. Space Travel News .




.
MARSDAILY
Radio Doppler Tracking Continues at Cape York
by Staff Writers
Pasadena CA (JPL) Feb 03, 2012

File image.

Opportunity is positioned on the north end of Cape York on the rim of Endeavour Crater with an approximate 15-degree northerly tilt for favorable solar energy production.

While positioned for the winter, Opportunity is conducting regular radio Doppler tracking measurements to support geo-dynamic investigations of the planet, in-situ (contact) science investigations of the rock target, "Amboy," including an extended Microscopic Imager mosaic, and continued collection of the 13-filter 360-degree "Greeley" panorama.

Additionally, during the late afternoon radio Doppler tracking passes, the rover is collecting spectacular low-light (low sun elevation) images. Decreasing energy levels with the approach to the winter solstice has constrained conducting both a radio Doppler tracking pass and an afternoon Ultra High Frequency relay pass on the same sol.

The operations team performs energy trades on the tactical timeline as to which, if not both, of these communication passes are performed on a given sol. On Sol 2846 (Jan. 25, 2012), a low-light Panoramic Camera (Pancam) image was collected during the late afternoon radio Doppler tracking pass.

On the next sol, the robotic arm was used to re-place the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer on the target Amboy for multi-sol integration. More radio Doppler tracking passes with Pancam low-light imagery were performed over the next sols.

On Sol 2852 (Feb. 1, 2012), the robotic arm collected a Microscopic Imager mosaic, part of an extended mosaic campaign, of the surface area that includes the target Amboy.

The Moessbauer spectrometer was then placed on Amboy for a multi-sol integration. New parameters are being used to optimize the Moessbauer spectrometer performance.

As of Sol 2852 (Feb. 1, 2012), solar array energy production was 270 watt-hours with an atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.679 and a solar array dust factor of 0.469.

Total odometry is unchanged at 21.35 miles (34,361.37 meters).

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




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



And it's 3... 2... 1... blastoff! Discover the thrill of a real-life rocket launch.



.

. 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
Mars Rover Science Investigations Continue as Solar Energy Levels Drop
Pasadena CA (JPL) Jan 31, 2012
Opportunity is positioned on the north end of Cape York on the rim of Endeavour Crater with an approximate 15-degree northerly tilt for favorable solar energy production during the winter. Opportunity is conducting regular radio Doppler tracking measurements to support geo-dynamic investigations of the planet, in-situ (contact) science investigations of the target, "Amboy" including an ext ... read more


MARSDAILY
Roscosmos Aims to Make Sea Launch Profitable

Feb 13 set as new date for Europe's Vega rocket

SpaceX flight to ISS could be late March: NASA

Launch of Proton-M with Dutch Satellite Postponed

MARSDAILY
Surface of Mars an unlikely place for life after 600 million year drought

Heavy Ions Killed Mars Probe

U.K. study: Mars surface too dry for life

Radio Doppler Tracking Continues at Cape York

MARSDAILY
Manned Moon Shot Possible by 2020

NASA Mission Returns First Video From Lunar Far Side

A Moon Colony by 2020

U.S. Presidential Hopeful Promises Moon Base by 2020

MARSDAILY
New Horizons Aims to Put Its Stamp on History

New Horizons Works through Winter Wakeup

The Rings of Pluto

Just A Three Year Cruise Left Before Pluto Flyby

MARSDAILY
Elements of ExoPlanets

Planets Circling Around Twin Suns

New super-Earth detected within the habitable zone of a nearby star

Russia to Start Own Search for Extrasolar Planets

MARSDAILY
Armadillo rocket flys high

SpaceX Test Fires Engine Prototype for Astronaut Escape System

NASA's J-2X Engine Kicks Off 2012 With Powerpack Testing

ATK Completes Third Space Act Agreement Milestone for Liberty under NASA's Commercial Crew Program

MARSDAILY
China announces new launch rockets

China's satellite navigation sector annual output predicted to reach 35 bln USD in 2015

China plans to launch 21 rockets, 30 satellites this year

Shenzhou 9 Behind the Curtain

MARSDAILY
Mission to Land on a Comet

Project NEOShield: Asteroid defence systems

Asteroids: The New 'It Mission' for Space Exploration

Vesta Science Program Continues At Low-altitude Mapping Orbit


.

The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2012 - 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