NASA Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity Update: February 13-18, 2014

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Exploration of ‘Murray Ridge’ – sols 3576-3580, Feb. 13, 2014-Feb. 18, 2014

Opportunity is exploring ‘Murray Ridge’ on Solander Point, part of the rim of Endeavour Crater.

The rover continues to investigate the region called ‘Cook Haven.’ On Sol 3576 (Feb. 13, 2014), the rover completed the in-situ (contact) investigation of the rock target, called ‘Stuart Island’ with another Microscopic Imager (MI) mosaic and a placement of the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) on a fourth location on the rock.

Then, on Sol 3578 (Feb. 15, 2014), Opportunity bumped just over a meter to reach a new target, called ‘Anchor Point.’ In the process, the rover collected some mid-drive imaging with the Panoramic Camera (Pancam) and attempted to crush the rock, named ‘Sledge Island.’ On Sol 3579 (Feb. 16, 2014), an atmospheric argon measurement with the APXS was sequenced and new atmospheric opacity measurements with the Navigation Camera (Navcam) were performed to assist the InSIGHT mission. The plan ahead is for in-situ investigation of ‘Anchor Point’ and associated targets.

As of Sol 3580 (Feb. 18, 2014), the solar array energy production was 409 watt-hours with an atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.480 and a solar array dust factor of 0.614.

Total odometry is 24.07 miles (38.74 kilometers).