NASA Mars Exploration Rovers Update – October 7, 2009

SPIRIT UPDATE:  Busy with Antenna Brake Testing and Underbelly Imaging – sols 2042 to 2049, Sept. 30 – Oct. 07, 2009:

Spirit is still currently in X-band fault mode due to a high-gain antenna (HGA) dynamic brake anomaly that first occurred on Sol 2027 and recurred again on Sol 2037. With this HGA fault, all X-band uplinks use the low-gain antenna (LGA), and uplink bandwidth is very limited. Forward-link commanding through Mars Odyssey is being used for all large commanding sequences like data management bundles and science sequencing.

On Sol 2044, Spirit completed another Microscopic Imager (MI) mosaic of the underneath of Spirit for extraction analysis, along with another test of the HGA dynamic brake. Results of that brake test were largely nominal. The current plan is to bring Spirit out of the X-band fault mode on Sol 2050 and perform a long-duration HGA motion test before resuming normal HGA operation. Spirit’s systems are otherwise in good health. As of Sol 2049, the rover solar array energy production was 423 watt-hours with an atmospheric opacity (tau) of 0.657 and a dust factor of 0.603. Total odometry as of Sol 2049: 7,729.93 meters.

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE:  Opportunity Knocks with Another Meteorite Find – sols 2021-2028, Sept. 30 – Oct. 07, 2009:

Opportunity has discovered another large (0.5-meter) meteorite. The rover began the approach to this new meteorite, called “Shelter Island,” with a 28-meter backward drive on Sol 2022. On Sol 2024, Opportunity turned around with a 2-meter drive to face the meteorite. A final 1-meter bump on Sol 2027 put the meteorite within the work volume of the rover robotic arm (IDD). In-situ (contact) measurements are now being planned.

Motor currents in the right front wheel continue to remain well behaved. As of Sol 2028, the solar array energy production was 449 watt-hours with an atmospheric opacity (tau) of 0.638 and a dust factor of 0.5695. Total odometry as of Sol 2028: 17,962.44 meters