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ZL2VAL > ROVERS 05.05.04 10:44l 77 Lines 3103 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : AC0821ZL2VAL
Read: GUEST
Subj: Status, 3rd May
Path: DB0FHN<DB0FOR<DB0SIF<DB0EA<DB0RES<ON0AR<7M3TJZ<ZL2TZE<ZL2AB
Sent: 040505/0756Z @:ZL2AB.#46.NZL.OC #:39868 [New Plymouth] FBB7.00g
From: ZL2VAL@ZL2AB.#46.NZL.OC
To : ROVERS@WW
Update: Spirit and Opportunity
SPIRIT UPDATE: Spirit explores the 'Big Hole' trench - sol 114-117, May
03, 2004
On Sol 114, which ended at 9:49 a.m. April 29 PDT, Spirit performed a
lot of science activities in the trench called "Big Hole" using the
microscopic imager, Moessbauer spectrometer and alpha particle X-ray
spectrometer. Opportunity also studied the rover tracks and the crater rim.
Sol 116 started with a repeat of the microscopic imaging of a target in
the trench due to minor communication glitches on sol 115. Spirit then
stowed the arm, backed away from Big Hole trench, and took panoramic
camera images of the trench before it continued on its trek toward the
Columbia Hills. The drive on sol 116, which ended at 11:08 a.m. May 1
PDT, established a new drive record of 90.8 meters (298 feet) for Spirit!
On sol 117, which ended at 11:47 a.m. May 2, Spirit drove 37 meters (121
feet) to a small ridge, where the vehicle experienced a pitch up of 12.2
degrees. Engineers believe that the change in tilt caused the vehicle to
recompute its "goodness map," which helps the rover autonomously drive
over the martian terrain, and the rover declared that it was not safe to
continue its drive. One good thing that came out of this is that the
end-of-drive tilt positioned the solar arrays to maximize afternoon
solar exposure, and the rover's battery state of charge is in good health.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Opportunity Arrives at 'Endurance Crater' - sol
94-97, May 03, 2004
After a 50-meter (164-foot) drive on sol 94, which ended at 10:10 p.m.
April 29 PDT, and the final approach of 17 meters (56 feet) on sol 95,
which ended at 10:49 p.m. April 30 PDT, Opportunity arrived on the
western rim of "Endurance Crater" and began surveying the spectacular
new view.
Opportunity sits about half a meter (1.6 feet) outside the edge of the
crater with a positive pitch of 4.7 degrees, meaning the rover is
slightly tilted with its head up. The western side of the crater rim
slopes down in front of Opportunity with an angle of about 18 degrees
for about 17 meters (56 feet).
Sols 96 and 97, which ended at 11:29 p.m. May 1 PDT, and 12:08 a.m. May
3 PDT respectively, focused on remote sensing of Endurance Crater and
the interesting features in and around it.
All systems are healthy and Opportunity's batteries are near a full
state of charge.
The plan for sols 98 and 99, which end at 12:48 a.m. May 4 PDT and 1:28
a.m. May 5 PDT respectively, is to take advantage of Opportunity's
current vantage point and take high-resolution miniature thermal
emission spectrometer readings of the far crater wall.
=========================
73 de Alan, (Sysop ZL2AB).
AX25:ZL2VAL@ZL2AB.#46.NZL.OC
IP :zl2val@qsl.net
APRS:!3903.34S/17406.45E]
Message timed: 19:25 on 2004-May-05 (NZT)
Message sent using WinPack-AGW V6.80
Points to ponder
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Rural wisdom
------------
To know how country folks are doing, look at their barns, not their houses.
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