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Opportunity Departs Block Island
Pasadena CA (SPX) Sep 21, 2009 Opportunity completed the circumnavigation and full-circle imaging of the large meteorite "Block Island" and has resumed the long drive to Endeavour crater. On Sol 2001 (Sept. 9, 2009), the rover moved 9 meters (30 feet) around the meteorite to the fourth and fifth out of six planned positions. On the next sol Opportunity reached the sixth and final position around Block Island with a 3-meter (10-foot) bump. On Sol 2004 (Sept. 12, 2009), Opportunity departed Block Island and headed away with a 70-meter (230-foot) drive to the west. The westward direction is to head around a region of large dunes before turning south and east toward Endeavour. Two additional 70-meter (230-foot) westward drives were accomplished on sols 2006 and 2007 (Sept. 14 and 16, 2009; due to Mars sols being nearly 40 minutes longer than Earth days, no Opportunity sol number matched the criterion used here of noon at Opportunity's location falling on Sept. 15 in Los Angeles). As of Sol 2008 (Sept. 17, 2009), Opportunity's solar-array energy production is 499 watt-hours, with an atmospheric opacity (tau) of 0.565 and a dust factor improved to 0.582. Total odometry is 17,462.20 meters (10.85 miles). Share This Article With Planet Earth
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Computer Modeling Supplements Dusty TestingPasadena CA (SPX) Sep 15, 2009 Tests on Earth simulating Spirit's predicament on Mars have reinforced understanding that getting Spirit to rove again will be very difficult. To supplement the tests at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., the rover team is refining a detailed computer model of rover mobility, calibrated with results from testing and measurements from Mars. "The computer modeling ... read more |
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