Spirit is healthy and conducting scientific analysis of a rock target known as "Palma." During the past week, Spirit tested some new software sequences, including a "watch for dust devil" command and an automatic placement command.
On the rover's 1052nd Martian day, or sol, of exploring Mars (Dec. 18,
2006), Spirit ran part of the dust devil watch, acquiring six images during the process, but did not run the dust-devil detection part of the program. Rover handlers planned to rerun the test on sol 1058 (Dec. 24, 2006).On sol 1053 (Dec. 19, 2006), Spirit terminated a test run of a command sequence for autonomous placement of the rover's robotic arm on a scientific target. The sequence involved touching a target with the Moessbauer spectrometer, changing tools to the microscopic imager and suspending it 10 centimeters (4 inches) above the target, changing tools to the alpha-particle X-ray spectrometer, and placing the alpha-particle X-ray spectrometer on the target. Spirit made preparations to run the test again on a new target on the same day that some Earthlings celebrate as Christmas Eve.
Sol-by-sol summary:
Sol 1051 (Dec. 17, 2006): Spirit turned to face a rock outcrop known as "Esperanza," acquired images with the hazard avoidance cameras and a
360-degree panorama with the panoramic camera, and scanned the sky for clouds with the navigation camera. The rover measured atmospheric dust, looked at the sky, examined the terrain, and completed a survey of individual rock grains, known as clasts, using the panoramic camera.Sol 1052: Spirit conducted step No. 2 of the new capability to watch for dust devils and scanned the sky for clouds with the navigation camera.
Sol 1053: Spirit acquired microscopic images of Palma, conducted step No. 2 of the autonomous placement test, monitored dust in the atmosphere with the panoramic camera, scanned the sky and ground with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer, scanned the sky for clouds with the navigation camera, and monitored the rover mast for dust accumulation.
Sol 1054: Spirit scanned the sky and ground with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer and collected miniature thermal emission spectrometer data from a ground target known as "Melchior." The rover continued to measure atmospheric dust opacity and take images of the sky with the panoramic camera.
Sol 1055 (Dec. 21, 2006): Because the rover was not stationed at the appropriate distance from the target for the automatic placement test, Spirit prepared to run the test with the alpha-particle X-ray spectrometer a second time, followed by six hours of measurement with the instrument. Spirit was slated to scan the sky, ground, and a target known as "Druzhnaya" using the miniature thermal emission spectrometer as well as acquire frames for a dust devil movie.
Sol 1056: Plans called for four hours of analysis of Palma using the Moessbauer spectrometer, measurements of atmospheric dust with the panoramic camera, a check for changes over time in the miniature thermal emission spectrometer, and a scan of the ground and sky at various elevations using the miniature thermal emission spectrometer. Spirit was also to acquire panoramic camera and stereo images of a rock nicknamed "Orcadas."
Sol 1057 (Dec. 23, 2006): Plans called for Spirit to conduct an additional 3.5 hours of study of Palma using the Moessbauer spectrometer, measure atmospheric dust with the panoramic camera, check for drift (changes in time) in the miniature thermal emission spectrometer, scan the sky and ground with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer, check the calibration target of the same instrument, and use it to scan a rock target known as "Gueslaga."
Odometry:
As of sol 1054 (Dec. 20, 2006), Spirit's total odometry was 6,886.80 meters (4.28 miles).
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OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Opportunity Continues to Look for Entry Point into 'Victoria Crater' - sol 1029-1037, December 22, 2006:
Opportunity is healthy and continues to gather data in search of a potential future entry point into "Victoria Crater." The rover is traversing the crater rim near an alcove known as "Bottomless Bay," assessing whether it might eventually serve as an entry point, and collecting images of the crater's interior cliffs.
On Dec. 17, 2006, the rover's 1030th sol, or Martian day on Mars, Opportunity began testing software to enable autonomous placement of the robotic arm and scientific instruments on targets of scientific interest.
Between sols 1029 (Dec. 16, 2006) and 1034 (Dec. 21, 2006), Opportunity drove 41 meters (135 feet).
Sol-by-sol summary:
Sol 1029 (Dec. 16, 2006): Opportunity measured atmospheric dust, acquired navigation camera and panoramic camera images of Bottomless Bay, scanned the sky and ground with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer, and acquired panoramic images of points of scientific interest known as "Malua," "Timor" and "Cebu."
Sol 1030: Opportunity measured atmospheric dust, performed step No. 3 of the autonomous placement sequence for the robotic arm, acquired forward-looking images following the day's drive, scanned the sky for clouds with the navigation camera, and surveyed the sky, ground, and external calibration target using the miniature thermal emission spectrometer.
Sol 1031: Opportunity measured atmospheric dust, scanned the sky for clouds, and surveyed the sky and ground with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer.
Sol 1032: Following the day's drive, Opportunity acquired images of the surrounding area, including rearward-looking views, using the navigation camera. Opportunity measured atmospheric dust and surveyed the horizon with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer.
Sol 1033: Opportunity measured atmospheric dust, performed step No. 2 of the sequence for autonomous placement of the robotic arm, surveyed the sky and ground with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer, and acquired panoramic camera images looking southwest at Bottomless Bay.
Sol 1034: Following another day's drive, Opportunity acquired rearward-looking and forward-looking images of surrounding terrain using the navigation camera. Opportunity measured atmospheric dust, surveyed the sky and ground with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer, and acquired images of the sky using the panoramic camera.
Sol 1035: Plans call for Opportunity to measure atmospheric dust, use the rock abrasion tool to brush the surface of a rock target known as "Rio de Janeiro," and acquire post-brush microscopic images of the dust-free surface. The rover is then to collect data about the rock using the alpha-particle X-ray spectrometer, survey the sky at high sun using the panoramic camera, and scan the sky and ground with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer.
Sol 1036: Plans call for Opportunity to measure atmospheric dust and acquire a full-color, 13-filter mosaic of Rio de Janeiro using the panoramic camera and to study the outcrop with the Moessbauer spectrometer. The rover is instructed to scan the sky, ground, and points of scientific interest known as "Catalonia," "Valencia," Andalucia," "Aragon," "Asturia," "Cantabria" and "Basque," as well as the rover's external calibration target, using the miniature thermal emission spectrometer.
Sol 1037 (Dec. 24, 2006): Plans call for Opportunity to measure atmospheric dust and acquire a full-color, 13-filter mosaic of Bottomless Bay using the panoramic camera. Opportunity is to survey the sky, ground, external calibration target, and scientific targets nicknamed "Murcia," "Navarra," "Catalonia" and "Valencia" using the miniature thermal emission spectrometer, and to scan the sky for clouds.
Odometry:
As of sol 1034 (Dec. 21, 2006), Opportunity's total odometry was 9,758 meters (6.1 miles).