Mars Rover Opportunity to Stop and Study Rocks (with photos)

Opportunity is currently exploring one of the candidate sites for winter, on the north end of “Cape sols 2791-2797, November 30 – December 6, 2011: York” on the rim of Endeavour Crater.

On Sol 2792 (Dec. 1, 2011), the rover bumped backwards about 9 feet (2.7 meters) to better view a rock outcrop and to increase the rover tilt toward the Sun. The northerly tilt, favorable for energy production, increased from 6 degrees to 9 degrees.

On Sol 2795 (Dec. 4, 2011), Opportunity bumped further to approach some in-situ (contact) science targets on the rock outcrop, called “Saddleback.” The plan ahead is to perform some in-situ science on the rock outcrop with the instruments on the end of the robotic arm.

As of Sol 2797 (Dec. 6, 2011), solar array energy production was 305 watt-hours with an atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.755 and a solar array dust factor of 0.487.

Total odometry is 21.35 miles (34,360.76 meters, or 34.36 kilometers).