Mars Rover Opportunity Update: June 21-24, 2013

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Opportunity Exceeds 37 Kilometers of Odometry! – sols 3345-3350, Jun. 21, 2013-Jun. 24, 2013:

Opportunity is in good health, although the robotic arm elbow joint potentiometer is acting up.

On Sol 3346 (June 22, 2013), the rover continued the trek toward ‘Solander Point’ with a 295-foot (90-meter) drive due south. On Sol 3347 (June 23, 2013), Opportunity imaged the Rock Abrasion Tool (RAT) bit to assess remaining bit life. On the next sol, Opportunity exceeded 23 miles (37 kilometers) of odometry with a 318-feet (97-meter) drive. On Sol 3349 (June 25, 2013), a long drive was planned, but was terminated after only 207 feet (63 meters) when the potentiometer on the robotic arm elbow indicated an unexpected motion, stopping the drive. This potentiometer is a sensor that can indicate if the arm has moved, which is not intended during a drive. Investigation of the joint and the use of before and after images showed no joint motion.

A drive was planned on Sol 3350 (June 26, 2013), and stopped almost immediately due to an even larger anomalous reading of that same potentiometer. The plan ahead is to conduct a set of diagnostics on the joint potentiometer.

As of Sol 3350 (June 26, 2013), the solar array energy production was 457 watt-hours with an atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.805 and a solar array dust factor of 0.607.

Total odometry is 23.05 miles (37.09 kilometers).