NASA Mars Rover Opportunity Update: July 04-10, 2012

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Opportunity Continues to Explore Rocks on the Rim of Endeavor Crater – sols 3002-3008, July 04-10, 2012:

Opportunity is still exploring the north end of Cape York on the rim of Endeavour Crater.

Most of this period focused on analyzing the rock target “Grasberg” with the Rock Abrasion Tool (RAT) tool, which ground and brushed the rock. This was done using the Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) on Sols 3002, 3003, 3004, 3006, and 3007 (July 4, 5, 6, 8 and 9, 2012), and additional Microscopic Imager (MI) imaging on Sol 3006 (July 8, 2012).

After wrapping up the in-situ analysis of Grasberg, the rover drove east about 105 feet (32 meters) on Sol 3008 (July 10, 2012), in search of more gypsum veins. Opportunity continues to benefit from previous solar array dust cleaning events which have increased the daily energy production.

As of Sol 3008 (July 10, 2012), solar array energy production was 559 watt-hours with an atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.443 and an improved solar array dust factor of 0.716.

Total odometry is 21.45 miles (34,524.96 meters).