Robot Technology News  
MARSDAILY
Opportunity Brushing and Examining an Outcrop

File image.
by Staff Writers
 Pasadena CA (SPX) Apr 04, 2009
 Opportunity remains positioned on an exposed rock outcrop, continuing an "in situ" (contact) science campaign with the robotic arm (IDD).

On Sol 1832 (March 20, 2009), the first part of a rock abrasion tool (RAT) brushing activity was performed. Using a new work-around for the failed RAT Z-encoder, the RAT successfully performed a seek-scan to locate the rock surface.

On the next sol, the RAT successfully brushed the surface. The Microscopic imager (MI) took images to document the brushing. The Mossbauer (MB) spectrometer was placed on the brushed target, and several sols of integration were performed.

On Sol 1836 (March 24, 2009), the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer (APXS) was placed on the brushed target to measure the elemental composition. On Sol 1837 (March 25, 2009), another RAT seek-scan was performed to set up for a RAT grind on the next sol.

As of Sol 1837 (March 25, 2009), Opportunity's solar array energy production is 336 watt-hours. Atmospheric opacity (tau) remains elevated at 1.145.

The solar array dust factor is 0.497, meaning that 49.7 percent of sunlight hitting the solar array penetrates the layer of accumulated dust on the array.

Opportunity is in good health. Its total odometry remains at 15,051.44 meters (9.35 miles).

Share This Article With Planet Earth
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit
YahooMyWebYahooMyWeb GoogleGoogle FacebookFacebook



Related Links
 Mars Rovers
 Mars News and Information at MarsDaily.com
Lunar Dreams and more


Memory Foam Mattress Review
SPACE MEDIA NETWORK PROMOTIONS
 Solar Energy Solutions
Tempur-Pedic Mattress Comparison ...
Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News


MARSDAILY
Spirit Sets Distance Record For Five-Wheel Driving
 Pasadena CA (SPX) Apr 04, 2009
 Spirit is making good progress around Home Plate to the west. After getting clear of troublesome rocks, Spirit drove 13.8 meters (45.3 feet) on Sol 1854 (March 21, 2009).






SPACE TRAVEL
  • Ball Aerospace Wins Ares Flight Computer Contract
  • Flooding delays return of Soyuz spacecraft
  • Soyuz Spacecraft Return To Earth Postponed Until April 8
  • Solar Sail Update: New Opportunities

    • MARSDAILY
  • Opportunity Brushing and Examining an Outcrop
  • Spirit Sets Distance Record For Five-Wheel Driving
  • Russia locks up six for Mars experiment
  • Russian-European Crew Starts Mars Mission

    • LAUNCH PAD
  • Russian launcher puts European telecoms satellite in orbit
  • Herschel And Planck Launch Update
  • Russia Urges North Korea To Show Restraint In Rocket Launch
  • Raytheon Introduces Rapidly Deployable Space Payload Design

    • EARTH OBSERVATION
  • Satellite Snow Maps Help Reindeer Herders Adapt To A Changing Arctic
  • Angry British villagers stop Google maps car: report
  • NASA Continues To Advance International Polar Year Science
  • Satellites Will Help Predict Disasters

    • OUTER PLANETS
  • The PI's Perspective: One-Third Down
  • New Horizons Detects Neptune's Moon Triton
  • The Lower Atmosphere Of Pluto Revealed
  • NASA And ESA Prioritise Outer Planet Missions

    • STELLAR CHEMISTRY
  • INTEGRAL Sees Variable Polarization From GRB041219A
  • The Origin Of Supernovae Confirmed
  • A Curious Pair Of Galaxies
  • Hearts Of Galaxies Close In For Cosmic Train Wreck

    • MOON DAILY
  • Lunar Gardening - A Greenhouse On The Moon By 2014
  • NASA Moon Mission Brings Divergent Passions Together
  • NASA Moon Mission Brings Divergent Passions Together
  • Russia picking moon rocket design

    • GPS NEWS
  • Norway joins EU's Galileo satnav project
  • GPS IC Shipments Growth Slowing To 15 Percent In 2009
  • Census Workers To Verify Addresses In The US
  • Celevoke And National Equipment Combat Equipment Theft

    • The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2007 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement