SPIRIT UPDATE: Flash Memory in Use Again
- sols 2077-2083, Nov. 5-11, 2009:
Spirit is preparing to attempt extrication from her embedded location at "Troy" on the west side of "Home Plate."
The project was successful in reformatting Spirit's on-board flash memory file system on Sol 2083 (Nov. 11, 2009). The rover is now again using the non-volatile flash file system for telemetry storage.
On Sol 2078 (Nov. 6, 2009), Spirit straightened her wheels in preparation for the first straight-ahead extrication drive, currently planned for Sol 2088 (Nov. 17, 2009). Spirit also collected another microscopic imager (MI) mosaic of the rover underbelly on Sol 2081 (Nov. 9, 2009).
As of Sol 2082 (Nov. 10, 2009), Spirit's solar-array energy production was 368 watt-hours, with an atmospheric opacity (tau) of 0.569 and a dust factor of 0.5995. Total odometry remains at 7,729.97 meters (4.80 miles).
Spirit Update Archive
Opportunity is still heading south before the turn east to head toward Endeavour Crater. The right front wheel is exhibiting elevated motor currents. So, the plan is to find a place to stop and rest the actuator while conducting some some contact science.
On Sol 2058 (Nov. 7, 2009), the rover began a 15-meter (49-foot) approach to a candidate rock target called "Marquette Island." On Sol 2061 (Nov. 10, 2009), Opportunity bumped about 4 meters (13 feet) to position Marquette Island within the work volume of the rover's robotic arm (instrument deployment device, or IDD). The rover continues to command the miniature thermal emission spectrometer (Mini-TES) elevation mirror open each sol in an attempt to clear some of the putative dust off the elevation mirror. To date, no improvement in the Mini-TES has been observed.
As of Sol 2062 (Nov. 11, 2009), Opportunity's solar-array energy production was 400 watt-hours, with an atmospheric opacity (tau) of 0.486 and a dust factor of 0.531. Total odometry was 18,905.90 meters (11.75 miles).
