NASA Mars Rover Opportunity Update: December 6-7, 2013

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE:  Communications Slow, But Expected to Return to Normal This Week  – sols 3508-3509, Dec. 06, 2013-Dec. 07, 2013:

Opportunity is up on ‘Solander Point’ at the rim of ‘Endeavour Crater.’

The rover is maintaining favorable northerly tilts for improved energy production. Mars Odyssey went into safe mode and was unable to provide relay support for Opportunity since Sol 3509 (Dec. 7, 2013). The rover was healthy as of that sol. A Direct-To-Earth (DTE) transmission from Opportunity occurred on Sol 3512 (Dec. 10, 2013), providing a small amount of rover telemetry. That telemetry indicated a healthy rover. A drive was sequenced for Opportunity on Sol 3512. The results of that drive will have to wait on the return to relay service of Odyssey. Odyssey exited safe-mode on Dec. 10, 2013, and is expected to return to relay service later this week.

As of Sol 3509 (Dec. 7, 2013), the solar array energy production was 268 watt-hours with an atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.587 and a solar array dust factor of 0.468.

Total odometry is 24.05 miles (38.70 kilometers).