Opportunity report by A.J.S. Rayl, The Planetary Society

20150505_11-SOSL-labeledMay 5, 2015: Opportunity Logs Sol 4000, Digs Spirit of St. Louis Crater  After investigating some flat, light and dark toned rocks around Spirit of St. Louis Crater in April, Opportunity chalked up another milestone achievement for the Mars Exploration Rovers (MER) mission – the 4000th sol or Martian day of surface operations – then did what she does best. By month’s end, the robot field geologist was closing in on Lindbergh Mound, the strange rockpile near the small crater’s rim.

“There was something about seeing that number with the 4 and all those zeros and realizing, ‘Okay, we are today planning Sol 4000,’You kind of go, ‘Really?  Wow!’” said Steve Squyres, MER principal investigator, of Cornell University, in a moment of reflection. “We just cracked four thousand. I don’t know what else to say other than it’s astonishing and gratifying at the same time.” [More at link]

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