. 24/7 Space News .
Spirit Finishes Observing Ebenezer And Moves On To Tikal

The hills where Spirit is now exploring
Pasadena CA (JPL) Sep 08, 2004
Spirit found a comfortable location on a rock outcrop and spent cold autumn days performing observations of a rock called "Ebenezer" with the rover's science instruments. Spirit finished observations of Ebenezer and moved over to the next location, "Tikal," about nine meters (30 feet) away.

Spirit will spend solar conjunction at Tikal. Solar conjunction is when Earth and Mars are on opposite sides of the Sun. Due the interference with the Sun, communications between Earth and the spacecraft at Mars will be minimal during solar conjunction, which occurs during Spirit's sols 244 through 255.

On sol 232, Spirit completed an overnight reading with its alpha particle X-ray spectrometer on a target dubbed "Cratchit 2," where the rover had earlier used its rock abraision tool to cut a hole exposing the rock's interior.

Spirit took images of the same target with the microscopic imager. Spirit then placed the Moessbauer spectrometer on Cratchit 2 and started a very long, two-sol integration.

After the two-sol Moessbauer spectrometer activity, Spirit spent sol 234 performing 90 minutes of remote sensing. On sol 235, Spirit changed tools from the Moessbauer spectrometer to the microscopic imager and took pictures. Then Spirit used the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer for thirty minutes.

After completing the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer reading, the arm was stowed so that on sol 236 the rock abrasion tool brushings could be imaged using the panoramic camera without the arm blocking any part of the image.

Spirit spent sols 236 to 238 brushing eight adjoining patches on Ebenezer to create a large enough scrubbed area for analyzing with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer, then drove up to the rover's designated vacation spot for solar conjunction.

Spirit bumped backwards on sol 237, and took some navigation camera images of the brushed area of Ebenezer to support miniature thermal emission spectrometer observations on the next sol. A navigation camera panorama was taken in the expected drive direction, toward Tikal.

In the morning of sol 238, the panoramic camera imaged the brushed area of Ebenezer. A little after noon, the miniature thermal emission spectrometer took spectral readings of both the brushed area and a hole that rock abrasion tool hole had cut into Ebenezer on sol 231.

At 2 p.m. Gusev time, Spirit took an afternoon drive to Tikal, about nine meters (30 feet) away.

Related Links
Mars Rovers atJPL
Mars Rovers at Cornell
SpaceDaily
Search SpaceDaily
Subscribe To SpaceDaily Express

Conjunction Junction
Moffett Field CA (SPX) Sep 03, 2004
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity has resumed using its rock abrasion tool after a pebble fell out that had jammed the tool's rotors two weeks ago.



Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only














The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2016 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement All images and articles appearing on Space Media Network have been edited or digitally altered in some way. Any requests to remove copyright material will be acted upon in a timely and appropriate manner. Any attempt to extort money from Space Media Network will be ignored and reported to Australian Law Enforcement Agencies as a potential case of financial fraud involving the use of a telephonic carriage device or postal service.