Opportunity stops to check out rocks; Spirit remains silent

Opportunity has paused in her trek toward Endeavour crater to examine an exposed outcrop of rock that is of interest to the science team.

Spirit remains silent at her location on the west side of Home Plate. No communication has been received from the rover since Sol 2210 (March 22, 2010).

On Sol 2336 (Aug. 19, 2010), Opportunity performed a 7-meter (23-foot) backward turn with a forward bump to approach the outcrop contact. On the next sol, Opportunity performed a short turn to place surface targets within reach of the robotic arm (Instrument Deployment Device, IDD). On Sol 2339 (Aug. 23, 2010), Opportunity conducted a relay test pass with Mars Express as part of a regular checkout of the Mars Express relay. On the next sol, the rover used the robotic arm to collect a microscopic imager (MI) mosaic of a surface target, called "Clarin Beach," which was followed by a placement of the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer (APXS) on the same target for integration. On Sol 2341 (Aug. 25, 2010), Opportunity continued the investigation of this outcrop contact, collecting another set of microscopic imager mosaics of new targets and then a placement of the APXS on a target called "Duero Beach."

As of Sol 2340 (Aug. 24, 2010), solar array energy production was 562 watt-hours with atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.334 and the solar array dust factor of 0.7285.

Total odometry as is 22,647.85 meters (22.65 kilometers, or 14.07 miles).

Spirit remains silent at 'Troy'

Spirit remains silent at her location on the west side of Home Plate. No communication has been received from the rover since Sol 2210 (March 22, 2010).

It is likely that Spirit has experienced a low-power fault and has turned off all sub-systems, including communication and gone into a deep sleep, trying to recharge her batteries. There is the additional risk that the rover may trip a mission clock fault. To respond to either case, the project is both listening for Spirit with the Deep Space Network and Mars Odyssey orbiter for autonomous recovery communication from the low-power fault case, and conducting a "Sweep & Beep" strategy to stimulate the rover in the case of a mission clock fault.

Although power levels are estimated to be improving with the advancing springtime in the southern hemisphere of Mars, atmospheric conditions historically deteriorate (higher atmospheric opacity) at this time. So, a response from Spirit is still not expected for some time.

Total odometry is unchanged at 7,730.50 meters (4.80 miles).

 

Source: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
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