Mars Exploration Rover Update - February 2, 2005

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

SPIRIT UPDATE: Spirit Productive with Peace Efforts - sol 374-380,
February 02, 2005

Spirit had another productive week in the locale of a target called
"Peace." Because of strong interest in the unusual character of
"Peace,"
the team decided to throw the full science instrument payload at the
rock.

Sol-by-sol summaries:

On sol 374, Spirit performed a successful 40-minute grind on Peace. The
short grind time was due to energy limitations on the rover, which were
a result of a dust storm that limited solar energy. The rock abrasion
tool performed with no anomalies, and a 3.22- millimeter hole was made,
removing some of the upper rock surface. Then, Spirit placed the alpha
particle X-ray spectrometer in the hole drilled by the rock abrasion
tool. The usual morning and evening remote-sensing science observations
were conducted.

On sol 375, Spirit placed the Mossbauer spectrometer in the abraded
hole. Again, the usual remote-sensing science observations were made.

On sol 376, Spirit continued the Mossbauer spectrometer integration,
then Spirit changed tools to take pictures of the rock abrasion tool
hole with the microscopic imager. Spirit performed more remote-sensing
science.

On sol 377, Spirit completed a successful 1-hour-and-56-minute grind on
Peace. This was the second attempt at grinding this rock target because
the depth of first grind on sol 274 was deemed insufficient by the
science team to really get inside the rock. The rock abrasion tool
again
performed the operation with no anomalies. It ground an additional 9.7
millimeters into the previously abraded surface. This additional depth
did not necessarily add directly to the depth achieved on sol 374 due
to
potential rover arm placement errors, but it was the deepest rock
abrasion tool hole created to date!

On sol 378, Spirit started the Mossbauer spectrometer reading at noon
and integrated until 3:00 a.m. The usual atmospheric science was
conducted.

On sol 379, Spirit restarted the Mossbauer spectrometer to get four
hours of observations during the day, and an alpha particle X-ray
spectrometer reading was taken overnight. Atmospheric science,
miniature
thermal emission spectrometer readings of "Boycott", and an alpha
particle X-ray spectrometer reading were taken overnight.

On sol 380, the Science Operations Working Group (SOWG) decided that
Spirit should remain at the location with "Peace." Spirit collected
pictures of the deep rock abrasion tool hole with the microscopic
imager. The microscopic imager images of the bottom of that hole were
received on the ground. A short alpha particle X-ray spectrometer
integration on a new "Peace" target was collected just before the
Odyssey orbiter communications pass, and the data were sent down on
that
pass. A long alpha particle X-ray spectrometer integration (greater
than
eight hours) will come down later. Additional pictures of Peace from
the
microscopic imager were collected. The miniature thermal emission
spectrometer monitored dust. The panoramic camera and hazard avoidance
camera took images of the rock abrasion tool's magnets and grinding
bit.
The atmosphere has become slightly less dusty since the latest
reporting. Sol 380 ended on Jan. 27.