Opportunity Hits The Road Again

File image.

by Staff Writers
Pasadena CA (SPX) Oct 11, 2010
After spending time investigating a meteorite, Opportunity has resumed the trek to Endeavour crater with drives totaling over 370 meters (1,214 feet) for the past week.

On Sol 2377 (Oct. 1, 2010), the rover drove over 100 meters (328 feet), making a "bank shot" maneuver to avoid some troubling terrain. On Sol 2379 (Oct. 3, 2010), the rover performed a test of autonomous navigation using only the rear hazardous avoidance cameras (Hazcams).

The test was successful with the rover completing just about of 92 meters (302 feet) for the day. This new autonomous driving technique may enable longer, backward drives each sol.

On Sol 2381 (Oct. 5, 2010), Opportunity headed northeast to rejoin the original path to Endeavour crater, covering about 86 meters (282 feet). The rover drove again on the next sol moving another 93 meters (305 feet) along its way to Endeavour.

As of Sol 2382 (Oct. 6, 2010), solar array energy production was 610 watt-hours with an atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.538 and a solar array dust factor of 0.716.

Total odometry is 23,897.09 meters (23.90 kilometers, or 14.85 miles).

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