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Opportunity Investigating Pebbles
Pasadena CA (SPX) May 19, 2009 Opportunity has been using its robotic arm (instrument deployment device, or IDD) to conduct a contact science investigation of small pebbles located on exposed rock outcrop. On Sol 1881 (May 9, 2009), Opportunity took a special image with the microscopic imager of the left-front wheel. This tested a technique that might be used by Spirit to assess the state of Spirit's embedded wheels. The alpha-particle X-ray spectrometer (APXS) was positioned on a pebble target for an overnight integration. On the next sol, the APXS was moved to a new target. On Sol 1884 (May 12, 2009), the rover backed away from these targets and then moved about 6 meters (20 feet) into a new position for more IDD work. The right-front wheel, which had shown elevated motor currents, exhibited improvement in the current levels after resting at these contact-science targets. As of Sol 1884 (May 12, 2009), Opportunity's solar array energy production was 460 watt-hours, with atmospheric opacity (tau) around 0.732 and the dust factor at 0.581. Opportunity's total odometry as of Sol 1885 (May 13, 2009) is 15,908.93 meters (9.89 miles). Share This Article With Planet Earth
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Spirit Has Good And Bad NewsPasadena CA (SPX) May 18, 2009 Spirit is embedded in loose, soft terrain on the west side of Home Plate. There is a real risk the rover may be high-centered (underside touching) on a small mound of rocks right under the belly of the rover. Additionally, a left wheel motor stall occurred during the last rover motion on Sol 1899 (May 6, 2009). No motion has been commanded since. The project is engaged in a recovery activi ... read more |
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