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Opportunity Mars Rover Inching Closer To Victoria Crater

Self portrait of Mars' Opprtunity Rover.
by Staff Writers
Pasadeda (SPX) Sep 04, 2006
Opportunity is healthy and still 218 meters (715 feet) from "Victoria Crater." Over the weekend, the rover's shoulder azimuth joint stalled as Opportunity was trying to start measurements on a trench it dug on Sol 919 (Aug. 25, 2006). Consequently, all weekend arm activities were aborted, but remote science activities were executed as planned.

Beginning on Sol 923, rover arm diagnostic measurements were taken as well as some remote sensing science. Results from the diagnostics revealed neither cause nor any damage to the stalled joint. On Sol 924, the arm performed flawlessly as Opportunity successfully completed the activities originally planned for Sol 920.

On Sols 925, 926 and 927 Opportunity collected more arm diagnostics (to ensure the stow before drive would go smoothly) as well as completing all arm activities originally planned over the weekend.

Sol-by-sol summaries:

Sol 920 (Aug. 26, 2006): Opportunity did a miniature thermal emission spectrometer observation and other activities were aborted due to the arm stall.

Sol 921: The rover took a panoramic camera image.

Sol 922: Opportunity used its panoramic camera and miniature thermal emission spectrometer.

Sol 923: The rover conducted arm diagnostics and took panoramic camera and miniature thermal emission spectrometer observations.

Sol 924: Completing the activities originally planned for sol 920, Opportunity took a microscopic image and did an alpha particle X-ray spectrometer observation.

Sol 925: The rover continued to do arm diagnostics and completed a Moessbauer spectrometer observation - a completion of sol 921's originally planned activities.

Sol 926: Opportunity continued to do arm diagnostics and completed activities originally planned for sol 922 by taking microscopic images and using the Moessbauer spectrometer.

Sol 927: On this sol, the rover used its Moessbauer spectrometer.

As of sol 925 (August 31, 2006), Opportunity's total odometry was 9,023.70 meters (5.61 miles).

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Mars Express Images The Kasei Valles Outflow Channel System
Paris, France (ESA) Sep 01, 2006
These images, taken by the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) on board ESA's Mars Express spacecraft, show the region of Kasei Valles, one of the biggest outflow channel systems on Mars. Kasei is the Japanese word for the planet Mars. The HRSC obtained these images during orbit 1429 at a ground resolution of approximately 29 metres per pixel.









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