[meteorite-list] Mars Rover Opportunity Update: December 8-17, 2013

[Ron Baalke]

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: sols 3510-3519, Dec. 08, 2013-Dec. 17, 2013: On Location 
for Work During Holidays

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 resumed regular relay support for Opportunity 
on Sol 3514 (Dec. 12, 2013). Back on Sol 3512 (Dec. 10, 2013), the rover 
drove with a turn and a bump of about 22 feet (6.6 meters) to reach some 
in-situ (contact) targets that will be examined over the coming holidays. 
The previously elevated right-front wheel current settled down back down 
to more typical levels. Resting the actuator and changes in rover attitude 
may have contributed to the better current behavior.

On Sol 3514, Opportunity tested new motor parameters for Joints 4 and 
5 on the end of the robotic arm. These new parameters will reduce the 
risk of joint stalls when performing challenging robotic arm motions.

On Sol 3519 (Dec. 17, 2013), the rover attempted a Microscopic Imager 
(MI) mosaic and Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) placement on 
a surface target. However, an incorrect mesh was used in the planning 
resulting in the arm being position too high for the science observations 
by about 2 inches (5 centimeters). This mis-positioning is being investigated.

As of Sol 3519 (Dec. 17, 2013), the solar array energy production was 
314 watt-hours with an atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.590 and a solar 
array dust factor of 0.494.

Total odometry is 24.07 miles (38.73 kilometers).