The Planetary Society Blog
By Emily Lakdawalla
More luck for Opportunity
May. 25, 2007 | 10:27 PDT | 17:27 UTC
According to an update posted on the Mars Exploration Rover website yesterday, "Opportunity's electrical supply returned to levels not seen since the rover first arrived on Mars. Peak electrical current from the rover's solar arrays climbed above 4.0 amps and remained there for most of the week as a result of three recent dust-cleaning events. The last time electrical current reached similar levels was on sol 18 (Feb. 10, 2004)!"
"Dust-cleaning events" means that gusts of wind blew across Opportunity's solar panels, wiping them so clean of dust that they're producing power at levels not seen since just after the rover landed on Mars. This was something that no one anticipated -- at least, I don't remember ever hearing anyone suggest the possibility that solar cell performance could actually improve before either rover landed. These cleaning events have been the most important key to the rovers' longevity.
You can clearly see the effects of gusty winds at Victoria crater in this three-frame animation of Opportunity forward hazard camera images from sols 1,175, 1,178, and 1,182 (focus on the right front wheel): Wind blows dust by Opportunity's wheelsAs Opportunity drove westward along the north rim of Victoria Crater, it experienced numerous cleaning events, with wind blowing away dust that had collected on its solar panels. In this animation of three forward Hazard Camera images from sols 1,175, 1,178, and 1,182, the dust near Opportunity's right front wheel is visibly moved by these gusty winds. Credit: NASA / JPL / Fredk |
Opportunity is approaching the midpoint of its return trip across the north rim of Victoria crater. It's heading toward Duck Bay, a low slope that rover drivers hope will give Opportunity a safe entry inside the crater, so that it can go examine the cliffs up close. The route map is getting a little bit cluttered as Opportunity retraces its steps.Opportunity route map to sol 1,184As of sol 1,184, Opportunity was working its way back toward Duck Bay and an eventual entry into Victoria Crater. Credit: NASA / JPL / U. Arizona / Eduardo Tesheiner |
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