Opportunity completed its survey of the meteorite called "Shelter Island". On Sol 2029 (Oct. 8, 2009), the rover completed the in-situ (contact) science campaign on the meteorite's surface with a microscopic imager (MI) mosaic and an alpha particle X-ray spectrometer (APXS) placement for integration.
On Sol 2031 (Oct. 10, 2009), the robotic arm (instrument deployment device, or IDD) was lifted from the meteorite and some final documentary images were collected by the panoramic camera (Pancam).
On Sol 2032 (Oct. 11, 2009), the rover performed a 10-meter (33-foot) circumnavigation of the meteorite to image and document the backside.
On Sol 2034 (Oct. 14, 2009), Opportunity left "Shelter Island" and headed northwest driving 64 meters (210 feet) backwards toward another large rock (more than half a meter or 1.5 feet).
With that drive, Opportunity crossed the 18 kilometer mark in total odometry. Motor currents in the right-front wheel continue to remain well behaved.
As of Sol 2035 (Oct. 15, 2009), Opportunity's solar array energy production was 446 watt-hours, with an atmospheric opacity (tau) of 0.591 and a dust factor of 0.562.
Total odometry as of Sol 2034 (Oct. 14, 2009): 18,036.06 meters (11.21 miles).
Share This Article With Planet Earth
