Opportunity Status Report, September 21, 2017: Opportunity is continuing the winter exploration of “Perseverance Valley” on the west rim of Endeavour Crater.
Winter continues to constrain activity. Sols 4849, 4852 and 4854 (Sept. 13, Sept. 16 and Sept. 19, 2017), were recharge sols with little to no science activity. However, the rover continues to make good progress is surveying the valley.
On Sol 4850 (Sept. 14, 2017), Opportunity collected a 10×1-frame Panoramic Camera (Pancam) stereo panorama. This was continued on Sol 4854 (Sept. 19, 2017), with a 14×1-frame Pancam stereo panorama, filling out the data set for a complete digital elevation model at this location in the valley. The robotic arm was used on Sol 4851 (Sept. 15, 2017), to set up for an early morning test of the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) on the morning of Sol 4854 (Sept. 19, 2017). A Microscopic Imager (MI) mosaic was collected prior to the APXS placement. The test of the APXS showed that good quality data can be collected in the winter early morning (versus the normal late night)… [More at link]