Status Report

NASA Mars Rover Opportunity Status 2 January 2007

By SpaceRef Editor
January 3, 2007
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NASA Mars Rover Opportunity Status 2 January 2007
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OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Opportunity Continues Survey from Rim of ‘Victoria Crater’ – sol 1038-1042, January 02, 2007:

Opportunity remains healthy after completing a drive to a cobble nicknamed “Santa Catarina” on the way to the “Bay of Toil” at “Victoria Crater.” During the holiday break on Earth, Opportunity completed a campaign of scientific study of a rock target called “Rio De Janeiro” before driving away on Sol 1039 (Dec. 26, 2006). Opportunity’s next activity was to begin the drive around the Bay of Toil toward “Cape Desire,” the next promontory clockwise around Victoria’s rim.

Sol-by-sol summary:

Sol 1038 (Dec. 25, 2006): Opportunity acquired data from Rio de Janeiro using the Mössbauer spectrometer, acquired images of cobbles in the vicinity using the panoramic camera, and monitored the rover mast for dust accumulation.

Sol 1039: Opportunity drove about 20 meters (66 feet) to the east toward the Bay of Toil.

Sol 1040: Opportunity studied the Martian atmosphere using the alpha-particle X-ray spectrometer and scanned the sky with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer.

Sol 1041: Opportunity drove approximately 10 meters (33 feet) east to Santa Catarina, then updated measurements of the rover’s current position.

Sol 1042 (Dec. 29, 2006): Opportunity acquired panoramic camera images and miniature thermal emission spectrometer scans of the area immediately in front of the rover and then surveyed a broader portion of the sky and ground with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer.

Odometry:

As of sol 1042 (Dec. 29, 2006), Opportunity’s total odometry was 9,793 meters (6.09 miles).

SpaceRef staff editor.