NASA Mars Rover Opportunity Status: Looking For an ‘In’
Opportunity is healthy and working on obtaining a long baseline stereo image of the bay “Valley without Peril.”
On Sol 1128 a test of a work around for the failed RAT (rock abrasion tool) grind encoder was successful. A temporary software addition allows the rover to bypass a check that was causing it to fail.
The remainder of the week was spent driving toward a lookout point above the Valley without Peril. From this vantage point, Opportunity will acquire a long baseline stereo image of the vicinity. Valley Without Peril is being considered as a possible ingress location into “Victoria Crater.”
Sol-by-sol summary:
In addition to specific daily activities, Opportunity’s routine observations include: panoramic camera tau, navigation camera bitty cloud, miniature thermal emission sky and ground stares and panoramic camera sky spots.
Sol 1126 (March 25, 2007): Opportunity took a pre-drive navigation camera long baseline stereo image before it drove 39 meters (128 feet) toward the Valley without Peril. After the drive, the rover took navigation and panoramic camera images and took an alpha particle X-ray spectrometer measurement of atmospheric Argon.
Sol 1127: On this sol, the rover approached the Valley without Peril. The drive stopped prematurely after 2.11 meters (7 feet) because the rover’s antennas obstructed the view from the onboard navigation software. The rover did a location check and then began post-drive imaging. The miniature thermal emission spectrometer was then used for navigation camera support and to assess the ground in front of the rover.
Sol 1128: This sol consisted of RAT (rock abrasion tool) grind diagnostics tests. The tests were successful! The panoramic camera took a 13-filter image of “Gerona.” The miniature thermal emission spectrometer stared at “Burgos” and Gerona. The panoramic camera took a 13-filter of Burgos.
Sol 1129: On this sol, Opportunity drove about 8.71 meters (29 feet) on the approach to the first-eye position of long baseline stereo panoramic camera image of the Valley without Peril area. The rover then took a set of post-drive navigation camera images.
Sol 1130: Opportunity took a panoramic camera 13-filter image of “Albacete,” a panoramic camera image of “Toledo,” and several panoramic camera images of “Cadiz.” The miniature thermal emission spectrometer was then used to stare at Toledo and the area around it. The rover then bumped about 2.5 meters (8 feet) to the first-eye position for stereo imaging of the Valley without Peril. After the drive, the navigation camera took images.
As of sol 1129, Opportunity’s total odometry was 10,349.70 meters (6.43 miles).
