[meteorite-list] Mars Rover Opportunity Update: October 28 - November 3, 2015

[Ron Baalke]

http://mars.nasa.gov/mer/mission/status.html#opportunity

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE:  Just In Time For Halloween, A Network Problem And 
An Amnesia Event Slows Down Robotic Arm Work - sols 4181-4187, October 
28, 2015-November 03, 2015:

Opportunity is within 'Marathon Valley' on the west rim of Endeavour Crater.

The plan ahead was for Opportunity to use the robotic arm to place the 
Alpha Particle X-ray spectrometer down on a target for a week while the 
project conducted a weeklong test and readout of Flash memory. However, 
a Deep Space Network problem prevented the rover's plan from being radiated, 
so the rover executed run out plans on Sols 4184 and 4185 (Oct. 31 and 
Nov. 1, 2015).

On Sol 4186 (Nov. 2, 2015), commands were sent to the rover to enable 
the use of Flash memory and to spend the week returning science data already 
in Flash memory. Although those commands were successful, the rover experienced 
an amnesia event on Sol 4186 (Nov. 2, 2015). As contingency, Flash Bank 
7 readouts were performed instead. On Sol 4187 (Nov. 3, 2015), the rover 
successfully mounted Flash and began the return of the science data. The 
plan for the balance of the week is to continue with the return of science 
data from Flash.

As of Sol 4187 (Nov. 3, 2015), the solar array energy production was 344 
watt-hours with an atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.472 and a solar array 
dust factor of 0.574.

Total odometry is 26.48 miles (42.62 kilometers), more than a marathon.