OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Power Levels Low Due to Winter Setting In - sols 4168-4173, October 15, 2015-October 20, 2015
Opportunity is within 'Marathon Valley' on the west rim of Endeavour Crater conducting a valley floor survey for clay minerals. Low-elevation orbiter relay passes to the west continue to result in little to no data return on some relay passes. This is just a function of orbit geometry and the high valley wall to the west within Marathon Valley. >From a location on the south side of the valley, the rover has been conducting a campaign of Panoramic (Pancam) Camera color imaging of Marathon Valley with panoramas collected on Sols 4169, 4171 and 4173 (Oct. 16, Oct. 18 and Oct. 20, 2015). A salute (raise) of the robotic arm on Sol 4173 (Oct. 20, 2015) was performed so the rover's work volume for the arm could be imaged ahead on an in-situ (contact) science activities. Further readouts of Flash Bank 7 were attempted on Sol 4170 (Oct. 17, 2015). The rover's activities are being constrained by the winter power levels. Opportunity will remain on north-facing slopes for the balance of the winter. As of Sol 4173 (Oct. 20, 2015), the solar array energy production was 337 watt-hours with an atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.522 and a solar array dust factor of 0.568. Total odometry is 26.48 miles (42.62 kilometers), more than a marathon. ______________________________________________ Visit our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/meteoritecentral and the Archives at http://www.meteorite-list-archives.com Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com https://pairlist3.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list