. Space Travel News .




.
MARSDAILY
Opportunity On the Lookout for Light-Toned Material
by Staff Writers
Pasadena CA (JPL) Nov 04, 2011

File image.

The seasonal plan for Opportunity is to winter over on the north end of Cape York on the rim of Endeavour crater where northerly tilts are favorable for solar array energy production.

As such, the project has been driving the rover towards the north end of the cape with a route along the west side that creates opportunities for science along the way.

The science team is on the lookout for veins of light-toned material and has found some.

On Sol 2758 (Oct. 27, 2011), Opportunity traveled north/northwest about 180 feet (55 meters) heading toward a geologic contact that borders Cape York on the west. The next drive on Sol 2760 (Oct. 29, 2011), moved the rover roughly north to the contact.

Imagery from the end of the Sol 2760 drive showed these light-toned veins the science team was searching for, one just a few feet (meters) in front of the rover.

On Sol 2763 (Nov. 1, 2011), Opportunity bumped 12 feet (3.7 meters) placing this light-toned vein, called "Homestake" within reach of the rover's robotic arm.

The plan ahead is to collect some Microscopic Imager (MI) images of the vein and place the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) on the vein itself for an overnight integration.

As of Sol 2763 (Nov. 1, 2011), solar array energy production was 304 watt-hours with an atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.752 and a solar array dust factor of 0.494.

Total odometry is 21.25 miles (34,199.25 meters, or 34.20 kilometers).

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




.
.
Get Our Free Newsletters Via Email
...
Buy Advertising Editorial Enquiries






.

. 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
Opportunity Continues to Drive North
Pasadena CA (JPL) Oct 28, 2011
The seasonal plan is for Opportunity to winter over on the north end of Cape York on the rim of Endeavour crater where northern tilts are favorable for energy production. As such, the project has been driving the rover in the direction of the north end of the cape with a route along the west side that creates opportunities for science along the way. The science team is on the lookout for v ... read more


MARSDAILY
Six Astrium satellites on the same flight

Arianespace's no. 2 Soyuz begins taking shape for launch from the Spaceport in French Guiana

Vega getting ready for exploitation

MSU satellite orbits the Earth after early morning launch

MARSDAILY
Mars Curiosity Rover Moved Space Launch Complex 41 For Nov 25 Liftoff

Russia aims for first conquest of Mars

Welcome back and thank you, Mars500

Volunteers emerge from 520-day 'Mars voyage' isolation

MARSDAILY
Lunar Probe to search for water on Moon

Subtly Shaded Map of Moon Reveals Titanium Treasure Troves

NASA's Moon Twins Going Their Own Way

Titanium treasure found on Moon

MARSDAILY
Is the Pluto System Dangerous?

Starlight study shows Pluto's chilly twin

New Horizons App Now Available

Dwarf planet may not be bigger than Pluto

MARSDAILY
Three New Planets and a Mystery Object Discovered Outside Our Solar System

Dwarf planet sized up accurately as it blocks light of faint star

Herschel Finds Oceans of Water in Disk of Nearby Star

UH Astronomer Finds Planet in the Process of Forming

MARSDAILY
Simulating space in Gottingen

Israel test fires rocket-propulsion system: ministry

UK space surveillance system takes birthday snap of only satellite ever launched by a UK rocket

Virgin Galactic Selects First Commercial Astronaut Pilot From Competition

MARSDAILY
What does the Tiangong 1 space station mean for China

China's space industry to see accelerated expansion over next 10 years

Will China's next space mission be manned?

China has Australia space tracking station: report

MARSDAILY
Dawn Journal For October 2011

NASA Captures New Images Of Large Asteroid Passing Earth

EPOXI Mission Report For November 2011

Asteroid 2005 YU55 Update


.

The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2011 - Space Media Network. 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 Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement