NASA Mars Rover Opportunity Status: Rock Studies Continue (with photos)

Opportunity Status for sol 2860-2865: Opportunity is positioned on the north end of Cape York on the rim of Endeavour Crater with an approximate 15-degree northerly tilt for favorable solar energy production.

While positioned for the winter, Opportunity is conducting regular radio Doppler tracking measurements to support geo-dynamic investigations of the planet, in-situ (contact) science investigations of the rock target, “Amboy,” including an extended Microscopic Imager mosaic, and continued collection of the 13-filter (stereo) 360-degree “Greeley” panorama. The Moessbauer spectrometer is currently on the surface target Amboy and is collecting a very long, (multi-sol) integration. Radio Doppler tracking passes were performed on Sols 2861 (Feb. 10, 2012) and 2863 (Feb. 12, 2012). More segments of the Greeley panorama were collected.

As of Sol 2865 (Feb. 14, 2012), solar array energy production was 274 watt-hours with an atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.678 and a solar array dust factor of 0.467.

Total odometry is unchanged at 21.35 miles (34,361.37 meters).