[meteorite-list] Mars Rover Opportunity Update: July 23-30, 2014

[Ron Baalke]

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Opportunity Holds the Off-Earth Driving Distance Record 
- sols 3731-3738, July 23, 2014-July 30, 2014:

Opportunity has driven more than 25 miles (40 kilometers) and is now the 
off-Earth driving distance record holder!

Opportunity is moving south along the west rim of Endeavour Crater heading 
towards 'Marathon Valley.' This valley has been observed from orbit to 
have an abundant clay mineral signature.

On Sol 3732 (July 24, 2014) the rover continued south with a 236 feet 
(72-meter) drive, collecting Panoramic Camera (Pancam) images before, 
during and after the drive along with a post-drive Navigation Camera (Navcam) 
panorama. On the following sol, Opportunity collected an InSIGHT atmospheric 
opacity (tau) measurement. On Sol 3734 (July 26, 2014), the rover began 
the first sol of a two-sol 'touch & go'. On the first sol, Opportunity 
collected a Microscopic Imager (MI) mosaic of the surface target 'Rosebud 
Canyon,' then placed the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer on the same 
for a multi-hour integration ('the Touch'). On the second sol, the rover 
drove south over 157 feet (48 meters) ('The Go'). With that drive, Opportunity 
crossed the 25-mile mark of distance on the surface. The rover has established 
herself as the record holder for the longest distance driven off the Earth.

On Sol 3737 (July 29, 2014), the science team chose to return to an interesting 
target about 30 meters to the north for further investigation and documentation.

As of Sol 3738 (July 30, 2014), the solar array energy production was 
686 watt-hours with an atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.804 and a solar 
array dust factor of 0.813.

Total odometry is 25.03 miles (40.28 kilometers).