Driving Through A Field Of Small Craters
Pasadena CA (JPL) Nov 15, 2010 Opportunity has been navigating through a field of small impact craters on her way to Endeavour crater. On Sol 2411 (Nov. 5, 2010), the rover performed an in-place 40-degree turn for communication. This improved the data volume transmitted over the afternoon orbiter Ultra High Frequency relay pass. Then on Sol 2412 (Nov. 6, 2010), Opportunity began her approach to Intrepid crater, a 20-meter (66-foot) diameter crater to the southwest. The rover performed a 96-meter (315-foot) drive, with the last 12 meters (39 feet) of the drive under autonomous navigation. On Sol 2415 (Nov. 9, 2010), Opportunity completed the approach to Intrepid with a 36-meter (118 foot) drive, positioning the rover safely near the crater's rim. Opportunity will spend the next few days imaging the interior of the crater before driving away. As of Sol 2416 (Nov. 10, 2010), solar array energy production was 612 watt-hours with a slightly elevated atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.704 and a solar array dust factor of 0.681. Total odometry is 24,946.12 meters (24.95 kilometers, 15.50 miles).
MER-A Status Report The project continues to listen for Spirit with the Deep Space Network and Mars Odyssey orbiter for autonomous recovery communication from the low-power fault case. The project is also conducting a paging technique called "Sweep and Beep" strategy to stimulate the rover in the case of a mission-clock fault. Total odometry is unchanged at 7,730.50 meters (4.80 miles).
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Full Week Of Driving Past Set Of Craters Pasadena CA (JPL) Nov 09, 2010 It has been a week of driving for Opportunity. She drove on five of the last seven sols and covered over 400 meters (1,312 feet). As the rover makes her way toward Endeavour crater, she is taking a path that passes by a set of small impact craters for some drive-by imaging. On Sols 2403 (Oct. 27, 2010), 2404 (Oct. 28, 2010), and 2405 (Oct. 29, 2010), Opportunity drove 129 meters (423 feet) ... read more |
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