 2004-2010 career of 
its twin, Spirit, NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Project yielded a range 
of findings proving wet environmental conditions on ancient Mars -- some 
very acidic, others milder and more conducive to supporting life.

JPL manages the Mars Exploration Rover Project for NASA's Science Mission 
Directorate in Washington. For more information about Spirit and Opportunity, 
visit

http://www.nasa.gov/rovers and http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov

You can follow the project on Twitter and on Facebook at: 
http://twitter.com/MarsRovers and http://www.facebook.com/mars.rovers

Guy Webster 818-354-6278
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
guy.webster at jpl.nasa.gov 

2014-118