Mars Exploration Rovers Update - March 12, 2007

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SPIRIT UPDATE: Spirit Studies "Home Plate" from the West - sol

1125-1131, March 12, 2007:

Spirit is healthy after wrapping up a week of remote sensing observations on the west side of the elevated circular plateau known as "Home Plate."

Sol-by-sol summary:

Sol 1125 (March 3, 2007): Spirit took images of darkness, when the panoramic camera is exposed to no light, for calibration purposes. Spirit acquired microscopic images of the dust capture and filter magnets and surveyed several targets known as "Lothar," "Manator," "Morbus," "Ombra," "Otz Valley," and "Pankor" using the miniature thermal emission spectrometer. The rover monitored atmospheric dust levels with the panoramic camera, surveyed the sky and ground with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer, and searched for clouds using the navigation camera.

Sol 1126: Spirit's first task of the day was acquiring panoramic camera images of the dune field known as "El Dorado." The rover then drove

3.5 meters toward "Home Plate," acquired images using the front and rear hazard avoidance cameras and navigation camera, and monitored atmospheric dust with the panoramic camera. The rover scanned the sky and ground with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer.

Sol 1127: The first thing in the morning, Spirit scanned the sky for clouds using the navigation camera. The rover surveyed the sky at high sun using the panoramic camera. Spirit scanned the sky and ground with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer.

Sol 1128: Spirit started the day by looking for Martian dust devils with the navigation camera. The rover re-acquired images with the front hazard avoidance camera and tested the switch on the contact plate of the Moessbauer spectrometer by touching the filter magnet with the instrument. Spirit acquired navigation camera images and a panoramic camera mosaic of Home Plate. Spirit acquired remote sensing data from targets known as "Irene Hickson," "Joanne Winter," "Bette Trezza," and "Carolyn Morris." The rover surveyed the sky and ground with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer and measured atmospheric dust levels with the panoramic camera.

Sol 1129: Spirit started the day by looking for morning clouds. The rover conducted a survey using the panoramic camera at high sun. Spirit scanned the sky and ground with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer and used the same instrument to acquire remote sensing data from targets known as "Anna Mae Hutchison," "Faye Dancer," "Dorothy Hunter," and "Velma Abbott."

Sol 1130: Spirit searched for morning clouds with the navigation camera and acquired images, using all 13 filters of the panoramic camera, of Home Plate. The rover also acquired data from targets known as "Fredda Acker" and "Jean Gilchrist" with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer. The rover took calibration images of darkness and monitored atmospheric dust with the panoramic camera. Spirit acquired data from a target known as "Betty Warfel" using the miniature thermal emission spectrometer.

Sol 1131 (March 9, 2007): Spirit took images of the sky with the panoramic camera and surveyed the sky and ground with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer. The rover acquired miniature thermal emission spectrometer data and panoramic camera images of a target known as "Evelyn Adams." Spirit took full-color images, using all 13 filters of the panoramic camera, of a target called "Joanne Winter." The rover acquired miniature thermal emission spectrometer data from targets known as "Bethany Goldsmith," "Betty Whiting," and "Melba Alspaugh." Spirit took panoramic camera images and prepared to spend the next morning acquiring two movies in search of dust devils using the panoramic camera.

Odometry:

As of sol 1130 (March 8, 2007), Spirit's total odometry was 7,012.34 meters (4.36 miles).

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OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Onward to the 'Valley Without Peril' - sol

1104-1111, March 12, 2007:

Opportunity is healthy and continues its long baseline stereo survey of "Victoria Crater." The rover is currently perched atop the "Cape of Good Hope," making its way northeast to the mouth of the "Valley Without Peril."

On sol 1104 Opportunity performed an alpha particle X-ray spectrometer integration on the martian atmosphere. This is a long-term monitoring of the density of Argon in the atmosphere, looking at how the Argon/ Carbon dioxide mixing ratio changes as the polar caps acquire and sublimate carbon dioxide.

On Sol 1109 the rover performed a preliminary test of a new method for rock abrasion tool grinds which does not rely on a failed encoder. Another test is scheduled for sol 1112.

Next week Opportunity will conduct an extensive long baseline stereo survey of the Valley Without Peril and "Cape St. Vincent." This will allow the team to perform a comparative analysis of other bays in order to continue characterization of possible ingress and egress points in Victoria Crater.

Sol-by-sol summary:

In addition to Opportunity's daily science observations, the rover also performs panoramic camera tau measurements and miniature thermal emission spectrometer sky and ground stares.

Sol 1104 (March 3, 2007): The rover took a color postcard panoramic camera image of "Cabo Corrientes," navigation camera imaging of the tracks, miniature thermal emission spectrometer 7-point sky & ground observation and alpha particle X-ray spectrometer integration on the atmosphere to look for Argon.

Sol 1105: On this sol, Opportunity drove 8 meters (26 feet) southwest toward the edge of the Cape of Good Hope. The rover then began the first half of a long baseline stereo panoramic camera image of Cabo Corrientes across "Golfo (Gulf) San Matias." The rover then completed navigation camera imaging for next drive.

Sol 1106: Opportunity conducted a panoramic camera horizon survey, looked for clouds with its navigation camera and monitored for dust. The rover also did a miniature thermal emission spectrometer 7-point sky & ground observation and a panoramic camera sky survey.

Sol 1107: On this sol, the rover drove 4 meters (13 feet) south-southwest and completed navigation and panoramic camera imaging for next drive. Opportunity then began the second half of a long baseline stereo panoramic camera image of Cabo Corrientes across Golfo San Matias. The panoramic camera then had a look at the sky.

Sol 1108: Opportunity drove 8 meters (26 feet) toward the Valley Without Peril, then used its navigation and panoramic cameras to image for the next drive. The panoramic camera looked at the sky.

Sol 1109: Opportunity conducted a rock abrasion tool (RAT) grind test, then the panoramic camera did a 13-filter foreground survey and took a mosaic of the rover tracks. The navigation camera imaged the tracks and then the miniature thermal emission spectrometer assessed the foreground.

Sol 1110: On this sol, the panoramic camera completed a 13-filter foreground survey and the miniature thermal emission spectrometer completed a 7-point sky and ground observation and foreground stare.

Sol 1111 (March 10, 2007): The rover drove 40 meters (131 feet) northeast to the mouth of the Valley Without Peril. Opportunity then did navigation and panoramic camera imaging for next drive. The panoramic camera also had a look at the sky.

As of sol 1108, Opportunity's odometery is 10,238.95 meters (6.36 miles).

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