Opportunity: Science team continues to listen as storm diminishes

NASA Mars Exploration Rover Status Report, August 14, 2018: The planet-encircling dust storm on Mars continues to decay, although in fits and starts. Atmospheric opacity (tau) over the rover site was estimated down near 2.1, but then popped up to 2.5.

It is expected that Opportunity has experienced a low-power fault, and perhaps even a mission clock fault. Additionally, the up-loss timer has also since expired, adding another fault condition.

The science team is continuing to listen for the rover either during the expected fault communication windows, or listening over a broader range of times using the Deep Space Network Radio Science Receiver. The science team is also sending a command three times a week to elicit a beep if the rover happens to be awake.

The science team does not expect to hear anything from Opportunity until the atmospheric opacity over the rover site clears further. [More at link]

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