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sols 3684-3690, June 04, 2014-June 11, 2014: Opportunity is exploring the west rim of Endeavour Crater

On Sol 3684 (June 4, 2014), Opportunity drove over 62 feet (19 meters) south along the ridgeline of the crater rim.

Over Sols 3686 to 3688 (June 6 to June 8, 2014), the plan was to perform a 'touch 'n go,' using the robotic arm on the first sol, then driving away on the second sol, but the rover experienced a warm reset induced by a write error in Flash memory. The rover was otherwise in good health, but left without a master sequence running. On Sol 3689 (June 10, 2014), the project restored the rover to normal sequence control and Opportunity completed a 69 feet (21-meter) drive.

As of Sol 3690 (June 11, 2014), the solar array energy production was 660 watt-hours with an increased atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.868 and a solar array dust factor of 0.924.

Total odometry is 24.53 miles (39.49 kilometers).

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sols 3677-3683, May 28, 2014-June 04, 2014: Opportunity Recovering From Flash Memory Problems

Opportunity is exploring the west rim of Endeavour Crater. However, the rover experienced a set of reset events triggered by an error writing to flash memory.

On Sol 3677 (May 28, 2014), Opportunity had a nominal drive of just over 62 feet (19 meters). On the next sol, the rover moved 57 feet (17.4 meters) further, generally to the south, southeast. On Sol 3679 (May 30, 2014), Opportunity performed an in-situ (contact) science campaign as the first sol of a 'touch and go.' A touch and go is where the rover uses the robotic arm on the first sol of a multi-sol plan (the touch) and then drives on the next sol (the go). However, Opportunity experienced a warm reset on the second sol, Sol 3680 (May 31, 2014). The touch was successful, collecting a Microscopic Imager (MI) mosaic of the surface target, followed by an Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) measurement overnight, but the drive on the next sol never occurred because of the reset.

These warm resets have occurred in the past when an error occurs while writing to a specific area of flash (non-volatile) memory. The rover was restored to normal sequence operation on Sol 3682 (June 2, 2014), after the Sol 3680 reset. Another warm reset occurred on Sol 3683 (June 4, 2014), but the rover was restored to nominal operations the following sol.

As of Sol 3682, the solar array energy production was 733 watt-hours with an atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.682 and a solar array dust factor of 0.908.

Total odometry is 24.51 miles (39.44 kilometers).


sols 3672-3676, May 23, 2014-May 27, 2014: Rover Corrects its Spacecraft Clock

Opportunity is exploring south on the west rim of Endeavour Crater.

The rover is conducting an in-situ (contact) science campaign in the northern part of the region of aluminum/hydroxyl clay minerals seen from orbit.

Opportunity has been correcting her spacecraft clock by a few seconds each day (sol) to gradually offset the accumulated drift since the beginning of the mission.

On Sol 3673 (May 24, 2014), the rover continued a multi-sol Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) integration of the surface target, called 'Sarcobatus Flat.' On Sol 3674 (May 25, 2014), Opportunity repositioned the robotic arm to collect a Microscopic Imager (MI) mosaic of a clast, followed by the placement of the APXS on the clast.

A flash 'amnesia' event occurred on the night of Sol 3674 (May 25, 2014). All APXS data were recovered. On Sol 3676 (May 27, 2014), the rover once again repositioned the robotic arm to get the entire field of view (FOV) of the APXS on the clast target.

As of Sol 3676, the solar array energy production was 764 watt-hours with an atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.613 and a solar array dust factor of 0.942.

Total odometry is 24.49 miles (39.41 kilometers).

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sols 3663-3671, May 14, 2014-May 22, 2014: Busy Week of Activities on Several Rock Targets

Opportunity is exploring south of 'Solander Point' on the west rim of Endeavour Crater.

The rover is conducting an in-situ (contact) science campaign in the region of aluminum/hydroxyl clay minerals seen from orbit. Because of ample energy levels, Opportunity collects an atmospheric argon with the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) on each evening when the rover wakes for battery conditioning and the robotic arm is not on a surface target, as it did on Sols 3663 and 3670 (May 14 and May 21, 2014).

On Sol 3664 (May 15, 2014), the rover began its surface campaign in this region with the collection of a Microscopic Imager (MI) mosaic and the placement of the APXS on the surface target, called 'Bristol Well,' a light-toned vein.

On Sols 3666 and 3667 (May 17 and 18, 2014), Opportunity repositioned the APXS each time in order to collect an offset measurement on the vein. On Sol 3669 (May 20, 2014), Opportunity bumped about 10 feet (2.9 meters) forward to reach a new surface target. On Sol 3671 (May 22, 2014), the rover began the investigation of the target, called 'Sarcobatus Flat,' with the collection of a MI mosaic and the placement of the APXS.

As of Sol 3671, the solar array energy production was 751 watt-hours with an atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.667 and a solar array dust factor of 0.955.

Total odometry is 24.49 miles (39.41 kilometers).