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RE: The Opportunity rover

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Image taken by the Opportunity rover on Sol 1160

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OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Opportunity Gets a Boost of Energy and Continues Imaging - sol 1152-1156, May 01, 2007:

Scientists and engineers are still deciding on when and if Opportunity will enter "Victoria Crater." In the meantime, Opportunity has a lot to accomplish, such as driving back to the area of its original arrival at Victoria, approximately 600 meters away.
In addition, Opportunity must complete checkouts of its new technologies such as the D-star hazard avoidance path planner, Visual Target Tracking, and IDD (robotic arm) auto-place. Also, on the way to "Duck Bay," several imaging campaigns require completion at the "Cape of Good Hope" and "Cape St. Mary."
Currently Opportunity is conducting long-baseline stereo imaging of "Cape St. Vincent" from a perch on the edge of "Tierra del Fuego." On sol 1157 the rover will drive north approximately 35 metres to a collection of rocks called "Granada" for a D-star test.
On sols 1151 and 1152 Opportunity experienced a modest dust-cleaning event. The wind cleared the solar arrays of enough dust to result in approximately 75 Watt-hours more energy per sol.

Sol-by-sol summary:
In addition to Opportunity's daily science observations, the rover completes routine panoramic camera tau measurements and miniature thermal emission spectrometer sky and ground stares.

Sol 1152 (April 21, 2007): On this sol, Opportunity's panoramic camera took images, including a 13-filter image of target "Jaen." The miniature thermal emission spectrometer stared at targets: "Badajoz," "Castellon," "Coruna," "Rioja" and Jaen. The alpha particle X-ray spectrometer checked for atmospheric argon. The panoramic camera then looked to the sky and the navigation camera looked for clouds.

Sol 1153: Opportunity stowed its robotic arm and then drove to the first-eye position for long baseline. The rover took post-drive images with its panoramic and navigation cameras. Overnight the rover sent data through Mars Odyssey.

Sol 1154: This sol involved a handful of miniature thermal emission spectrometer sky & ground stares. The panoramic camera looked at the sky and the navigation camera searched for clouds.

Sol 1155: Opportunity began to take the first eye of long-baseline stereo image of Cape St. Vincent. The robotic arm was then stowed and the rover drove 6 metres northwest to second eye position. The rover then unstowed its arm and took post-drive images with its navigation and panoramic cameras. The navigation camera also looked for clouds and monitored for dust on the rovers panoramic mast assembly (the "head" and "neck"). Overnight, the rover sent data through Mars Odyssey.

Sol 1156: On this sol, the miniature thermal emission spectrometer stared at its external calibration target and then conducted a long sky stare. The instrument also completed stares on targets "Melilla" and "Canarias." The rover's panoramic camera took a pre-sunset image and then surveyed the sky. The navigation camera looked for clouds.

Current Odometry:
Opportunity's total odometry as of sol 1155 is 10,509.41 metres.

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Image taken by the Opportunity rover on Sol 1160

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Credit: NASA

Blobrana · L

Image taken by the Opportunity rover on Sol 1155

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Credit: NASA

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OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Imaging 'Alicante' - sol 1145-1151, April 24, 2007:

Over the last week, Opportunity investigated the second of two "dark streak" soil targets named "Alicante." The sol 1145 Mössbauer touch sequence that was commanded did not make contact with the soil because of a minor targeting discrepancy. Since the Mössbauer touch is used as a reference point for determining where to start taking the microscopic images, the lack of contact caused the images taken sol 1145 to be out of focus. As a result, the team decided to stay another two sols and reacquire the in-situ observations on Alicante. Now, Opportunity is headed southeast towards "Tierra del Fuego" to begin another remote sensing campaign.

Sol-by-sol summary:
Each sol includes a mini-miniature thermal emission spectrometer sky and ground observation in the morning, right before transitioning to the next sol's master sequence.

Sol 1145 (April 14, 2007): On this sol, the rover was scheduled to touch the ground with its Mössbauer spectrometer. After the touch, microscopic images were taken and then the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer was placed on the soil target Alicante. The rover's panoramic camera imaged targets "Huesca" and "Granada." Before the Mars Odyssey pass, the panoramic camera took a tau measurement. During the Odyssey pass, the miniature thermal emission spectrometer took a sky and ground measurement. The alpha particle X-ray spectrometer was integrated for about six hours. Also, there were four miniature thermal emission spectrometer thermal inertia observations at various times of day.

Sol 1146: The rover changed tools to the Mössbauer spectrometer and integrated for 12 hours. The panoramic camera completed a high-sun survey while the navigation camera supported the miniature thermal emission spectrometer. The panoramic camera imaged "Cordoba" and "Colmenero." The miniature thermal emission spectrometer conducted a 7-pt sky and ground observation and the panoramic camera took a tau measurement.

Sol 1147: During the morning of this sol, the panoramic camera examined the sky and the horizon. The rover then restarted the Mössbauer spectrometer and integrated for 12 hours. The miniature thermal emission spectrometer then got busy by taking a low-angle sky measurement, then completing a sky and ground observation and then, ultimately, staring at its calibration target. Before the Odyssey pass, the rover took a tau measurement with its panoramic camera.

Sol 1148: In the morning of this sol, the panoramic camera took thumbnail images of the sky. Again the Mössbauer spectrometer was commanded to touch the soil and the microscopic imager took pictures. The rover then placed the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer on Alicante. The miniature thermal emission spectrometer took a sky and ground measurement and the panoramic camera took a tau measurement. Before the Odyssey pass a tau measurement was taken and, during the pass, the miniature thermal emission spectrometer observed the sky and ground. After the Odyssey pass, the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer was integrated on Alicante for about six hours.

Sol 1149: Opportunity looked for clouds with its navigation camera this morning. The rover then placed the Mössbauer spectrometer on Alicante and integrated for about 12 hours. The miniature thermal emission spectrometer conducted thermal inertia stares as well as a sky and ground measurement. The panoramic camera took a 13-filter image of target "Granada." Before the Odyssey pass, the rover took a tau measurement and, during the pass, the miniature thermal emission spectrometer conducted a sky and ground observation.

Sol 1150: Opportunity woke up this sol and had a look at the sky with its panoramic and navigation cameras. The miniature thermal emission spectrometer also conducted a thermal inertia stare in the morning. The rover bumped back 1 metre and took a panoramic camera 13-filter image of Alicante. Opportunity then drove 42.79 metres towards Tierra del Fuego. After the drive, the rover took images with its hazard avoidance, navigation and panoramic cameras. Before the Odyssey pass, the rover took a tau measurement and, during the pass, the miniature thermal emission spectrometer conducted a sky and ground observation.

Sol 1151: The rover woke up and conducted a sky survey (including a high-sun survey). The miniature thermal emission spectrometer was busy with a 7-point sky and ground observation and a stare at the ground immediately in front of the rover. The panoramic camera also imaged the ground in front of the rover with its 13 filters.

Current Odometry:
As of sol 1150, Opportunity's total odometry is 10,486.20 metres.