[meteorite-list] Mars Rover Opportunity Update: October 1-7, 2014

[Ron Baalke]

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Studying Blanket of Material Around 'Ulysses' Crater
sols 3799-3805, October 01, 2014-October 07, 2014: 

Opportunity is on the west rim of Endeavour Crater heading towards 'Marathon 
Valley,' a putative location for abundant clay minerals only a mile (1.6 
kilometers) to the south.

The rover is examining the ejecta field of the small crater named 'Ulysses.' 
On Sol 3799 (Oct. 1, 2014), Opportunity performed more twilight tests 
with the Panoramic Camera (Pancam) in preparation for late night/early 
morning imaging of Comet Siding Spring during closest approach in about 
two weeks.

On Sol 3800 (Oct. 2, 2014), the rover began the investigation of a curious 
flake or rind on a rock in the crater's ejecta field. Using the instruments 
on the robotic arm, Opportunity first collected a Microscopic Imager (MI) 
mosaic, then, placed the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) near 
the flake to measure its elemental composition. On Sol 3802 (Oct. 4, 2014), 
as the first sol of a 'touch n' go,' the APXS was repositioned on the 
target for a second integration. On the next sol, Opportunity drove over 
the target and turned around to face the other side of the rock target. 
On Sol 3805 (Oct. 7, 2014), the rover bumped a little over a meter to 
get closer to the target. The plan ahead is to try and brush part of the 
rock. No Flash-related anomalies have occurred recently and Opportunity 
is in good health.

As of Sol 3805 (Oct. 7, 2014), the solar array energy production was 640 
watt-hours with a slightly elevated atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 1.037 
and a solar array dust factor of 0.763.

Total odometry is 25.34 miles (40.78 kilometers)