NASA Mars Rover Status 27 July 2004

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Opportunity Pokes Around Pig – sol 174-176,
July 27, 2004

On sol 174, Opportunity completed close-up examination of a
rock target called "Arnold Ziffel" using the rover’s
microscopic imager, Mossbauer spectrometer and alpha particle
X-ray spectrometer. All observations were successful.

Leaving Arnold Ziffel on sol 175, Opportunity backed up to
capture an image the results of the close-up work, and then
moved on down slope to a new target. This move will leave the
rover about 13 meters (about 43 feet) down from the lip of the
crater. The rover was put into deep-sleep, energy-saving
status overnight from sol 175 to sol 176.

Sol 176, ending on July 23, was a driving day. Opportunity
moved down the slope (and east) to a position to investigate
a target called "Diamond Jenness." Everything executed as
planned, leaving the rover in a great position to grind into
the target with its rock abrasion tool.

The engineering team is looking into a concern about the
driving surface. The downslope pavement requires close
examination before the rover traverses, to ensure the sand
covering the pavement is still capable of supporting
Opportunity. Recent experience has shown up to 30 percent
slip.