Mars Exploration Rover Update - July 13, 2007

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status.html#opportunity

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Opportunity Waiting for Dust to Settle -
sol 1220-1225, July 13, 2007:

Due to extensive dust storms in Mars' southern hemisphere causing
record
atmospheric opacity levels, Opportunity is currently experiencing its
lowest power levels to date. The tau measurement as of sol 1225 is
4.12,
resulting in a mere 280 watt-hours of array energy. A tau measurement
of
5.0 would result in approximately 150 watt-hours. If tau begins to
approach 5.0, the team will have to begin deleting communications
windows in order to conserve energy and keep from draining the
batteries.

On sol 1223 Opportunity successfully recovered from the robotic arm
joint stall that occurred on sol 1217.

When the dust settles, Opportunity will drive approximately 30 meters
(98.4 feet) south along the edge of "Duck Bay" to position itself at
its
"Victoria Crater" entry point!

Sol-by-sol summary:

In addition to Opportunity's daily communications activities, the
rover
conducts: morning direct-from-Earth uplink over high-gain antenna,
evening downlink relay with Mars Odyssey over UHF...

Sol 1220: The rover conducted atmospheric dust monitoring observations
with the panoramic camera and then conserved power.

Sol 1221: The rover conducted atmospheric dust monitoring observations
with the panoramic camera and then conserved power.

Sol 1222: The rover conducted atmospheric dust monitoring observations
with the panoramic camera and then conserved power.

Sol 1223: On this sol, Opportunity used its microscopic imager, then
retracted its robotic arm. This action was confirmed with the rover's
navigation camera. The rover then closed the microscopic imager dust
cover and confirmed this step with the navigation camera. Diagnostic
testing on the arm stall were conducted.

Sol 1224: The rover conducted atmospheric dust monitoring observations
with the panoramic camera and then conserved power.

Sol 1225: The rover conducted atmospheric dust monitoring observations
with the panoramic camera and then conserved power.

Opportunity's total odometry is 11,424.67 meters (7.1 miles) as of sol
1225.