Mars Exploration Rover Update - July 16, 2004

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status.html

SPIRIT UPDATE: Spirit Gets Into Position for a Tune-Up - sol 181-182,
July 16, 2004

Sol 181:
On sol 181 the plan for Spirit was to deploy the instrument deployment
device for microscopic imaging, then perform a two-hour M�ssbauer
integration. The rover was to conduct miniature thermal emission
spectrometer and navigation camera observations of rover-disturbed soil.
After this, the rover was to drive to a relatively flat area dubbed
"Engineering Flats." This was to prepare for a multi-sol engineering
activity to heat, and ideally re-lubricate, the right-front wheel
actuator. After the drive, Spirit was to take a 360-degree navigation
camera panorama, followed by miniature thermal emission spectrometer
observations during the communications session with NASA's Mars Odyssey
orbiter. Unfortunately, as Spirit began to execute the sol 181 plan, the
onboard software predicted an instrument deployment device collision.
This prevented further arm functions and the drive.

Sol 182:
On Sol 182, rover planners quickly determined the cause of the
instrument deployment device error and continued to plan for sol 182 as
normal. The intent for sol 182 was to complete the activities originally
intended for sol 181. The sol 182 plan executed nominally, placing
Spirit squarely in the middle of Engineering Flats.