NASA Mars Exploration Rover Status Report 2 August 2005

SPIRIT UPDATE: Spirit Investigating ‘Chic’ – sol 551-558, August 02, 2005:

Spirit has reached a target-rich area of the Columbia Hills. In the week of July 21 to 28, 2005, Spirit performed extensive investigations on two rocks, “Descartes” and “Bourgeoisie.” Spirit has also acquired coordinated panoramic camera and miniature thermal emission spectrometer observations of several nearby rock targets.

Sol-by-sol summaries:

Sol 551 (July 21): Spirit made a short approach to a rock informally named “Descartes.”

Sol 552: Spirit used the microscopic imager and alpha particle X-ray spectrometer on “Discourse” –  which is a target on Descartes. It also performed general remote sensing.

Sol 553: Spirit brushed the target with the rock abrasion tool, then examined the brushed area with the microscopic imager and the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer. It also made other remote-sensing observations.

Sol 554-555: Spirit performed a long integration with the Moessbauer spectrometer and made remote-sensing observations.

Sol 556: The rover finished using its microscopic imager on Descartes and rolled to the next target, Bourgeoisie.

Sol 557: Spirit took images with its microscopic imager and took readings with its alpha particle X-ray spectrometer on Bourgeoisie. It then used the microscopic imager to shoot frames for mosaics of three areas — “Gallant,” “Gentil” and “Chic” — and placed the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer on Chic.

Sol 558 (July 28): Researchers sought to have Spirit brush Chic with the rock abrasion tool, but due to the geometry of the target, Chic was deemed un-brushable. Instead, Spirit proceeded with a two-day Moessbauer spectrometer integration on Chic and more remote sensing.

Total odometry as of July 28, 2005 (sol 558) is 4,688 meters (2.91 miles).