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RE: The Opportunity rover

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Image taken by the Opportunity rover on Sol 1660

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Image taken by the Opportunity rover on Sol 1657.

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Image taken by the Opportunity rover on Sol 1655.

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OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Road Trip Gets Under Way - sol 1655-1660, September 19-24, 2008:

Opportunity has embarked on the next great challenge -- a journey of 12 kilometres southeast to a huge hole in the ground nicknamed "Endeavour Crater." Measuring 22 kilometres from rim to rim and plunging 300 metres below the surface, Endeavour Crater is significantly larger than "Victoria Crater," which is 730 metres wide and 70 metres deep. Because it is so much deeper, Endeavour promises to expose even more rock layers going further back in time.
Opportunity's trek began on sol 1659 (Sept. 23, 2008), as the rover backed away from a slippery ripple and advanced 10 metres toward its destination. The journey to Endeavour will be long. Opportunity is sure to encounter many interesting science opportunities along the way.
During the previous week, Opportunity's wheels slipped excessively while trying to cross a ripple to reach a patch of dust on the ripple's downwind side. After two tries on sols 1652 (Sept. 16, 2008) and 1654 (Sept. 18, 2008), rover operators decided to resume driving and look for other deposits of Martian dust in more accessible locations.
Opportunity remains healthy. All subsystems are performing as expected as of Martian day, or sol, 1660 (Sept. 24, 2008). Power is on the rise, with sunlight generating 623 watt-hours of solar energy -- enough to light a 100-watt bulb for more than 6 hours (100 watt-hours is the amount of energy needed to light a 100-watt bulb for one hour.)

Sol-by-sol summary:
Besides measuring daily, dust-related changes in atmospheric clarity with the panoramic camera, Opportunity completed the following activities:

Sol 1655 (Sept. 19, 2008): Opportunity acquired full-colour images, using all 13 filters of the panoramic camera, of a target dubbed "Velvet." Opportunity took images of the tracks made by the rover's wheels with the navigation camera.

Sol 1656: Opportunity acquired a 5-by-1 panel of images with the navigation camera and a 10-by-1 panel of images with the panoramic camera. After relaying data to NASA's Odyssey orbiter as it passed overhead for transmission to Earth, Opportunity measured atmospheric dust at sunset with the panoramic camera. The rover measured argon gas in the Martian atmosphere with the alpha-particle X-ray spectrometer.

Sol 1657: In the morning, Opportunity monitored dust on the panoramic-camera mast assembly. The rover took panoramic-camera images of its tracks and, after sending data to Odyssey, measured atmospheric argon with the alpha-particle X-ray spectrometer.

Sol 1658: Following several measurements of atmospheric dust at different times of day, Opportunity relayed data to Odyssey and used the alpha-particle X-ray spectrometer to determine the amount of atmospheric argon.

Sol 1659: In the morning, Opportunity took thumbnail images as well as spot images of the sky for calibration purposes with the panoramic camera. Opportunity then began the trek to Endeavour, driving almost 10.5 metres. The rover acquired images of the surrounding terrain with the navigation camera just before and just after ending the drive. After sending data to Odyssey, the rover measured atmospheric argon.

Sol 1660 (Sept. 24, 2008): Opportunity surveyed the morning horizon with the panoramic camera and acquired six, time-lapse movie frames in search of clouds with the navigation camera. At high Sun, Opportunity surveyed the sky with the panoramic camera. Before relaying data to Odyssey, Opportunity took images of the rover's wheel tracks with the panoramic camera.

Odometry:
As of sol 1659 (Sept. 23, 2008), Opportunity's total odometry was 11,808.39 metres.

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OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Slipping Like a Dune Buggy - sol 1648-1654, September 12-18, 2008:

During the past week, Opportunity has been trying to reach a patch of dust between two crests of the ridge surrounding "Victoria Crater." The rover approached the ridge from the west, driving on flat ground, on Martian days, or sols, 1648 and 1650 (Sept. 12 and Sept. 14, 2008). Then, after reaching a staging position, Opportunity began to climb the ridge. That's when the rover's wheels began slipping excessively on the sandy slope.
Rover drivers decided to give Opportunity another chance to make it up the slope by loosening the slip constraints. This allowed Opportunity to keep trying to climb the slope with a higher rate of wheel slippage. If the attempt to do this as planned on sol 1654 (Sept. 18, 2008) is not successful, rover drivers may try a different approach or abandon the effort.
After the dust patch campaign, plans call for Opportunity to drive south toward a 20-kilometre-wide crater 12 kilometres away.
Opportunity is healthy, and all subsystems are performing as expected. Based on the latest data from sol 1653 (Sept. 17, 2008), the rover has 582 watt-hours of solar power available each day. (One hundred watt-hours is the amount of energy needed to light a 100-watt bulb for one hour.)

Sol-by-sol summary:
In addition to measuring dust-related changes in atmospheric clarity each day with the panoramic camera, Opportunity completed the following activities:

Sol 1648 (Sept. 12, 2008): Opportunity stowed the robotic arm and began driving toward the dust patch. Just before and after ending the drive, Opportunity took images with the hazard-avoidance and navigation cameras, respectively. The rover acquired a 4-by-1 panel of images, called the "Bagnold mosaic," with the panoramic camera.

Sol 1649: Opportunity took full-colour images, using all 13 filters of the panoramic camera, of a target nicknamed "Drummond." After relaying data to NASA's Odyssey orbiter for transmission to Earth, Opportunity measured argon gas in the Martian atmosphere with the alpha-particle X-ray spectrometer.

Sol 1650: In the morning, Opportunity took thumbnail images of the sky with the panoramic camera. The rover continued driving toward the dust patch and documented progress before and after ending the drive by taking images with the engineering cameras. Opportunity acquired another 4-by-1 panel of images for the Bagnold mosaic before sending data to Odyssey.

Sol 1651: Opportunity searched for morning clouds in the Martian sky by taking six time-lapse, movie frames with the navigation camera. The rover took spot images of the sky for calibration purposes, surveyed the horizon, and surveyed the sky at low Sun with the panoramic camera.

Sol 1652: In the morning, Opportunity searched for clouds passing overhead by taking six time-lapse, movie frames with the navigation camera. The rover checked for drift -- changes with time -- in the miniature thermal emission spectrometer and also conducted a test of the instrument. Before beginning the day's drive, Opportunity used the spectrometer to study a target dubbed "Velvet" and survey the sky and ground at different elevations. The rover then attempted to drive up the ridge to the dust patch, acquiring images along the way with the hazard-avoidance and navigation cameras. Opportunity sent data to Odyssey for transmission to Earth.

Sol 1653: Opportunity acquired a 3-by-1 mosaic of westward-looking images with the navigation camera and took images in total darkness with the panoramic camera for calibration purposes.

Sol 1654 (Sept. 18, 2008): Upon rising, Opportunity took more "dark current" images with the panoramic camera for calibration purposes. The rover tried once more to drive to the dust patch, taking images before and after ending the drive with the hazard-avoidance and navigation cameras. Before proceeding with plans to measure atmospheric argon, Opportunity transmitted data to Odyssey for relay to Earth.

Odometry:
As of sol 1653 (Sept. 17, 2008), Opportunity's total odometry was 11,796.22 metres.

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Endeavour crater

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Mars rover facing two-year trek
The US space agency is to send its Mars rover Opportunity on a two-year trek to try to reach a crater called Endeavour.

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NASA's Mars Rover Opportunity is setting its sights on a crater more than 20 times larger than its home for the past two years.
To reach the crater the rover team calls Endeavour, Opportunity would need to drive approximately 7 miles to the southeast, matching the total distance it has traveled since landing on Mars in early 2004. The rover climbed out of Victoria Crater earlier this month.

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OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Playing in the Sand - sol 1641-1647, September 04-11, 2008:

During the past week, Opportunity performed several tests of the robotic arm to learn how to use it with a disabled shoulder joint. Having successfully completed those tests, Opportunity is moving on to investigate some bright patches of dust. Scientists hope to ascertain if the patches contain material not thoroughly analysed in the past.
On sol (Martian day) 1641 (Sept. 4, 2008), Opportunity homed in on an area of sand that appeared to contain a high concentration of dust. For the next several days, sols 1642-1647 (Sept. 5-11, 2008), the rover tested the robotic arm's ability to place scientific instruments on specific targets in the sand. These instruments included the Mössbauer spectrometer, microscopic imager, and alpha-particle X-ray spectrometer. Tests revealed that the robotic arm placed the instruments in position with very little error in spite of the disabled shoulder joint. Because the dust was not pure enough to yield the desired scientific results, engineers decided on sol 1648 (Sept. 12, 2008) to drive the rover north to a more promising area of apparent dust patches.
On sol 1644 (Sept. 7, 2009), Opportunity relayed data at UHF frequencies to NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO). Typically, the rover sends data to NASA's Odyssey orbiter for transmission to Earth. Once a month, Opportunity is relaying data to the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter in preparation for using it more in the future.
Opportunity is healthy, with all subsystems performing as expected as of the most recent transfer of information from NASA's Odyssey orbiter on sol 1647 (Sept. 11, 2008). Power rose to 652 watt-hours.

Sol-by-sol summary:
Each Martian day, or sol, Opportunity measured dust-related changes in atmospheric clarity with the panoramic camera. In addition, Opportunity completed the following activities:

Sol 1641 (Sept. 4, 2008): Before driving, Opportunity acquired a 3-by-1 panel of panoramic-camera images looking north. The rover then nudged toward a bright patch and, after stopping, acquired images of the ground near its wheels and the area directly ahead with the hazard-avoidance and navigation cameras, respectively. The rover relayed data to Odyssey.

Sol 1642: In the morning, Opportunity took thumbnail images and spot images of the sky for calibration purposes with the panoramic camera. Next, the rover tested movement and placement of the Mössbauer spectrometer, taking images near the ground with the hazard-avoidance cameras and images from above with the panoramic camera. Opportunity then used the Mössbauer spectrometer to acquire compositional data from a sand dune on the rim of "Victoria Crater." After relaying data to Odyssey, Opportunity went into a mini-deep sleep.

Sol 1643: Opportunity acquired six, time-lapse movie frames in search of morning clouds with the navigation camera. Opportunity continued to acquire data from the sand dune at the rim of Victoria Crater with the Mössbauer spectrometer. Opportunity took full-colour images, using all 13 colour filters of the panoramic camera, of the rover's tracks. After sending data to Odyssey, Opportunity went into a mini-deep sleep.

Sol 1644: Opportunity acquired six, time-lapse movie frames in search of clouds. The rover continued to collect data from the dune on the rim of Victoria Crater using the Mössbauer spectrometer. Before communicating with Odyssey, Opportunity relayed data to the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for transmission to Earth. After sending data to Odyssey, the rover went into a mini-deep sleep.

Sol 1645: In the morning, Opportunity acquired six, time-lapse movie frames in search of clouds with the navigation camera. Opportunity acquired a 1-by-3-by-15 stack of microscopic images of ripple soil. The rover restarted the Mössbauer spectrometer and began collecting data from the soil in the ripples. After transmitting data to Odysssey, Opportunity acquired a 3-by-1 panel of images of a target dubbed "Schuchert."

Sol 1646: Opportunity monitored dust accumulation on the panoramic-camera mast assembly and restarted the Mössbauer spectrometer for collecting data on the ripple soil. The rover used the miniature thermal emission spectrometer to complete a mini-survey of the sky and ground. Before sending data to Odyssey, Opportunity used the spectrometer to characterise the external calibration target.

Sol 1647 (Sept. 11, 2008): Opportunity acquired more time-lapse, movie frames to document potential clouds passing overhead. The rover took a 3-by-1 panel of images of Schuchert with the panoramic camera and a time-lapse movie in search of clouds. Opportunity placed the alpha-particle X-ray spectrometer on the ripple soil and, after sending data to Odyssey, acquired compositional data. Plans for the following morning called for the rover to study a cobble field, acquiring a 4-by-1 panel of images with the panoramic camera.

Odometry:
As of sol 1647 (Sept. 11, 2008), Opportunity's total odometry was 11,782.10 metres.