Mars Rover Opportunity Update: September 01-07, 2011

Photo taken by Mars Rover Opportunity of itself on 11 Sep 2011 showing piece of metal taken from the Twin Towers – with an American flag on it – after 7 years on Mars. (see Tributes to Terrorism Victims Are on Mars)

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Work Continues on Crater Rim – sols 2703-2709, September 01-07, 2011: Opportunity is moving to other in-situ (contact) targets of interest around the region, called Cape York on the rim of Endeavour crater.

On Sol 2703 (Sept. 1, 2011), the rover made the first of two drives to move to the northeast, traveling over 27 meters (89 feet). On Sol 2707 (Sept. 5, 2011), Opportunity completed a 20-meter (66-foot) drive to approach an exposed outcrop. The outcrop, called “Chester Lake” offers several targets for in-situ (contact) investigation by the instruments on the rover’s robotic arm.

As of Sol 2709 (Sept. 7, 2011), solar array energy production was 336 watt-hours with an atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 1.00 and a solar array dust factor of 0.531.

Total odometry is 20.86 miles (33,573.63 meters, or 33.57 kilometers).