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ZL2VAL > ROVERS 16.03.04 12:34l 75 Lines 3043 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 430643ZL2VAL
Read: GUEST
Subj: Status, 15th March
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Sent: 040316/0958Z @:ZL2AB.#46.NZL.OC #:37654 [New Plymouth] FBB7.00g
From: ZL2VAL@ZL2AB.#46.NZL.OC
To : ROVERS@WW
Update: Spirit and Opportunity
SPIRIT UPDATE: Spirit's Busiest Day - sol 70, Mar 15, 2004
Spirit began what would be a very busy sol 70, which ended at 3:47 a.m.
PST March 15, by analyzing a soil target dubbed "Gobi 1" with the
Mössbauer spectrometer. This was the first of 43 observations that
Spirit would complete on sol 70, breaking the previous observation
record of 31 observations in one sol.
After the successful Mössbauer integration, Spirit took panoramic camera
images of the sky. Then the miniature thermal emission spectrometer
analyzed rock and soil targets. Following this, Spirit turned its
panoramic camera and miniature thermal emission spectrometer to a range
surface and atmospheric observations. Before the sol ended, Spirit also
took microscopic images of the Mössbauer footprint left on the soil
target and switched instruments to the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer
for a long integration starting early on sol 71 at the "Gobi 1" location.
Spirit will spend Sol 71, which will end at 4:26 a.m. PST March 16,
completing the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer analysis, taking
panoramic camera images and microscopic imager images of the area, and
then driving 15 meters (49.2 feet) to a location dubbed "Serpent Dune"
in the afternoon.
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OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Finishing up at the Outcrop - sol 50, Mar 15, 2004
On sol 50, which ended at 4:08 p.m. PST on March 15, Opportunity got
closer to completing its observations of the rock outcrop. The rover
arm, with the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer at the ready, was placed
on the rock called "Shark's Tooth" for a 30-minute observation. The
microscopic imager then took a series of pictures of the targets "Enamel
1" and "Lamination." The focus then switched back to "Shark's Tooth" for
an examination by the Moessbauer spectrometer.
The song chosen to awaken Opportunity was "The Dentist" by Bill Cosby,
in honor of the toothy targets in "Shark's Cage."
The sol also included many panoramic camera observations of targets with
creative names like "Patio Rug," "Anaconda Snake Den," "West Zen Garden"
and "Garter Snake."
The next sol calls for a final experiment at the outcrop called
"scuffing." "Scuffing" essentially turns one of the rover wheels into a
tool to scrape a rock to help determine its hardness. The rock
"Carousel" will be scraped by Opportunity's front left wheel. After that
experiment, the rover will begin its trans-crater traverse to five soil
survey targets, the first of which will lead Opportunity up the sandy
southern face of the crater.
=========================
73 de Alan, (Sysop ZL2AB).
AX25:ZL2VAL@ZL2AB.#46.NZL.OC
APRS:!3903.34S/17406.45E]
IP :zl2val@qsl.net
Message timed: 22:54 on 2004-Mar-16 (NZT)
Message sent using WinPack-AGW V6.80
Points to ponder
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Marriage
~~~~~~~~
If you want your spouse to listen and pay strict attention to every word
you say, talk in your sleep.
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