Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. Military Space News .




MARSDAILY
Rock Grinding Action
by Staff Writers
Pasadena CA (JPL) Oct 01, 2012


File image of an Opportunity rock grinding.

Opportunity is conducting an in-situ (contact) science campaign at a putative location of clay minerals at the inboard edge of Cape York on the rim of Endeavour Crater.

The rover is positioned next to a large light-toned block of exposed outcrop. Earlier Panoramic (Pancam) imagery indicates mineral hydration in this block.

Opportunity began back on Sol 3076 (Sept. 18, 2012), using the Rock Abrasion Tool (RAT) to brush the surface at a target location called "Azilda1."

On Sol 3078 (Sept. 20, 2012), the rover continued brushing the surface, now at an adjacent target called "Azlida2."

The brushing was followed by a Microscopic Imager (MI) mosaic and an Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) placement on the same.

On Sol 3080 (Sept. 22, 2012), Opportunity continued this brushing campaign with another surface target, slightly offset from the previous, called (you guessed it) "Azilda3."

Again, the brushing was followed by a MI mosaic and an APXS integration.

With an extended target region brushed and surveyed, on Sol 3083 (Sept. 25, 2012), Opportunity performed a RAT grind on the location Azilad2. Initial telemetry indicates the grind performed to a depth of about 0.03 inches (0.8 mm).

The plan ahead is to either, grind deeper or retract the RAT and survey the grind hole.

As of Sol 3084 (Sept. 26 2012), the solar array energy production was 553 watt-hours with an atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.658 and a solar array dust factor of 0.657.

Total odometry is 21.78 miles (35,047.47 meters).

.


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






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle








MARSDAILY
Robotic Arm Tools Get to Work
Pasadena CA (JPL) Sep 25, 2012
Opportunity is continuing the in-situ (contact) science campaign at a putative location of clay minerals at the inboard edge of Cape York on the rim of Endeavour Crater. The rover is positioned next to a large light-toned block of exposed outcrop. Previous Panoramic Camera (Pancam) imagery indicates mineral hydration in this block. On 3071 (Sept. 13, 2012), Opportunity performed a ve ... read more


MARSDAILY
US pushing Gulf nations to develop missile defense

Israel postpones vital Arrow-3 flight test

N. Korea blasts US plan for new radar base in Japan

US to station second X-band missile radar in Japan

MARSDAILY
Lockheed Martin's DAGR Missile Demonstrates Ground Launch Capability In Guided Flight Tests

US Army, Navy Demonstrate JLENS' Ability to Defeat Anti-ship Cruise Missile

S. Korea near deal on longer missile range: report

India follows Pakistan with missile test

MARSDAILY
AUVSI Welcomes Formation of Senate Unmanned Aerial Systems Caucus

The next wave in US robotic war: drones on their own

Europe tipped to spend $14B on drones

AUVSI Praises State-Based Effort To Move Unmanned Aircraft Technology Forward

MARSDAILY
Raytheon to provide Joint Tactical Terminal radios with latest security features to US Navy

Northrop Grumman Awarded Contract to Extend BACN Communications Connectivity to the Tactical Edge

Hughes Awarded Custom SATCOM Solutions Contract by GSA

4 SOPS begins testing newest AEHF satellite

MARSDAILY
Lockheed Martin Completes Centralization Of Targets and Countermeasures Operations in Huntsville

US hails war vehicle that saved lives, bypassed bureaucracy

Raytheon MALD-J Decoy Goes 4 for 4 in Operational Flight Tests

Raytheon and PACAF expand the reach of realistic training environments

MARSDAILY
German interest in EADS/BAE deal remains unclear

Israel's now one of top arms exporters

Retrial of Canadian-German arms dealer delayed

Australia's defense policies criticized

MARSDAILY
Japan PM adds China balm in cabinet reshuffle

Chinese govt ships enter disputed waters: Japan

China to punish Bo, sets November 8 congress date

Philippines sends more troops to guard disputed islands

MARSDAILY
A Tecnalia study reveals the loss of nanomaterials in surface treatments caused by water

Precision Motion Tracking - Thousands of Cells at a Time

Nanoengineers can print 3D microstructures in mere seconds

Improved nanoparticles deliver drugs into brain




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. 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 Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement