OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Opportunity Past the 15-Mile Mark on Mars

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Opportunity Past the 15-Mile Mark on Mars - sols 2389-2395, October 13-19, 2010:
Opportunity crossed the 24-kilometer (15-mile) odometry mark on her way to Endeavour crater.

The rover ended last week with the data backlog which limited activities over the weekend. On Sol 2390 (Oct. 14, 2010), the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer (APXS) was sequenced to collect an atmospheric argon measurement along with light remote sensing. Not until Sol 2393 (Oct. 17, 2010), were onboard data volumes improved so a drive could be sequenced. On that sol, Opportunity drove over 100 meters (328 feet), crossing the 24-kilometer (15 mile) odometry mark.

The rover drove again on Sol 2395 (Oct. 19, 2010), again reaching over 100 meters (328 miles). Even though the Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrometer (Mini-TES) instrument is still under investigation, the Mini-TES elevation mirror continues to be opened to the environment at regular intervals in the chance of catching a wind-induced cleaning event.

As of Sol 2395 (Oct. 19, 2010), solar array energy production was 627 watt-hours with a slightly elevated atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.639 and a solar array dust factor of 0.7015.

Total odometry is 24,192.63 meters (24.19 kilometers, or 15.03 miles).

marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov...

I am amazed. I thought these things were supposed to be dead long ago. It appears that "Spirit" has finally decided to die, yet they cling to hope that they will re awaken it.

Just thought I would share an update, I don't generally hang in the space exploration forums.

15 miles though, that's pretty impressive for a robot that is controlled from earth.