* Astronomy

Spirit has had an extremely successful week.

On June 24, 2005 (sol 524), the rover drove 26 metres. The following two sols, Spirit performed remote sensing.
On June 27 (sol 527), Spirit completed another tricky drive and progressed 22.5 metres.
At this new site, scientists found an intriguing rock target they informally named "Independence Rock." Spirit will observe this layered rock with instruments on the robotic arm over the long Fourth of July weekend.
The rover team commanded a small move positioning Spirit in front of this target, and the rover has begun the science observations. The first attempt to brush Independence Rock with the rock abrasion tool was unsuccessful because contact switches didn't connect.
However, the rover team picked a new target in the same general area for Spirit to brush with the rock abrasion tool and analyze with the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer and Mossbauer spectrometer over the weekend.


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Left Navigation Camera Non-linearised Full frame EDR acquired on Sol 529 of Spirit's mission to Gusev Crater at approximately 13:19:45 Mars local solar time.

Sol-by-sol summaries:

Sol 524 (June 24, 2005): Spirit completed an extremely successful drive, advancing 26 metres.
Sol 525: On this remote sensing sol, Spirit made observations with the panoramic camera and miniature thermal emission spectrometer.
Sol 526: Spirit checked for dust devils with the navigation camera, took readings with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer and observed the sunset with the panoramic camera.
Sol 527: Spirit drove 22.5 metres, evidence of successful work by rover planners.
Sol 528: Spirit executed a small drive of 2.8 metres to position itself to have an interesting rock target, dubbed "Franklin," within the work volume of the robotic arm.
Sol 529: The team planned a sol of using the microscopic imager, rock abrasion tool brush, and alpha particle X-ray spectrometer in preparation for the long weekend plan. However, the rock abrasion tool's contact switches didn't trip, and software responded properly by precluded the robotic arm from doing the subsequent work with the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer.
Sol 530: This plan was difficult and long because it was part of a three-sol plan in preparation for the weekend. Engineers had to re-enable the robotic arm quickly. Spirit performed a 22.5-hour Mossbauer spectrometer integration on Franklin.
Sol 531 (July 1, 2005): This will be the second sol of a three-sol plan, with another long Mossbauer spectrometer integration (23 hours) on Franklin.

Total odometry as of the end of sol 528 (June 28, 2005) is 4,583.38 meters.


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Right Panoramic Camera Non-linearised Full frame EDR acquired on Sol 529 of Spirit's mission to Gusev Crater at approximately 13:30:13 Mars local solar time, camera commanded to use Filter 1 (436 nm).

SPIRIT UPDATE: Browsing at 'Backstay' - sol 504-510, June 13, 2005

After last week's robotic arm work at "Larry's Outcrop," Spirit headed over to a rock called "Backstay."

The rover paused over the weekend to take a closer look at its solar panels and magnets. Spirit arrived at Backstay on Tuesday (June 7, 2005), and has performed a small microscopic image mosaic, rock abrasion tool brush, and Moessbauer spectrometer integration on the rock. Over the weekend (of June 11-12, 2005), the rover will finish robotic arm work and drive on toward the next target.

Sol Details:

Sol 504:
remote sensing/atmospheric science.

Sol 505:
robotic arm work: microscopic image of solar panel and magnets, and Moessbauer spectrometer on capture magnet, targeted remote sensing.

Sol 506:
continue Moessbauer on magnets, targeted remote sensing.

Sol 507:
drive about 4 meters (about 13 feet) to Backstay.

Sol 508:
Bump forward to Backstay.

Sol 509:
robotic arm work on Backstay: microscopic image pre- and post-brush, Moessbauer integration.

Sol 510:
continue Moessbauer, "Tennessee Valley Panorama," targeted miniature thermal emission spectrometer.

Total Odometry: 4404.37 metres.

After finishing robotic-arm work at a rock called "Keystone" in the "Methuselah" outcrop, Spirit backed off to image the rock with the panoramic camera and miniature thermal emission spectrometer.
Spirit then scooted forward and to the left to another Methuselah target, informally called "Pittsburgh" (taking the name from Pennsylvania, the "Keystone State", hummm…). The rover executed the drive perfectly, however the left front wheel was not quite in contact with the ground, and was presumably perched on a pebble.
Since there was a possibility of slipping off of this pebble during work with the robotic arm, the engineering team reworked the sol's plan to bump backwards 5 centimetres (the shortest planned drive on Mars) and wiggle the wheels. Work using the instruments on the robotic arm commenced the next sol, when the rover was stable once again.
For sol 476 (May 6, 2005), the team planned a bump back to image Pittsburgh with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer and a drive towards "Jibsheet."
Since Jibsheet is at least a 2-sol drive away, the team planned the drive to a standoff distance to collect panoramic camera images and do robotic arm work on a soil target.