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== Mission timeline ==
== Mission timeline ==
{{section split|date=March 2014}}
{{section split|date=March 2014}}
{{Main|Opportunity mission timeline}}
=== 2004 ===

==== Landing site: "Eagle" crater ====
{{main|Eagle crater}}
[[Image:Merbfirst.jpg|thumb|right|''Opportunity's'' first 360-degree [[grayscale]] panorama, taken by the navcam on Sol 1 of the mission, showing interior of Eagle crater at Meridiani Planum, shortly after touchdown in 2004.]]
[[File:Opportunity - PIA05152.jpg|thumb|right|First color panorama taken by ''Opportunity'', showing the Martian landscape at Meridiani Planum, shortly after it touched down in 2004]]
''Opportunity'' landed in [[Meridiani Planum]] at {{Coord|1.95|S|354.47|E|globe:mars_type:landmark}}, about {{convert|25|km|mi|sp=us}} downrange (east) of its intended target on January 25, 2004 at 05:05.<ref name="MERFacts"/> Although Meridiani is a flat [[plain]], without the rock fields seen at previous Mars landing sites, ''Opportunity'' rolled into an [[impact crater]] 22 meters in [[diameter]], with the rim of the crater approximately {{convert|10|m|ft|sp=us}} from the rover.<ref name="MERFacts"/> NASA Scientists were so excited about landing in a crater that they called the landing a "[[Golf glossary|hole in one]]"; however, they were not aiming for the crater (and did not know it existed). Later, the crater was named ''[[Eagle crater]]'' and the landing site designated "[[Space Shuttle Challenger disaster|Challenger]] Memorial Station".<ref name="ChallengerMemorial"/> This was the darkest landing site ever visited by a spacecraft on Mars. It would be two weeks before ''Opportunity'' was able to get a better look at its surroundings.

Scientists were intrigued by the abundance of rock outcrops dispersed throughout the crater, as well as the crater's soil, which appeared to be a [[mixture]] of coarse gray grains and fine reddish grains. This sweeping look at the unusual rock outcropping near ''Opportunity'' was captured by the rover's panoramic camera. Scientists believe the seemingly layered rocks are either volcanic ash deposits or sediments laid down by wind or water. It was given the name ''Opportunity Ledge''.

Geologists said that the layers—some no thicker than a finger—indicate the rocks likely originated either from sediments carried by water or wind, or from falling volcanic ash. "We should be able to distinguish between those two hypotheses", said Dr. Andrew Knoll of Harvard University, Cambridge, a member of the science team for ''Opportunity'' and its twin, ''Spirit''. If the rocks are sedimentary, water is a more likely source than wind, he said.<ref name="Scientists Thrilled To See Layers in Mars Rocks Near Opportunity"/>

These layered rocks measure only {{convert|10|cm|in|sp=us}} tall and are thought to be either volcanic ash deposits or sediments carried by water or wind. The layers are very thin measuring just a few millimeters thick in some cases.

<!--{{Wide image|Pancam Sol1 Postcard part th361.jpg|800px|First color panorama taken by ''Opportunity'', showing the Martian landscape at Meridiani Planum, shortly after it touched down in 2004}}-->

{{clear}}

{{-}}

==== "Opportunity Ledge" outcroppings ====
{{Wide image|MERB outcrop map 01-mw-01-labels-B041R1 br.jpg|1600px|This panoramic image, showing the locations of rocks and outcrops at the northwestern rim of Eagle crater, was taken with Opportunity still on its lander. These layered rocks measure only 10 centimeters (4 inches) tall and were thought at that time to be either volcanic ash deposits or sediments carried by water or wind. [[:File:Eagle crater on the Mars PIA05163.jpg|Click here for a version of this image without annotations.]] (Courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech) }}

On Sol 15, ''Opportunity'' took a close up of the rock "Stone Mountain" in the outcrop area of the crater, raising speculation that the rock consisted of very fine grain or dust, in contrast to Earth [[sandstone]], which is compacted sand with rather large grains. The [[weathering]] agent [[erosion|eroding]] away layers of this rock seemed to be visible as dark spots.<ref name="nasa2"/>

A picture received on February 10 (taken on Sol 16) showed that the thin layers in the bedrock converge and diverge at low angles, suggesting that some "moving current" such as volcanic flow, wind, or water formed these rocks. The discovery of these layers was significant for scientists who had planned this mission to test the "water hypothesis" rigorously.

==== ''El Capitan'' outcropping ====
[[Image:El Capitan sol27 pancam.jpg|thumb|Section of El Capitan.]]

On February 19 the survey of "Opportunity Ledge" was declared successful. A specific target in the outcrop (dubbed "''El Capitan''"), whose upper and lower portions appeared to differ in layering and weathering characteristics, was selected for further investigation. ''El Capitan'', about {{convert|10|cm|in|sp=us}} high, was named after a mountain in Texas.<ref name="El Capitan Is That A Rock Or What"/> ''Opportunity'' reached "''El Capitan''" on Sol 27, and took a first picture of the rocks with its panoramic camera.

On Sol 30, ''Opportunity'' used its [[Rock Abrasion Tool]] (RAT) for the first time to investigate the rocks around ''El Capitan''. The image on the right-hand side shows a close up view taken after the drilling and cleaning process was complete. Due to chance, two [[Martian spherules|spherules]] were also cut partially, and seem to show scratches and other marks made by the diamond-crusted grind tool. The black areas are artifacts of the imaging process, when parts of the picture are missing.

During a press conference on {{age in sols|2004|01|25|2004|03|02}} March 2, 2004, mission scientists discussed their conclusions about the bedrock, and the evidence for the presence of liquid water during their formation. They presented the following reasoning to explain the small, elongated voids in the rock visible on the surface and after grinding into it (see last two images below).<ref name="Opportunity Rover Finds Strong Evidence Meridiani Planum Was Wet"/>

These voids are consistent with features known to geologists as "[[vug]]s". These are formed when crystals form inside a rock matrix and are later removed through erosive processes, leaving behind voids. Some of the features in this picture are "disk-like", which is consistent with certain types of crystals, notably sulfate minerals.

Additionally, mission members presented first data from the [[MIMOS II]] [[Mössbauer spectrometer]] taken at the bedrock site. The iron spectrum obtained from the rock ''El Capitan'' shows strong evidence for the mineral [[jarosite]]. This mineral contains [[hydroxide]] ions, which indicates the presence of water when the minerals were formed. Mini-TES data from the same rock showed that it consists of a considerable amount of sulfates.

<center><gallery>

Image:Opportunity photo of Mars outcrop rock.jpg|Close up of a rock outcrop.
Image:Opp layered sol17-B017R1 br.jpg|Thin rock layers, not all parallel to each other.
Image:Xpe First Opp RAT-B032R1 br.jpg|Section of hole created by RAT.
Image:17-jg-03-mi2-B035R1_br.jpg|Voids or "vugs" inside the rock.
</gallery></center>

==== Analyzing soil through digging a trench ====

[[Image:The Mystery of the Sparkling Spheres.jpg|thumb|This image, taken by the microscopic imager, reveals shiny, spherical objects embedded within the trench wall]]
In order to analyze the soil inside the crater it was decided to try to dig a trench with the wheels. The rover alternately pushed soil forward and backward out of the trench with its right front wheel while other wheels held the rover in place. The rover turned slightly between bouts of digging to widen the hole. The process lasted 22 minutes. The resulting trench — the first dug by either Mars Exploration Rover — is about {{convert|50|cm|in|sp=us}} long and {{convert|10|cm|in|sp=us}} deep.<ref name="Opportunity Digs; Spirit Advances"/>
Two features that caught scientists' attention were the clotty texture of soil in the upper wall of the trench and the brightness of soil on the trench floor.

By inspecting the sides and floor of a hole it dug, ''Opportunity'' found some things it did not see beforehand, including round pebbles that are shiny and soil so fine-grained that the rover's microscope could not make out individual particles.

What's underneath is different from what is at the immediate surface.<ref name="Opportunity Examines Trench As Spirit Prepares To Dig One"/> The soils consist of fine-grained basaltic sand and a surface lag of hematite-rich spherules, spherule fragments, and other granules. Underlying the thin soil layer, are flat-lying sedimentary rocks. These rocks are finely laminated, are rich in sulfur, and contain abundant sulfate salts.<ref name="investigation"/>
{{clear}}

==== Endurance crater ====
{{main|Endurance crater}}
[[Image:Burns cliff.jpg|thumb|The view of Burns Cliff inside Endurance Crater.]]

On sol {{age in sols|2004|01|25|2004|04|20}} April 20, 2004, the rover reached [[Endurance crater]], which was known to have many layers of rocks.<ref name="Opportunity Arrives at 'Endurance Crater'"/> In May the rover circumnavigated the crater, and made observations with Mini-TES and the panoramic camera. The rock "Lion Stone" was investigated on Sol 107<ref name="Opportunity Digs, Scuffs, and Cruises."/> and found to be similar in composition to the layers found in Eagle crater.

On sol {{age in sols|2004|01|25|2004|06|04}} June 4, 2004 mission members announced their intention to drive ''Opportunity'' into Endurance, even if it should turn out to be impossible to get back out, targeting the various rock layers that were identified in the pictures from the crater rim. "This is a crucial and careful decision for the Mars Exploration Rovers' extended mission", said Dr. [[Edward Weiler]], NASA's associate administrator for space science. Steve Squyres, principal investigator from Cornell University said: "Answering the question of what came before the evaporites is the most significant scientific issue we can address with ''Opportunity'' at this time."<ref name="endurance1"/>

A first drive into the crater was executed on sol {{age in sols|2004|01|25|2004|06|08}} June 8, and ''Opportunity'' backed out again the same day.<ref name="Opportunity Takes A Dip"/>
It was found that the angle of the surface was well inside the safety margin (about 18 degrees), and the full excursion toward the rock layer of interest was started. During Sols 134 (June 12), 135, and 137 the rover drove deeper and deeper into the crater. Although some wheel slip was observed, driving was discovered to be possible even at slope angles up to 30 degrees.

Wispy [[clouds]], similar to Earth's [[cirrus cloud]]s, were spotted.

''Opportunity'' spent roughly 180 sols inside the crater, before backing out of it again in mid December 2004, on Sol 315.<ref name="Out of 'Endurance'"/> Scientific results of the sedimentary geology of the crater were published in the journal ''[[Earth and Planetary Science Letters]]''<ref name="sedimentary"/>
{{-}}
{{wide image|MarsEndurance.jpg|1500px|Endurance Crater panorama (approximate true color)}}

=== 2005 ===

==== Heat Shield Rock and stuck in sand ====
After exiting Endurance crater, in January 2005 ''Opportunity'' went to examine its own discarded [[heat shield]]. While in the vicinity of the heat shield, on Sol 345 it happened to come upon an object that was immediately suspected and soon confirmed to be a [[meteorite]]. The meteorite was promptly named [[Heat Shield Rock]],<ref name="Hovering Near Heat Shield and a Holey Rock"/> and is the first meteorite identified on another planet (although the [[Bench Crater meteorite|Bench Crater]] and [[Hadley Rille meteorite|Hadley Rille]] meteorites were found earlier on the [[Moon]]).

After about 25&nbsp;sols of observations ''Opportunity'' headed south for a crater named [[Argo (crater)|Argo]], nearly {{convert|300|m|ft|sp=us}} from the heat shield.<ref name="Opportunity Continues on the Plains After Marking One Year on Mars"/>

The rover was commanded to dig another trench on the vast plains of Meridiani Planum, on Sol 366, and observations continued until Sol 373 (February 10, 2005). The rover then passed the craters "[[Alvin (crater)|Alvin]]" and "Jason", and by Sol 387, approached a "crater triplet" on its way to [[Vostok (crater)|Vostok]] Crater. Along the way, ''Opportunity'' set a distance record for one-day travel by either rover: {{convert|177.5|m|ft|sp=us}}, on sol {{age in sols|2004|01|25|2005|02|19}} February 19, 2005. On Sol {{age in sols|2004|01|25|2005|02|26}} (February 26, 2005), the rover approached one of the three craters, dubbed [[Naturaliste (crater)|Naturaliste]]. A rock target named "Normandy" was chosen for investigation on Sol 392, and ''Opportunity'' remained there until Sol 395.

''Opportunity'' reached Vostok Crater on Sol 399, finding it mostly filled with sand and lined by outcrops. It was then ordered south into what has been called "etched terrain", to search for more bedrock.

On March 20, 2005 (Sol 410) ''Opportunity'' set a new Martian record for the longest single day drive when it drove {{convert|220|m|ft|sp=us}}.<ref name="Update20050331"/><ref name="Durable Mars Rovers Sent Into Third Overtime Period"/><ref name="Mars rover mission extended"/>

By Sol 415, ''Opportunity'' stopped by some soil [[ripple marks|ripples]] to investigate the differences between soil in the trough of a ripple and its crest. Various soil targets included "Mobarak" in the trough, named in honor of [[Persian New Year]], and "Norooz" and "Mayberooz" on the crest. By Sol 421, the rover left the ripple for "Viking" crater.

Between April 26, 2005 (Sol 446) and June 4, 2005 (Sol 484) ''Opportunity'' was stuck in a Martian sand dune. The problem began on sol {{age in sols|2004|01|25|2005|04|26}} (April 26, 2005) when ''Opportunity'' inadvertently dug itself into a sand dune: Mission scientists reported that images indicated all four corner wheels were dug in by more than a wheel radius, just as the rover attempted to climb over a dune about {{convert|30|cm|in|sp=us}} tall. The sand dune was designated "Purgatory Dune" by mission planners.

The rover's condition was simulated on Earth prior to any attempt to move, out of concern that the rover might become permanently immobilized. After various simulations intended to mimic the properties and behavior of Martian sand were completed, the rover executed its first wheel movements on sol {{age in sols|2004|01|25|2005|05|13}} (May 13, 2005), intentionally advancing only a few centimeters, after which mission members evaluated the results.

During Sol 465 and 466 more drive commands were executed, and with each trial the rover moved another couple of centimeters. At the end of each movement, panoramic images were acquired to investigate the atmosphere and the surrounding dune field. The sand dune escape maneuver was successfully completed on sol {{age in sols|2004|01|25|2005|06|04}} (June 4, 2005), and all six wheels of ''Opportunity'' were on firmer ground. After studying "Purgatory" from Sol 498 to Sol 510, ''Opportunity'' proceeded southward toward "Erebus crater".

{{Gallery|align=center|lines=4
|Image:PIA07269-Mars Rover Opportunity-Iron Meteorite.jpg|Heat Shield Rock was the first meteorite ever identified on another planet.
|Image:Opportunity heat shield Sol335B P2364 L456-B339R1.jpg|Heat shield, with Heat Shield Rock just above and to the left in the background.
|Image:Opportunity Sol468 HazCam.JPG|Dug in back wheels on Sol 468.
}}

==== Erebus crater ====
''Opportunity '' studied [[Erebus (crater)|Erebus crater]], a large, shallow, partially buried crater and a stopover on the way south toward Victoria crater, between October 2005 and March 2006.

New programming to measure the percentage of slip in the wheels was successful in preventing the rover from getting stuck again. Another "Purgatory"-like incident was averted on Sol 603, when onboard slip check software stopped a drive after slip reached 44.5%.<ref name="Opportunity Update: Opportunity Backs Out of Potentially Sticky Situation (October 11, 2005)"/> It proceeded over many [[ripple marks|ripples]] and 'half-pipes', taking photographs after each sol's journey.

On Sol {{age in sols|2004|01|25|2005|11|03}} (November 3, 2005) ''Opportunity'' woke up in the midst of a mild dust storm that lasted three days. The rover was able to drive in self-protective auto-mode during the storm, but it could not take any post-drive images. Less than three weeks later, another [[cleaning event]] cleared the dust off of the solar array so as to produce around 720 watt-hours (80% of max). On Sol {{age in sols|2004|01|25|2005|12|01}} (December 1, 2005), it was discovered the motor used to stow the robotic arm for travel was stalling. This problem took nearly two weeks to fix. Initially the arm was stowed only for travel, and was extended at night to prevent the arm from getting stuck. However further stalling convinced engineers to leave the arm extended at all times to avoid the arm becoming stuck in the stowed position and becoming unusable.

''Opportunity'' observed numerous outcroppings around Erebus crater.

It also collaborated with [[European Space Agency|ESA]]'s [[Mars Express]] by using the miniature [[Heat|thermal]] emission [[spectrometer]] and panoramic camera (Pancam), and took images of a transit across the Sun by Phobos. On Sol {{age in sols|2004|01|25|2006|03|22}} (March 22, 2006), ''Opportunity'' began the journey to its next destination, Victoria crater, which it would reach in September 2006 (Sol 951).<ref name="NASA_Photojournal_PIA08813"/> It would stay at Victoria crater until August 2008 (Sol 1630–1634).<ref name="NASA_Photojournal_PIA13088"/>

{{wide image|Payson Ridge, Erebus Crater, Mars Opportunity Rover.jpg|1000px|An outcrop named "Payson", on the western edge of Erebus.}}

==== Shoulder troubles ====
The "shoulder" joint of Opportunity's arm has had troubles since Sol 2 (January 25, 2004), the rover's second day on Mars. Engineers discovered that the heater on the shoulder azimuth joint, which controls side-to-side motion of the robotic arm, was stuck in the "on" position. Closer investigation revealed that the on-off switch had probably failed during assembly, test, and launch operations on Earth. Fortunately for Opportunity, the rover was equipped with a built-in safety mechanism called a "T-stat box" (thermostatic switch) that provided protection against overheating. When the shoulder azimuth joint, also known as Joint 1, got too hot, the T-stat switch automatically opened and temporarily disabled the heater. When the joint got cold again, the T-stat closed. As a result, the heater stayed on all night but not all day.

[[Image:Heat Shield Rock2.jpg|thumb|Opportunity extends its arm to analyze Heat Shield Rock on Sol 349 (early 2005).]]

The safety mechanism worked until Opportunity approached the first winter on Mars. As the Sun began to retreat lower in the sky and solar power levels dropped, it became clear that Opportunity would not be able to keep the batteries charged with a heater draining power all night long. On Sol {{age in sols|2004|01|25|2004|05|28}} (May 28, 2004), rover operators began using a procedure known as "deep sleep," during which Opportunity disconnected the batteries at night. Deep sleep prevented the stuck heater (and everything else on the rover except the clock and the battery heaters) from drawing power. When the Sun came up the next morning and sunlight began hitting the solar arrays, the batteries automatically reconnected, the robotic arm became operational, the shoulder joint warmed up, and the thermostatic switch opened, disabling the heater. As a result, the shoulder joint was extremely hot during the day and extremely cold at night. Such huge temperature swings, which tend to make electric motors wear out faster, were taking place every sol.

This strategy worked for Opportunity until Sol 654 (November 25, 2005), when the Joint-1 azimuth motor stalled because of increased electrical resistance. Rover operators responded by delivering higher-than-normal current to the motor. This approach also worked, though Joint 1 continued to stall periodically. Typically, the rover's handlers simply tried again the next sol and the joint worked. They determined that the Joint-1 motor stalls were most likely due to damage caused by the extreme temperature cycles the joint experienced during deep sleep. As a precaution, they started keeping the robotic arm out in front of the rover overnight, rather than stowing it underneath the rover deck, where it would be virtually unusable in the event of a Joint-1 motor failure. They stowed the arm only while driving and unstowed it immediately at the end of each drive.

=== 2006 ===

==== Journey to Victoria crater ====
On March 22, 2006 (Sol 760), ''Opportunity'' left [[Erebus crater]] and began the journey to Victoria crater, which it reached in September 2006 (Sol 951<ref name="NASA_Photojournal_PIA08813"/>). It would stay at Victoria crater until August 2008 (Sol 1630–1634).<ref name="NASA_Photojournal_PIA13088"/>

==== Arrival at Victoria crater ====
{{main|Victoria (crater)}}

[[Victoria (crater)|Victoria crater]] is a massive impact crater approximately {{convert|7|km|mi|sp=us}} from the original landing site. Victoria's diameter is six times larger than [[Endurance (crater)|Endurance crater]]. Scientists believed that rock outcrops along the walls of Victoria would yield more information about the geologic history of Mars, if the rover survived long enough to investigate them.

On Sol {{age in sols|2004|01|25|2006|09|26}} (September 26, 2006) Opportunity reached the rim of Victoria Crater<ref name="NASA Mars Rover Arrives at Dramatic Vista on Red Planet"/> and transmitted the first substantial views of Victoria, including the dune field at the bottom of the crater. The [[Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter]] photographed Opportunity at the rim of the crater.<ref name="Mars orbiter looks down on rover"/>

{{wide image|Victoria Crater, Cape Verde-Mars.jpg|1500px|Victoria Crater as seen by the NASA ''Opportunity'' (MER-B) in 2006 using its Pancam instrument}}

=== 2007 ===

==== Moving around Victoria's rim ====
On January 4, 2007, both rovers received new flight software for their computers. The update was received just in time for the third anniversary of their landing. The new systems let the rovers decide whether to transmit an image, and whether to extend their arms to examine rocks, which would save much time for scientists, as they would not have to sift through hundreds of images to find the one they want, or examine the surroundings to decide to extend the arms and examine the rocks.<ref name="Old rovers learn new tricks"/>

The APXS instrument was now for the first time used to determine the amount of the [[noble gas]] [[argon]] in the atmosphere of Mars. The same measurements were done on the other side of the planet by its rover twin Spirit. The purpose of this experiment was to determine the atmospheric mixing processes and track their changes with time.<ref>[http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status_opportunityAll_2007.html#sol1057]</ref>

In January the rover drove along the north side of the crater rim and imaged the cliffs from different view points. While driving another meteorite was found: ''Santa Caterina''.<ref>[http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status_opportunityAll_2007.html#sol1049]</ref>
In March the ''Valley without peril'' was reached. This point had thought to be a possible entry point into the crater. But it turned out that this point had a too steep slope to drive carefully downside. After two additional cliffs where inspected it was decided to drive the whole way back to the point, where Opportunity arrived at Victoria crater. On June 15, 2007 the rover arrived at Duck Bay and prepared for entering the crater.

A series of [[cleaning event]]s beginning on Sol {{age in sols|2004|01|25|2007|04|20}} (April 20, 2007) allowed Opportunity's [[solar energy]] production to rise to above 800 watt-hours per Sol. By Sol {{age in sols|2004|01|25|2007|05|04}} (May 4, 2007) the solar array current was peaking above 4.0 [[ampere]]s, values not seen since Sol {{age in sols|2004|01|25|2004|02|10}} (February 10, 2004).<ref name="Opportunity Status Updates: Sols 1152–1156, 1157–1163, and 1164–1170"/> However, the advent of extensive dust storms on Mars starting in mid-2007 (in-line with Mars' six Earth-year global dust storm cycle), dropped energy production levels to 280 watt-hours per day.<ref name="'Scary Storm' on Mars Could Doom Rovers"/>

==== Dust storms ====
[[Image:Mars dust opacities MER-B Sol 1205 to 1235.jpg|thumb|Time-lapse composite of the Martian horizon during Sols 1205 (0.94), 1220 (2.9), 1225 (4.1), 1233 (3.8), 1235 (4.7) shows how much sunlight the dust storms blocked; Tau of 4.7 indicates 99% blocked. credit:NASA/JPL-Caltech/Cornell.]]

Toward the end of June 2007, a series of dust storms began clouding the Martian atmosphere with dust. The storms intensified and by July 20, both Opportunity and Spirit were facing the real possibility of system failure due to lack of power. NASA released a statement to the press that said (in part) "We're rooting for our rovers to survive these storms, but they were never designed for conditions this intense".<ref name="nasa4"/> The key problem caused by the dust storm was a dramatic reduction in solar power. There was so much dust in the atmosphere that it blocked 99 percent of direct sunlight to the rover. The Spirit rover, on the other side of the planet was getting slightly more sunlight than Opportunity.

Normally the solar arrays are able to generate about 700 watt-hours of energy per day. During the storms, the power generated is greatly reduced. If the rovers get less than 150 watt-hours per day they have to start draining their batteries. If the batteries run dry, key electrical elements are likely to fail due to the intense cold. On July 18, 2007, the rover's solar-panel only generated 128 watt-hours, the lowest level ever. NASA responded by commanding Opportunity to only communicate with Earth once every three days, the first time that this had happened since the start of the mission.

The dust storms continued through July and at the end of the month, NASA announced that the rovers, even under their very-low-power mode were barely getting enough energy to survive. If the temperature of the Opportunity's electronics module continued to drop, according to the announcement, "there is a real risk that Opportunity will trip a low-power fault. When a low-power fault is tripped, the rover's systems take the batteries off-line, putting the rover to sleep and then checking each sol to see if there is sufficient available energy to wake up and perform daily fault communications. If there is not sufficient energy, Opportunity will stay asleep. Depending on the weather conditions, Opportunity could stay asleep for days, weeks or even months, all the while trying to charge its batteries with whatever available sunlight there might be."<ref name="nasa5"/> It was quite possible that the rover would never wake up from a low-power fault.

By sol {{age in sols|2004|01|25|2007|08|07}} August 7, 2007 the storms appeared to be weakening, and although power levels were still low they were sufficient for Opportunity to begin taking and returning images.<ref name="Martian Skies Brighten Slightly"/> By August 21 dust levels were still improving, the batteries were fully charged and Opportunity was able to make its first drive since the dust storms began.<ref name="Mars Exploration Rover Status Report: Rovers Resume Driving"/>

Opportunity made a short drive into Duck Bay on sol {{age in sols|2004|01|25|2007|09|11}} September 11, 2007 and then reversed out again to test traction on the initial slope into Victoria Crater.<ref name="victoria1"/> On sol {{age in sols|2004|01|25|2007|09|13}} September 13, 2007 it returned
to begin a more thorough exploration of the inner slope, examining a series of layers of pale-coloured rock in the upper parts of Duck Bay and the face of the promontory [[Cape Verde (Mars)|Cape Verde]] in detail.

<center><gallery perrow="4">
File:Victoria crater from HiRise.jpg|Victoria crater (HiRise).
Image:Opportunity at Victoria Crater from Mars reconnaissance orbiter.jpg|Opportunity at the rim of Victoria Crater, as imaged by [[Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter|MRO]] (October 3, 2006).
Image:Oppland01.jpg|Opportunity at the rim of Victoria Crater, as imaged by [[Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter|MRO]] (November 29, 2006).
Image:Opportunity Tracks.jpg|Opportunity tracks, as seen by HiRISE. The white dots are places where rover stopped to perform scientific observations or turned (6/2007).
</gallery></center>

=== 2008 ===

==== Inspecting Victoria crater ====
On Sol 1502 (April 15, 2008) the motor stalled at the beginning of an unstowing operation at the end of a drive, when the arm was still tucked underneath the rover. The motor continued to stall on all subsequent attempts, sol after sol. Engineers performed tests at various times of day to measure electrical resistance. They found that the resistance was lowest (essentially normal) when the joint was at its warmest—in the morning, following deep sleep, after the heater had been on for several hours, and just before the T-stat opened. They decided to try to unstow the arm one more time under these conditions.

At 08:30 local Mars time on Sol {{age in sols|2004|01|25|2008|05|14}} (May 14, 2008), they allowed Opportunity to direct as much current as possible to the warm, joint-1 azimuth motor in order to get the robotic arm into a usable position, in front of the rover. It worked.

Because Opportunity will likely never again stow the robotic arm, engineers devised a strategy for driving the rover safely with the arm deployed in front.<ref name="nasa3"/>

==== Departing Victoria crater ====
[[File:Looking Back at Arena of Exploration.jpg|thumb|''Departing Victoria crater'']]
The rover exited Victoria crater's Duck Bay on August 24–28, 2008 (sol 1630–1634).<ref name="NASA_Photojournal_PIA13088"/> Before exiting the crater the rover experienced a current spike similar to the one that preceded the malfunction of the right front wheel of its twin ''Spirit''. After Victoria crater and during its journey to Endeavour crater the rover investigated sets of "dark cobbles" on the Meridiani plains.<ref name="PlanetaryAug2008"/>

[[Endeavour (crater)|Endeavour]] is {{convert|22|km|mi|sp=us|abbr=on}} in diameter and is {{convert|12|km|mi|sp=us}} south-east of Victoria.<ref name="2008HeadingTowardsCrater"/> Rover drivers estimated that this distance could be traversed in about two years.<ref name="2008HeadingTowardsCrater"/> Scientists expected to see a much deeper stack of rock layers at the crater than those examined by Opportunity in Victoria.<ref name="2008HeadingTowardsCrater"/> The discovery of phyllosilicate clay-bearing rock on the Endeavour crater rim promised exposure to a rock-type that is even more hospitable to life than types previously analyzed.<ref name="New life-related geology beckons Opportunity rover"/>

The [[solar conjunction]], where the Sun is between Earth and Mars, started on sol {{age in sols|2004|01|25|2007|29|11}} November 29, 2008 and communication with the rovers was not possible until December 13, 2008. During this time the rover team planned to have ''Opportunity'' use the Mössbauer spectrometer to examine a rock outcrop named "Santorini".<ref name="Opportunity Prepares for Two Weeks of Independent Study"/>

=== 2009 ===

==== Driving through Meridiani plains ====
On sol {{age in sols|2004|01|25|2009|03|07}} (March 7, 2009) ''Opportunity'' first saw the rim of Endeavour after driving about {{convert|3.2|km|mi|sp=us|abbr=on}} since it left Victoria in August 2008.<ref name="NASA20090318PressRelease"/><ref name="NASA20090318gallery"/> ''Opportunity'' also saw Iazu crater that was about {{convert|38|km|mi|sp=us}} away and is about {{convert|7|km|mi|sp=us}} in diameter.<ref name="NASA20090318gallery"/>

On sol {{age in sols|2004|01|25|2009|04|07}} (April 7, 2009) ''Opportunity'' generated 515 watt-hours after a cleaning event of the solar arrays increased energy production by about 40%.<ref name="Update20090408"/> From April 16 to 22 (sol 1859 to 1865) ''Opportunity'' made a series of drives and during that week traveled a total distance of {{convert|478|m|ft|sp=us}}.<ref name="Update20090422"/> The drive actuator for the right front wheel, which had been rested while ''Opportunity'' studied a rock outcrop called "Penrhyn", had motor currents very close to normal levels.<ref name="Update20090408"/><ref name="Update20090422"/><ref name="Update20090319"/><ref name="Update20090325"/><ref name="Update20090331"/><ref name="Update20090415"/>

==== More meteorite findings ====
On sol {{age in sols|2004|01|25|2009|07|18}} (July 18, 2009) a large dark rock was noted in the opposite direction from which Opportunity was traveling and so the rover headed toward it, reaching it on sol {{age in sols|2004|01|25|2009|07|28}} (July 28).<ref name="Heading Toward 'Block Island' Cobble"/> The rock turned out to be a meteorite and was named Block Island. Opportunity spent until September 12, 2009 (Sol 2004) investigating the meteorite, before returning to its journey toward Endeavour Crater.<ref name="Departing Block Island"/>

Its journey was interrupted on Sol 2022 by the find of another meteorite, a {{convert|0.5|m|ft|sp=us}} specimen dubbed 'Shelter Island',<ref name="Opportunity Knocks with Another Meteorite Find"/> which the rover investigated until Sol 2034. It then headed for another meteorite, 'Mackinac Island', which it reached four sols later on sol {{age in sols|2004|01|25|2009|10|17}} (October 17, 2009). The rover conducted a drive-by imaging sequence but otherwise did not investigate this meteorite, resuming its journey to Endeavour.<ref name="A Meteorite Called 'Mackinac'"/>

On sol {{age in sols|2004|01|25|2009|11|10}} (November 10, 2009) the rover reached a rock target of interest, named 'Marquette Island'.<ref name="nasa6"/> Prolonged study until sol {{age in sols|2004|01|25|2010|01|12}} January 12, 2010<ref name="Leaving Marquette Behind"/> ensued, as it was uncertain what type of rock this represented, but the eventual conclusion was that it was rock ejecta from deep within the surface of Mars rather than a meteorite.<ref name="Preparing to Grind"/>

<center><gallery>
Image:Endeavour Crater Annotated 2009-03-07.jpg|Annotated image showing the position of Opportunity on March 7, 2009 and names for the craters Iazu, Endeavour, and Victoria.
Image:Opportunity Eyes Block Island.jpg|On July 18, 2009 Opportunity eyed an oddly shaped, dark rock, which was found to be a meteorite.
Image:Block Island Meteorite on Mars.jpg|Opportunity prepares to inspect the unusual rock, now dubbed Block Island. It is the largest meteorite found by a Martian rover so far.
Image:Opportunity Rover Approaches Marquette Island.jpg|Opportunity took this picture of a rock informally named 'Marquette Island' as it approached the rock for investigations that have suggested the rock ejecta from deep within Mars rather than a meteorite.
</gallery></center>

=== 2010 ===

==== Concepción ====
On January 28, 2010 (Sol 2138) ''Opportunity'' arrived at Concepcion crater.<ref name="Update20100120"/> Opportunity successfully circumnavigated the {{convert|10|m|ft|sp=us|adj=on}} diameter crater before continuing on towards Endeavour. Energy production varied from about 305 watt-hours to about 270 Wh during this period.<ref name="Update20100120"/>

On sol {{age in sols|2004|01|25|2010|05|05}} (May 5, 2010), due to potentially hazardous dune fields along the direct path between Victoria and Endeavour, a new route was charted that extended the distance to travel between the two craters to {{convert|19|km|mi|sp=us}}.<ref name="Universe_Today_May_5_2010"/>

On (May 19, 2010), Opportunity reached {{age in sols|2004|01|25|2010|05|19}} sols of operation, making it the longest Mars surface mission in history, breaking the record of 2245 sols set by [[Viking 1]].<ref name="Opportunity rover breaks Mars longevity record"/>

==== Santa Maria crater ====
In July 2010, it was announced that the ''Opportunity'' team would use the theme of names given to places visited
by British [[Royal Navy]] [[Captain (naval)#Title|Captain]], Lieutenant [[James Cook]], in his 1769–1771 Pacific Ocean voyage in command of [[HMS Endeavour|HMS ''Endeavour'']], for informal names of sites at [[Endeavour (crater)|Endeavour Crater]]. These would include "[[Cape Tribulation, Queensland|Cape Tribulation]]" and "[[Mount Gulaga|Cape Dromedary]]", "[[Cape Byron]]" (the most easterly point of the Australian mainland), and "[[Point Hicks]]" (the part of the Australian mainland first sighted by the Endeavour in 1770).<ref name="Opportunity To See More Detail At Crater Destination"/>

On sol {{age in sols|2004|01|25|2010|09|08}} (September 8, 2010), the halfway point of the {{convert|19|km|mi|sp=us}} journey between Victoria crater and Endeavour crater was reached.<ref name="NASA20100908PressRelease"/>

In November the rover spent a few days imaging a {{convert|20|m|ft|sp=us}} crater called Intrepid while navigating through a field of small impact craters. On sol {{age in sols|2004|01|25|2010|11|14}} November 14, 2010 total odometry passed the {{convert|25|km|mi|sp=us}} mark. Average solar array energy production in October and November was about 600 watt-hours.<ref name="nasa7"/>

<!--[[File:Santa Maria Crater (Mars).jpg|thumb|left|Santa Maria crater.]]-->
On sol {{age in sols|2004|01|25|2010|12|15}} (December 15, 2010) the rover arrived at [[Santa Maria (crater)|Santa Maria]] and spent several weeks investigating the {{convert|90|m|ft|sp=us}} wide crater.<ref name="tips"/> The results from Opportunity were compared to data taken from orbit by the [[CRISM]] instrument, a spectrometer, on the [[Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter]].<ref name=tips/> CRISM had detected water-bearing minerals at Santa Maria crater, and the rover helped further analyze this.<ref name=tips/> Opportunity drove farther in that Martian year (that is about 2 Earth years), than in any previous year.<ref name=tips/>

{{wide image|Santa Maria Crater (Mars).jpg|1100px|Santa Maria Crater panorama}}

===2011===

====Heading to Endeavour crater====
After its arrival at the edge of Santa Maria crater, the team positioned the rover at its southeastern rim and collected data.<ref name=jpl2011/> They also prepared for the two-week [[solar conjunction]] of late January, when the Sun was between Earth and Mars and communication was blocked. In late March Opportunity began the {{convert|6.5|km|mi|sp=us}} journey between Santa Maria and Endeavour, and on June 1, the rover passed the {{convert|30|km|mi|sp=us}} traverse milestone (over 50 times its designed distance).<ref name="jpl2011"/><ref name="NASA - Opportunity Passes Small Crater and Big Milestone"/> Two weeks later, on sol {{age in sols|2004|01|25|2011|07|17}} (July 17, 2011), ''Opportunity'' had driven {{convert|20|mi|km|disp=flip|abbr=on}} on Mars.<ref name="twenty"/>
<!-- {{wikinewspar|Mars Opportunity rover passes distance milestone}}-->

By sol {{age in sols|2004|01|25|2011|08|29}} (August 29, 2011), ''Opportunity'' had continued to function effectively 30 times longer than its planned 90-[[Timekeeping on Mars#Sols|sol]] mission, aided by solar cell [[cleaning event]]s, and performed extensive geological analysis of Martian rocks and planetary surface features with its instruments.<ref name="Opportunity Mission Manager Update"/>

==== Endeavour crater arrival ====
''Opportunity'' arrived at [[Endeavour (crater)|Endeavour crater]] on sol {{age in sols|2004|01|25|2011|09|08}} (August 9, 2011), at a landmark called ''Spirit Point'' named after [[Spirit rover|its rover twin]], after traversing {{convert|13|mi|km|disp=flip|abbr=on}} from [[Victoria crater]], over a three-year period.<ref name="nasa8"/> Endeavour is {{convert|14|mi|km|disp=flip|abbr=on}} wide and offers scientists new terrain to explore, including older rocks than encountered heretofore, and clay minerals that may have formed in the presence of water. The rover's deputy principal investigator, Ray Arvidson, said it will probably not enter Endeavour crater as it appears to contain material observed previously. The rocks on the rim are older than any previously studied by ''Opportunity''. "I think there's much more interest in driving around the perimeter of the rim," said Arvidson.<ref name="space"/>

Upon arriving at Endeavour, Opportunity almost immediately began discovering Martian phenomena not previously observed. On sol {{age in sols|2004|01|25|2011|08|22}} (August 22, 2011) the rover began examining Tisdale 2, a large ejecta block. “This is different from any rock ever seen on Mars," said [[Steve Squyres]], principal investigator for Opportunity at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. "It has a composition similar to some volcanic rocks, but there's much more zinc and bromine than we've typically seen. We are getting confirmation that reaching Endeavour really has given us the equivalent of a second landing site for Opportunity."<ref name="wustl"/><ref name="NASA's Mars Rover Opportunity begins study of Martian crater"/>

{{Gallery
| lines = 2
| width = 200
| height = 120
| align = center
|File:PIA14508 - West Rim of Endeavour Crater on Mars.jpg|West Rim of Endeavour Crater
|File:PIA14509 - Arrival at 'Spirit Point' by Mars Rover Opportunity .jpg|Spirit Point at Endeavour Crater
|File:Opportunity Rover Examines Tisdale 2.jpg|Opportunity examines Tisdale 2
|File:PIA15033 Pancam sol2769 L456atc.tif|"Homestake" formation <!-- File:PIA15034 Pancam sol2769 L257F.tif -->
}}

In December the ''Homestake'' formation was analyzed, which was concluded to be formed of [[gypsum]]. Using three of the rover's instruments - the Microscopic Imager, the Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer and the Panoramic Camera's filters - researchers determined the deposit to be hydrated calcium sulfate, or gypsum, a mineral that does not occur except in the presence of water. This discovery was called "slam dunk" evidence that "water flowed through underground fractures in the rock." <ref name="cnn"/>

''Opportunity'' had driven more than {{convert|34|km|mi|abbr=on}} by November 22, 2011 (sol 2783), as preparations were made for the coming Martian winter.<ref name="NASA Opportunity rover updates"/> It moved to terrain that positioned it about 15 degrees to the north, an angle more favorable for [[solar energy]] production during the [[Mars|Martian]] winter.<ref name="Jan 2012"/>

===2012===

====Greeley Haven====
[[File:Late Afternoon Shadows at Endeavour Crater on Mars.jpg|thumb|View over the Endeavour crater, captured by Opportunity in March 2012. ([[False-color]] image)]]
In January 2012 the rover returned data from Greeley Haven, named after the geologist [[Ronald Greeley]], while enduring its 5th Martian winter.<ref name="Jan 2012"/> It studied the Martian wind, which has been described as "the most active process on Mars today", and conducted a radio science experiment.<ref name="Jan 2012"/> By carefully measuring radio signals, wobbles in Martian rotation may show whether the planet has a solid or liquid interior.<ref name="Jan 2012"/> The winter work site sits on the Cape York segment of the rim of Endeavor Crater. Opportunity reached the edge of this {{convert|14|mi|km|disp=flip|abbr=on}} crater in August after three years of driving from smaller Victoria Crater, which it studied for two years.<ref name="NASA 9"/>

On Sol 2852 (February 1, 2012) the energy production from the solar array was 270 watt-hours, with a Mars [[atmospheric opacity]] (Tau) of 0.679, a [[solar array dust factor]] of 0.469, with total [[odometry]] at {{convert|21.35|mi|km|disp=flip|abbr=on}}.<ref name="nasa10"/> By March (around Sol 2890), 'Amboy' rock was studied with the [[MIMOS II]] [[Mössbauer spectrometer]] and the Microscopic Imager, and the amount of [[Argon]] gas in the Martian air was measured.<ref name="nasa11"/> The Mars [[winter solstice]] passed on March 30, 2012 (Sol 2909) and on April 1 there was a small cleaning event.<ref name="March April"/> On Sol 2913 (April 3, 2012) solar array energy production was 321 watt-hours.<ref name="March April"/>

The mission of Mars rover Opportunity continued, and by May 1, 2012 (Sol 2940), energy production had increased to 365 watt-hours, with the solar array dust factor at 0.534.<ref name="Sol 2935"/> The team prepared the rover for movement and finished up collecting data on Amboy rock.<ref name="Sol 2935"/> 60 Doppler radio passes were completed over the winter.<ref name=sol2969/>

On May 8, 2012 (Sol 2947), the rover moved {{convert|12|ft|m}}.<ref name="sol2947"/> On that day the Solar energy production was 357 watt-hours with a solar array dust factor of 0.536.<ref name=sol2947/> ''Opportunity'' had been stationary on Greeley Haven for 130 Sols (Mars' days), with a 15 degrees tilt to the North to help survive the winter; after the drive the northerly tilt decreased to 8 degrees.<ref name=sol2947/> The drive marked the end of the [[geodynamics]] science experiment, which used radio Doppler measurements while the rover was stationary.<ref name=sol2947/> By June 2012, it studied Mars dust and a nearby rock vein christened "Monte Cristo" as it headed North.<ref name="sol2969"/>

====Exploring Matijevic hill at Cape York====
On July 2, 2012 Opportunity's 3000 Sols on Mars were celebrated.<ref name="sol3035"/>
By July 5, 2012, NASA published a new panorama (seen below) showing the surroundings of Opportunity at the Greeley Haven position.<ref name="PIA15689">{{cite web|url=http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA15689 |title='Greeley Panorama' from Opportunity's Fifth Martian Winter (False Color)|accessdate=July 7, 2012}}</ref> Also, the other end of the Endeavour crater is seen in the right half of the scene, a crater that spans {{convert|22|km|mi|sp=us}} in diameter. On July 12, 2012 (Sol 3010), solar arrays produced 523 watt-hours and {{convert|21.49|mi|m|disp=flip|abbr=on}} was the total distance traveled from landing.<ref name="sol3009"/> That month, [[Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter]] spotted a dust storm and water ice clouds near the rover.<ref name=sol3009/>

{{-}}
{{Wide image|PIA15689-4619.jpg|780px|''Greeley Haven'' panorama – a view of Cape York and the Endeavour crater – was taken while overwintering at the Greeley Haven position at Cape York in the first half of 2012. This [[false-color]] panoramic view was combined from 817 individual images taken in the near infrared, green and violet spectral bands.}}

Before ''[[Curiosity (rover)|Curiosity]]'' landed on August 6, 2012, Opportunity sent special Ultra High Frequency radio signals to simulate ''Curiosity'' for a radio observatory in Australia.<ref name="sol3035">[http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status_opportunityAll.html#3035 NASA - With Curiosity on the Surface Opportunity Will Resume Driving Soon]</ref> August activities for ''Opportunity'' included collecting data on atmospheric opacity,<ref name="sol3035"/> visiting ''Sao Rafael'' and ''Berrio'' craters,<ref>[http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status_opportunityAll.html#3042 Opportunity is on the Move Again!]</ref> and achieving {{convert|35|km|mi|sp=us}} of driving on Sol 3056 (August 28, 2012).<ref name=sol3118/> Also, on August 19, 2012 [[Mars Express]] orbiter automatically exchanged data with both ''Curiosity'' and ''Opportunity'' in one orbit, its first double contact.<ref>[http://blogs.esa.int/mex/2012/08/18/mars-express-rocking-and-rolling-with-nasas-curiosity-opportunity/ Mars Express - ''Mars Express rocking and rolling with NASA’s Curiosity & Opportunity'' by T. Ormston - 2012]</ref>
[[File:PIA16139 Puzzling Little Martian Spheres That Don't Taste Like 'Blueberries'.tif|thumb|Spheres at Kirkwood, each are about 3 mm across]]
In the fall ''Opportunity'' headed south, exploring Matijevic hill and searching for phyllosilicate minerals.<ref name=sol3118>[http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status_opportunityAll.html#3118 More Driving And Imaging At 'Matijevic Hill']</ref> Some data was sent to Earth directly using X-Band radio signals, as opposed to orbiter relays.<ref name=sol3118/> Finally, the number of power cycles on the rover's Inertial Measurement Unit were reduced.<ref name=sol3118/> Science work included testing various hypotheses about the newly discovered spherules.<ref>[http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2012-306 NASA - ars Rover Opportunity Working at 'Matijevic Hill' - September 28, 2012]</ref>

{{quote|A small dust cleaning event occurred on Sol 3175 (Dec. 29, 2012), improving the energy production by about 40 watt-hours per sol. As of Sol 3180 (Jan. 3, 2013), the solar array energy production was 542 watt-hours with an atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.961 and an improved solar array dust factor of 0.633.|NASA<ref name=sol3174>[http://marsrover.nasa.gov/mission/status_opportunityAll.html#sol3174 NASA - Sol 3174]</ref>}}

===2013===

====Leaving Cape York====
[[Image:PIA17074-MarsOpportunityRover-EsperanceRock-20130223-fig1.jpg|thumb|left|150px|"[[List of rocks on Mars#Opportunity|Esperance]]" [[Rock (geology)|rock]] on Mars – viewed by the ''Opportunity'' Rover (February 23, 2013).]]
Opportunity began the year at the edge of Endeavour Crater's Cape York,<ref name=sol3174/> and the total distance travelled since landing on Mars was {{convert |35|km |mi |abbr=on}}.<ref name=sol3174/><ref>[http://www.marsdaily.com/reports/Opportunity_Scores_Another_Dust_Cleaning_Event_At_Vermillion_999.html Mars Daily Staff - Opportunity Scores Another Dust Cleaning Event At Vermillion]</ref> After completing work at Matijevic Hill the Opportunity rover headed south to the rim of Endeavour Crater. Next, the rover headed south across a gap in the rim to a place the researchers called Botany Bay, then up onto the next rim segment to the south. There are two hills to the south of it, one called Solander Point and farther south is Cape Tribulation.<ref name="SFN-20130125">{{cite web |last=Harwood |first=William |title=Opportunity rover moves into 10th year of Mars operations |url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n1301/25opportunity/ |date=January 25, 2013 |publisher=Space Flight Now |accessdate=February 18, 2013 }}</ref> The current aim is for Opportunity to reach Solander Point before winter reaches the Martian southern hemisphere as the area has ground tilted to the north allowing the rover to stay active during the winter months. In addition Solander Point has a large geological stack for Opportunity to explore.<ref>[http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mer/news/mer20130607.html [[NASA]] - Mars Rover Opportunity Trekking Toward More Layers]</ref>
In April 2013, the rover passed through a three-week long solar conjunction, when communication with Earth was blocked because of the Sun.<ref name=nasa3291>[http://marsrover.nasa.gov/mission/status_opportunityAll.html#sol3291 NASA - Sol 3291]</ref> The rover arm was positioned on a rock during that time so the APXS could collect data.<ref name=nasa3291/>

On May 16, 2013, NASA announced that Opportunity had driven further than any other NASA vehicle on a world other than Earth.<ref name="40YearRecordNASA20130516">{{cite news |title=Nine-Year-Old Mars Rover Passes 40-Year-Old Record |publisher=NASA/JPL |url=http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/newsroom/pressreleases/20130516a.html |date=May 16, 2013 |accessdate=May 25, 2013}}</ref> After Opportunity's total odometry went over {{convert|35.744|km|mi|sp=us}} it surpassed the total distance driven by the [[Apollo 17]] [[Lunar Roving Vehicle]].<ref name="40YearRecordNASA20130516"/> The record for longest distance driven by a vehicle on another world is currently held by the [[Lunokhod 2]] [[lunar rover]].<ref name="40YearRecordNASA20130516"/> Based on wheel rotations Lunokhod 2 was thought to have covered {{convert|37|km|mi|sp=us}}, but Russian scientists have revised that to an estimated distance of about {{convert|42|km|mi|sp=us}} based on orbital images of the lunar surface.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2013/06211627-opportunity-lunokhod-record.html |title=Is Opportunity near Lunokhod's distance record? Not as close as we used to think! |publisher=The Planetary Society |last1=Lakdawalla |first1=Emily |date=June 21, 2013 |accessdate=June 26, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nature.com/news/space-rovers-in-record-race-1.13229 |last1=Witze |first1=Alexandra |title=Space rovers in record race |publisher=Nature News |date=June 19, 2013 |accessdate=June 26, 2013}}</ref>

On May 17, 2013, NASA announced that a preliminary analysis of one of the rock targets, named "[[List of rocks on Mars#Opportunity|Esperance]]", suggested that water in the past may have had a [[PH|neutral pH]].<ref name="NASA-20130517">{{cite web |last1=Webster |first1=Guy |last2=Brown |first2=Dwayne |title= Mars Rover Opportunity Examines Clay Clues in Rock |url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mer/news/mer20130517.html Mars Rover Opportunity Examines Clay Clues in Rock |date=May 17, 2013 |work=[[NASA]] |accessdate=June 8, 2013 }}</ref> This was later confirmed in further studies, supporting the notion that ancient Mars was a "water-rich world with conditions amenable for life".<ref name="NYT-20130607">{{cite news |last=Chang |first=Kenneth |title=Martian Rock Another Clue to a Once Water-Rich Planet|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/08/science/space/martian-rock-another-clue-to-a-once-water-rich-planet.html |date=June 7, 2013 |work=[[New York Times]] |accessdate=June 7, 2013 }}</ref> As of June 20, 2013 (Sol 3344), Opportunity's total odometry was reported at {{convert|22.89|mi|km|disp=flip|abbr=on}}, while en route to 'Solander Point.'<ref>{{cite news |title=sols 3340-3344, Jun. 16, 2013-Jun. 20, 2013: Opportunity is Healthy and Driving to 'Solander Point' |publisher=NASA/JPL |url=http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status_opportunityAll.html#sol3340 |date=June 20, 2013 |accessdate=June 24, 2013}}</ref> June 21, 2013 marked five [[Martian year]]s on the 'red planet'.<ref name=nasa3340>[http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status_opportunityAll.html#sol3340 NASA - Sol 3340]</ref> The project manager, noting the harsh conditions of the planet, has said each day is "a gift".<ref>[http://www.universetoday.com/102744/opportunity-rover-discovers-martian-habitable-zone-favorable-for-pre-biotic-chemistry/ Universe Today - Opportunity Rover Discovers Martian Habitable Zone Favorable for Pre-biotic Chemistry by K. Kremer]</ref>

====Solander Point====
[[File:PIA17078solander.jpg|thumb|right|Solander point as seen overlooking Botany bay; [[PanCam]] image at 753, 535, and 432 nanometers light wavelengths (i.e. approximately true color).<ref>[http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA17078 PIA17078: Opportunity's view of 'Solander Point']</ref>]]
By early July 2013 Opportunity was approaching [[Solander Point]], with daily drives ranging from dozens of meters (yards) to over a hundred.<ref>[http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status_opportunityAll.html#sol3351 NASA - Sol 3351]</ref> It arrived at its base in early August 2013, after investigating a curious terrain patch along the way.<ref name=sol3391>[http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status_opportunityAll.html#sol3391 NASA - Sol 33591]</ref> Solander can provide a northward facing slope to aid in sunlight collection, as the Martian winter is approaching (as the season changes, the angle of the Sun is shifting).<ref name=sol3391/> On Sol 3390 (August 6, 2013) energy intake was 385 watt-hours, down from 395 on Sol 3384 (July 31, 2013), and 431 on Sol 3376 (July 23, 2013).<ref name=sol3391/> In May 2013 it had been as high as 546 watt-hours.<ref name=sol3391/> Other factors that impact collection include the atmospheric opacity (i.e. "Tau") and "solar array dust factor"{{mdash}}dust that collects on the panels.<ref name=sol3391/> Although the rover cannot clean the dust off, such systems were considered for the rover during its development.<ref>[http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/shortsharpscience/2008/11/why-dont-the-mars-rovers-have.html Why don't the Mars rovers have dust wipers?] - ''New Scientist'' (2008)</ref>

In September, numerous surface targets and rocks around Solander were examined by the rover.<ref name=sol3391>[http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status_opportunityAll.html#sol3391 NASA - Sol 3391]</ref> Solar array energy production dropped to 346 watt-hours by Sol 3430 (September 16, 2013),<ref name=sol3391/> and 325 watt-hours by Sol 3452 (October 9, 2013).<ref>[http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status_opportunityAll.html#sol3445 NASA - Sol 3445]</ref> By traveling to locations with favorable tilt, dubbed "lily pads", Opportunity managed to receive over about 300 watt-hours per day even as the heart of the Mars winter approached.<ref name=sol3473>[http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status_opportunityAll.html#sol3473 NASA - Sol 3473]</ref> The Martian winter minimum is predicted for February 2014, but by making use of the northward slopes it is expected the rover will have enough power to remain mobile during the Martian winter.<ref name=solander>[http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mer/news/working-at-edge-of-solander/#.UnvVc_Kmxhk NASA - Mars Rover Opportunity Working at Edge of 'Solander']</ref> By the end of October the rover was climbing up Solander point, where it is hoped some of the oldest rocks yet seen will be examined.<ref name=nasauphill/> The rocks are believed to date to Mars's [[Noachian]] Period about 4 billion years ago, and may provide some science surprises by Christmas.<ref name=rayl>[http://www.planetary.org/explore/space-topics/space-missions/mer-updates/2013/10-mer-update-opportunity-gets-back-to-the-past-at-winter-site.html TPS - A.J.S. Rayl - Mars Exploration Rovers Update: Opportunity Gets Back to the Past at Winter Site : Sols 3444 - 3473]</ref> The team is hunting for "juicy" slopes of 5 to 20 degrees for more power.<ref name=rayl/>
{{-}}
{{Wide image|Pia17366 sol-3463-navcam 1.jpg|700px|This is a southward uphill view as the rover ascended the mountain in October 2013. It is assembled from NavCam images.<ref name=nasauphill>[http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mer/news/mer20131023.html#.UnvTyvKmxhk NASA -Mars Rover Opportunity Heads Uphill]</ref>}}
As it ascended, it doglegged in early November to avoid an area of dusty ripples.<ref name=sol3473/> It continued to collect data on Martian rocks and dust in the area.<ref name=sol3473/> Total odometry by November 5, 2013, or in Mars day since the landing, Sol 3478, was 23.94 miles (38.53 kilometers).<ref name=sol3473/> Energy production from the Sun on that date was 311 watt-hours, with Tau at 0.536 and the dust factor at 0.491.<ref name=sol3473/>
{{Bar graph
| title =
| float = left
| bar_width = 50
| width_units = em
| data_max = 431
| label_type = Date
| data_type = Watt-hours
| label1 = Sol&nbsp;3376&nbsp;(July&nbsp;23,&nbsp;2013)
| data1 = 431
| label2 = Sol 3384 (July 31, 2013)
| data2 = 395
| label3 = Sol&nbsp;3390&nbsp;(August&nbsp;6,&nbsp;2013)
| data3 = 385
| label4 = Sol&nbsp;3430&nbsp;(September&nbsp;16,&nbsp;2013)
| data4 = 346
| label5 = Sol 3452 (October 9, 2013)
| data5 = 325
| label6 = Sol 3472 (October 30, 2013)
| data6 = 299
| label7 = Sol 3478 (November 5, 2013)
| data7 = 311
| label8 = Sol 3494 (November 21, 2013)
| data8 = 302
| label8 = Sol 3507 (Dec. 5, 2013)
| data8 = 270
| label9 = Sol 3534 (Jan. 1, 2014)
| data9 = 371
}}
{{clear}}
Before ''Spirit'' rover stopped responding in 2010, it reported 134 watt-hours as temperatures plunged below minus 41.5 degrees Celsius (minus 42.7 degrees Fahrenheit).<ref>[http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status_spiritAll_2010.html#sol2204 NASA - Sprit Sol 2204]</ref>

By early December power levels had hit 270 watt-hours per day, even as it climbed higher up the ridge.<ref name="autogenerated1">[http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status_opportunityAll.html#sol3499 NASA - Sol 3499]</ref> It maintained a northerly tilt to increase energy production on Solander point.<ref name=nasa3508>[http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status_opportunityAll.html#sol3508 NASA - Sol 3508]</ref> In early December one of the communication relay satellites at Mars, Odyssey, had some difficulties so the rover sent its telemetry directly to Earth.<ref name=nasa3508/> The orbiter returned to operation after December 10, 2013 and the rover prepared for additional drives.<ref name=nasa3508/> On Sol 3521 (Dec. 19, 2013) the rover took micro-images and used the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer.<ref name=nasa3520>[http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status_opportunityAll.html#sol3520 NASA - 3520]</ref> Between December 31 and New Year's Day cleaning events removed dust, improving the Solar Array Dust Factor to 0.566 (where higher is better and 1.0 is totally clean).<ref name=nasa3520/> Energy production increased 35 watt-hours/day after this cleaning, to 371 watt-hours/day.<ref name=nasa3520/>
{{Multiple image|direction=vertical|align=right|width=150|image1=PIA17761-MarsOpportunityRover-MysteryRock-Sol3528-Sol3540-color.jpg|image2=Mars Pinnacle Rock.png|image3=PIA17942-MarsOpportunityRover-PinnacleIslandRockMysterySolved-20140204.jpg|caption1="Mysterious" appearance of a rock shaped as a "jelly doughnut" - sol 3528 & 3540<ref name="SPACE-20140117" /><ref name="NYT-20140124" /> ([[:File:MarsOpportunityRover-MysteryRock-Sol3528-Sol3540.jpg|b/w]]).|caption2=Closeup - Rock contains [[sulfur]], [[magnesium]] and [[manganese]].<ref name="TT-20140124" /> |caption3=Location where "[[List of rocks on Mars#Opportunity|Pinnacle Island]]" rock was dislodged by rover; mystery solved (February 4, 2014).}}

===2014===
[[File:PIA07372-MarsOpportunityRover-SelfPortrait-20041220-crop-rotate-sm.jpg|thumb|left|Self-portrait of ''Opportunity'' taken early in the mission (December 19–20, 2004) on the surface of [[Mars]].]]
[[File:PIA17759-MarsOpportunityRover-SelfPortrait-20140106.jpg|thumb|left|Self-portrait of ''Opportunity'' near [[Endeavour (crater)|Endeavour Crater]] on the surface of [[Mars]] (January 6, 2014). Note the change in appearance in relation to the photo nine years earlier (above).]]
''Opportunity'' started off 2014 on the western ridge of Endeavour crater, providing elevated panoramas of the surrounding region.<ref name=nasa3520/> Research on data from Mars orbiters identified interesting minerals on the outcrop.<ref name=nasa3520/> Some communication and difficulties the previous month delayed investigating these rocks, but on the positive side, the wait, along with a cleaning event over January 1, allowed for more electrical power to be available.<ref name=nasa3520/> The rover is tilted towards the Sun to help it get more power, and it is expected that it can remain active during the Martian winter.<ref name=solander/>

On January 17, NASA reported that a [[List of rocks on Mars|rock]], named "[[List of rocks on Mars#Opportunity|Pinnacle Island]]", that was not in a rover image taken on Sol 3528, "mysteriously" appeared 13 days later in a similar image taken on Sol 3540. One possible explanation, presented by [[Steven Squyres]], [[principal investigator]] of the [[Mars Exploration Rover Mission]], was that the rover, in one of its turning motions, flicked the rock from a few meters away and into the new location.<ref name="SPACE-20140117">{{cite web |last=O'Neill |first=Ian |title=Mystery Rock 'Appears' in Front of Mars Rover |url=http://www.space.com/24330-mars-rover-mystery-rock-appears.html
|date=January 17, 2014 |work=[[Space.com]] |accessdate=January 18, 2014 }}</ref><ref name="NYT-20140124">{{cite news|last=Chang |first=Kenneth |title=Mars Rover Marks an Unexpected Anniversary With a Mysterious Discovery| url=http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/24/science/space/mars-rover-marks-an-unexpected-anniversary-with-a-mysterious-discovery.html |date=January 24, 2014 |work=[[New York Times]] | accessdate=January 24, 2014 }}</ref>

In response, Rhawn Joseph [[Journal of Cosmology#NASA lawsuit controversy|published an article]] in the fringe journal ''[[Journal of Cosmology]]''<!--fringe= not-peer reviewed, non-scientific language, did not use scientific process, no data no evidence.--> on January 17, 2014,<ref>{{cite journal | title = Apothecia on Mars? Life Discovered on the Red Planet | journal = Journal of Cosmology | date = 17 January 2014 | first = Rhawn Gabriel | last = Joseph| id = | url = http://cosmology.com/ | accessdate = 2014-02-01}}</ref> and filed a writ of [[mandamus]] on January 27, 2014 in [[United States District Court for the Northern District of California|San Francisco Federal Court]], stating that the object is a living entity and demanded that NASA re-examine the rock more closely.<ref name="PS-20140128">{{cite web |last=Lecher |first=Colin |title=Lawsuit Alleges NASA Is Failing To Investigate Alien Life|url=http://www.popsci.com/article/science/lawsuit-alleges-nasa-failing-investigate-alien-life |work=[[Popular Science]] |date=January 28, 2014 |accessdate=January 31, 2014 }}</ref><ref name="ABA-20140129">{{cite web|last=Weiss |first=Debra Cassens |title=Suit says NASA was ‘recklessly negligent and bizarre’ for failing to investigate Mars rock|url=http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/suit_says_nasa_was_recklessly_negligent_and_bizarre_for_failing_to_take_clo|work=[[American Bar Association]] |date=January 29, 2014 |accessdate=January 31, 2014 }}</ref><ref name="CHN-20140129">{{cite web |last=Bailey |first=Lorraine |url=http://www.courthousenews.com/2014/01/29/64918.htm | title=Is Mysterious Mars Rock a Fungus? |work=[[Courthouse News Service]] |date=January 29, 2014 |accessdate=January 31, 2014 }}</ref> However, NASA already had examined the rock with the rover's [[microscope]]<ref name="CHN-20140129">{{cite web |last=Bailey |first=Lorraine |url=http://www.courthousenews.com/2014/01/29/64918.htm | title=Is Mysterious Mars Rock a Fungus? |work=[[Courthouse News Service]] |date=January 29, 2014 |accessdate=January 31, 2014}}</ref> and analyzers, and confirmed it was a rock with a high sulphur, manganese, and magnesium content.<ref name="TT-20140124">{{cite web |author=Staff |title=Scientist closer to solving Mars rock mystery, says NASA exper |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/space/10594511/Scientists-closer-to-solving-Mars-rock-mystery-says-Nasa-expert.html |work=[[Telegraph Media Group|The Telegraph]] |date=January 24, 2014 |accessdate=January 31, 2014}}</ref> According to [[Steven Squyres]], "We have looked at it with our microscope. It is clearly a rock."<ref name="CHN-20140129" /> On February 14, 2014, NASA released [[:File:PIA17942-MarsOpportunityRover-PinnacleIslandRockMysterySolved-20140204.jpg|an image]] showing the location from where the "[[List of rocks on Mars#Opportunity|Pinnacle Island]]" rock was dislodged by the ''Opportunity'' rover.

On January 23, 2014, NASA celebrated the tenth anniversary (officially, January 25, 2014) of the rover's landing on Mars by sharing a self-portrait of the rover from above.<ref name="MERFacts"/>

On January 23, 2014, NASA reported on the latest discoveries of [[List of rocks on Mars#Opportunity|some Martian rocks]] and stated, "These rocks are older than any we examined earlier in the mission, and they reveal more favorable conditions for [[microbial life]] than any evidence previously examined by investigations with ''Opportunity''."<ref name="NASA-20140124">{{cite web |last1=Brown |first1=Dwayne |last2=Webster |first2=Guy |title=NASA's Opportunity at 10: New Findings from Old Rover |url=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2014-022 |date=January 23, 2014 |work=[[NASA]] |accessdate=January 24, 2014 }}</ref><ref name="SCI-20140124b">{{cite journal |authors=Arvidson, R.E. et al. |title=Ancient Aqueous Environments at Endeavour Crater, Mars |url=http://www.sciencemag.org/content/343/6169/1248097 |date=January 24, 2014 |journal=[[Science (journal)|Science]] |volume=343 |number=6169 |doi=10.1126/science.1248097 |accessdate=January 24, 2014 }}</ref><ref name="SCI-20140124">{{cite journal |authors=Various |title=Special Collection - Curiosity - Exploring Martian Habitability |url=http://www.sciencemag.org/site/extra/curiosity/ |date=January 24, 2014 |journal=[[Science (journal)|Science]] |accessdate=January 24, 2014 }}</ref>

On January 24, 2014, NASA reported that [[Timeline of Mars Science Laboratory#Current status|current studies]] on the planet [[Mars]] by the [[Curiosity (rover)|''Curiosity'']] and ''Opportunity'' [[Mars rover|rovers]] will now be searching for evidence of ancient life, including a [[biosphere]] based on [[autotroph]]ic, [[chemotroph]]ic and/or [[Lithotroph#Chemolithotrophs|chemolithoautotrophic]] [[microorganism]]s, as well as ancient water, including [[Lacustrine plain|fluvio-lacustrine environments]] ([[plain]]s related to ancient [[river]]s or [[lake]]s) that may have been [[Planetary habitability|habitable]].<ref name="SCI-20140124" /><ref name="SCI-20140124a">{{cite journal |last=Grotzinger |first=John P. |title=Introduction to Special Issue - Habitability, Taphonomy, and the Search for Organic Carbon on Mars |url=http://www.sciencemag.org/content/343/6169/386 |journal=[[Science (journal)|Science]] |date=January 24, 2014 |volume=343 |number=6169 |pages=386–387 |doi=10.1126/science.1249944 |accessdate=January 24, 2014 }}</ref><ref name="SCI-20140124special">{{cite journal |authors=Various |title=Special Issue - Table of Contents - Exploring Martian Habitability |url=http://www.sciencemag.org/content/343/6169.toc#SpecialIssue |date=January 24, 2014|journal=[[Science (journal)|Science]] |volume=343 |number=6169 |pages=345–452 |accessdate=24 January 2014 }}</ref><ref name="SCI-20140124c">{{cite journal |authors=Grotzinger, J.P. et al. |title=A Habitable Fluvio-Lacustrine Environment at Yellowknife Bay, Gale Crater, Mars |url=http://www.sciencemag.org/content/343/6169/1242777 |date=January 24, 2014 |journal=[[Science (journal)|Science]] |volume=343 |number=6169 |doi=10.1126/science.1242777 |accessdate=January 24, 2014 }}</ref> The search for evidence of [[Planetary habitability|habitability]], [[taphonomy]] (related to [[fossils]]), and [[organic carbon]] on the planet [[Mars]] is now a primary [[NASA]] objective.<ref name="SCI-20140124a" />

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Among many activities in March, the rover studied the rock Augustine and on Sol 3602 (March 12, 2014), produced 498 watt-hours from sunlight.<ref>[http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status_opportunityAll.html#sol3596 NASA - Sol 3596]</ref>


== Scientific findings ==
== Scientific findings ==

Revision as of 17:51, 25 March 2014

Opportunity
Mission typeMars rover
OperatorNASA
COSPAR ID2003-032A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.27849Edit this on Wikidata
WebsiteJPL's Mars Exploration Rover
Mission durationPlanned: 90 sols (92.5 days)
Current: 7418 days since landing Currently: 7220 sols
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeMars Exploration Rover
Dry mass185 kilograms (408 lb) (Rover only)
Start of mission
Launch dateJuly 7, 2003 (2003-07-07)[1][2]
RocketDelta II 7925H-9.5[2][3][4]
Launch siteCape Canaveral SLC-17B
ContractorBoeing
Orbital parameters
Reference systemHeliocentric (transfer)
Mars rover
Spacecraft componentRover
Landing dateJanuary 25, 2004,[1] 05:05 UTC SCET
MSD 46236 14:35 AMT
File:Nasa mer daffy.jpg
The launch patch for Opportunity, featuring Duck Dodgers (Daffy Duck)  
Simulated view - Opportunity rendering overtop a Martian crater background previously imaged by the rover.

Opportunity, MER-B (Mars Exploration Rover – B), is a robotic rover active on the planet Mars since 2004.[1] Launched on July 7, 2003, Opportunity landed on Mars' Meridiani Planum on January 25, 2004 at 05:05 Ground UTC (about 13:15 Mars local time), three weeks after its twin Spirit (MER-A), also part of NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Mission, touched down on the other side of the planet.[5] While Spirit became immobile in 2009 and ceased communications in 2010, Opportunity remains active as of 2014, having already exceeded its planned 90 sol (Martian days) duration of activity by 20 years, 21 days (in Earth time). Opportunity has continued to move, gather scientific observations, and report back to Earth for over 40 times its designed lifespan.

Mission highlights include the initial 90 sol mission, finding extramartian meteorites such as Heat Shield Rock (Meridiani Planum meteorite), and over two years studying Victoria crater. It survived dust-storms and reached Endeavour crater in 2011, which has been described as a "second landing site".[6]

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California, manages the Mars Exploration Rover project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington, D.C..

Objectives

Delta II Heavy (7925H-9.5) lifting off from pad 17-B carrying MER-B in 2003 with Opportunity rover.

The scientific objectives of the Mars Exploration Rover mission are to:[7]

  • Search for and characterize a variety of rocks and soils that hold clues to past water activity. In particular, samples sought will include those that have minerals deposited by water-related processes such as precipitation, evaporation, sedimentary cementation or hydrothermal activity.
  • Determine the distribution and composition of minerals, rocks, and soils surrounding the landing sites.
  • Determine what geologic processes have shaped the local terrain and influenced the chemistry. Such processes could include water or wind erosion, sedimentation, hydrothermal mechanisms, volcanism, and cratering.
  • Perform calibration and validation of surface observations made by Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter instruments. This will help determine the accuracy and effectiveness of various instruments that survey Martian geology from orbit.
  • Search for iron-containing minerals, identify and quantify relative amounts of specific mineral types that contain water or were formed in water, such as iron-bearing carbonates.
  • Characterize the mineralogy and textures of rocks and soils and determine the processes that created them.
  • Search for geological clues to the environmental conditions that existed when liquid water was present.
  • Assess whether those environments were conducive to life.

During the next two decades, NASA will continue to conduct missions to address whether life ever arose on Mars. The search begins with determining whether the Martian environment was ever suitable for life. Life, as we understand it, requires water, so the history of water on Mars is critical to finding out if the Martian environment was ever conducive to life. Although the Mars Exploration Rovers do not have the ability to detect life directly, they are offering very important information on the habitability of the environment in the planet's history.

Design and construction

Main article: Mars Exploration Rover
See also: Comparison of embedded computer systems on board the Mars rovers

Opportunity (along with its twin, Spirit) is a six-wheeled, solar-powered robot standing 1.5 meters (4.9 ft) high, 2.3 meters (7.5 ft) wide, and 1.6 meters (5.2 ft) long and weighing 180 kilograms (400 lb). Six wheels on a rocker-bogie system enable mobility. Each wheel has its own motor, the vehicle is steered at front and rear and is designed to operate safely at tilts of up to 30 degrees. Maximum speed is 5 centimetres per second (2.0 in/s) although average speed is about a fifth of this (0.89 centimetres per second (0.35 in/s)). Both Spirit and Opportunity have pieces of the fallen World Trade Center's metal on them that were "turned into shields to protect cables on the drilling mechanisms".[8][9]

Solar arrays generate about 140 watts for up to four hours per Martian day (sol) while rechargeable lithium ion batteries store energy for use at night. Opportunity's onboard computer uses a 20 MHz RAD6000 CPU with 128 MB of DRAM, 3 MB of EEPROM, and 256 MB of flash memory. The rover's operating temperature ranges from −40 to +40 °C (−40 to 104 °F) and radioisotope heaters provide a base level of heating, assisted by electrical heaters when necessary.[10] A gold film and a layer of silica aerogel provide insulation.

Communications depends on an omnidirectional low-gain antenna communicating at a low data rate and a steerable high-gain antenna, both in direct contact with Earth. A low gain antenna is also used to relay data to spacecraft orbiting Mars.

Fixed science/engineering instruments include:

The rover arm holds the following instruments:

  • Mössbauer spectrometer (MB) MIMOS II – used for close-up investigations of the mineralogy of iron-bearing rocks and soils.
  • Alpha particle X-ray spectrometer (APXS) – close-up analysis of the abundances of elements that make up rocks and soils.
  • Magnets – for collecting magnetic dust particles
  • Microscopic Imager (MI) – obtains close-up, high-resolution images of rocks and soils.
  • Rock Abrasion Tool (RAT) – exposes fresh material for examination by instruments on board.

The cameras produce 1024-pixel by 1024-pixel images, the data is compressed with ICER, stored, and transmitted later.

The rover's name was chosen through a NASA sponsored student essay competition.

Mission overview

Mars Global Surveyor orbiter's photograph of landing site showing "hole in one." (See also: simulation of Opportunity's trajectory on arrival at Mars in January 2004).
Opportunity's landing site (denoted with a star).

The primary surface mission for Opportunity was planned to last 90 sols. The mission has received several extensions and has been operating for 7418 days since landing. An archive of weekly updates on the rover's status can be found at the Opportunity Update Archive.[11]

From its initial landing, by chance, into an impact crater amidst an otherwise generally flat plain, Opportunity has successfully investigated soil and rock samples and taken panoramic photos of its landing site. Its sampling allowed NASA scientists to make hypotheses concerning the presence of hematite and past presence of water on the surface of Mars. Following this, it was directed to travel across the surface of Mars to investigate another crater site, Endurance crater, which it investigated from June – December 2004. Subsequently, Opportunity examined the impact site of its own heat shield and discovered an intact meteorite, now known as Heat Shield Rock, on the surface of Mars.

From late April 2005 to early June of that year, Opportunity was perilously lodged in a sand dune, with several wheels buried in the sand. Over a six-week period Earth-based physical simulations were performed to decide how best to extract the rover from its position without risking a permanent immobilization of the valuable vehicle. Successful maneuvering a few centimeters at a time eventually freed the rover, which resumed its travels.

Opportunity was directed to proceed in a southerly direction to Erebus crater, a large, shallow, partially buried crater and a stopover on the way south towards Victoria crater, between October 2005 and March 2006. It experienced some mechanical problems with its robotic arm.

In late September 2006, Opportunity reached Victoria crater and explored along the rim in a clockwise direction. In June 2007 it returned to Duck Bay, its original arrival point; in September 2007 it entered the crater to begin a detailed study. In August 2008, Opportunity left Victoria crater for Endeavour crater, which it reached on August 9, 2011.[12] Here at the rim of the Endeavour crater the rover moved around a geographic feature named Cape York. The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter had detected Phyllosilicates there, and the rover analyzed the rocks with its instruments to check this sighting on the ground. This structure was analyzed in depth until summer 2013. At May 2013 the rover was heading south to a hill named Solander Point.

Opportunity's total odometry as of November 5, 2013 (sol 3478) is 38.53 km (23.94 mi).[13]

Mission timeline

Main article: Opportunity mission timeline

Scientific findings

Main article: Scientific information from the Mars Exploration Rover mission

Opportunity has provided substantial evidence in support of the mission's primary scientific goals: to search for and characterize a wide range of rocks and soils that hold clues to past water activity on Mars. In addition to investigating the water, Opportunity has also obtained astronomical observations and atmospheric data.

Honors

Honoring Opportunity's great contribution to the exploration of Mars, the asteroid 39382 has been named Opportunity.[14] The name was proposed by Ingrid van Houten-Groeneveld who, along with Cornelis Johannes van Houten and Tom Gehrels, discovered the asteroid on September 24, 1960. Opportunity's lander is Challenger Memorial Station.[15]

Pictures

The rover can take pictures with its different cameras, but only the PanCam camera has the ability to photograph a scene with different color filters. The panorama views are usually built up from PanCam images. Up November 20, 2013, Opportunity rover returned 186,246 pictures.[16]

Views

  • Image taken by the panoramic camera aboard Opportunity showing the rover's empty lander, the Challenger Memorial Station.
    Image taken by the panoramic camera aboard Opportunity showing the rover's empty lander, the Challenger Memorial Station.
  • Cirrus clouds in the Martian sky
    Cirrus clouds in the Martian sky
  • Pancam view from August 2012 (Sol 3058)
    Pancam view from August 2012 (Sol 3058)
  • Solander Point is visible on the horizon, and the foreground reveals the terrain of Botany Bay; there is about 1.0 m (3.3 ft) between the wheels.[17]
    Solander Point is visible on the horizon, and the foreground reveals the terrain of Botany Bay; there is about 1.0 m (3.3 ft) between the wheels.[17]

Panoramas

360° Panorama at crater triplet, all three craters in right half of image, Naturaliste Crater in foreground.
Panorama taken on the rim of Erebus crater. The rover's solar panels are seen on the lower half
Fram crater on Sol 88, April 24, 2004

Microscopic images

  • "Blueberries" (hematite spheres) on a rocky outcrop at Eagle Crater. Note the merged triplet in the upper left.
    "Blueberries" (hematite spheres) on a rocky outcrop at Eagle Crater. Note the merged triplet in the upper left.
  • "Newberries": This view displays an area about 6 centimeters across. It was taken at an outcrop named Kirkwood at the Cape York on the rim of Endeavour crater on Mars. The spheres seen here are about 3 millimeters in diameter. The Microscopic Imager took this image at the 3064 sol.
    "Newberries": This view displays an area about 6 centimeters across. It was taken at an outcrop named Kirkwood at the Cape York on the rim of Endeavour crater on Mars. The spheres seen here are about 3 millimeters in diameter. The Microscopic Imager took this image at the 3064 sol.

From orbit

  • Opportunity landing site, lander, as imaged by MRO (November 29, 2006)
    Opportunity landing site, lander, as imaged by MRO
    (November 29, 2006)
  • Opportunity landing site, parachute and backshell, as imaged by MRO (November 29, 2006)
    Opportunity landing site, parachute and backshell, as imaged by MRO (November 29, 2006)
  • Opportunity landing site, heat shield, as imaged by MRO (November 29, 2006)
    Opportunity landing site, heat shield, as imaged by MRO
    (November 29, 2006)
  • Opportunity (circled) as seen by HiRISE on January 29, 2009. Endeavour Crater is 17 km (11 mi) away.
    Opportunity (circled) as seen by HiRISE on January 29, 2009. Endeavour Crater is 17 km (11 mi) away.

Maps

  • Opportunity traverse map, from sol 1 (2004) through sol 2055 (2009)
    Opportunity traverse map, from sol 1 (2004) through sol 2055 (2009)
  • Annotated Opportunity traverse map as of December 8, 2010 (Sol 2442)
    Annotated Opportunity traverse map as of December 8, 2010 (Sol 2442)
  • Opportunity's traverse on Cape York from Sol 2678 to Sol 3317 with some additional annnotations of the main features.
    Opportunity's traverse on Cape York from Sol 2678 to Sol 3317 with some additional annnotations of the main features.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Nelson, Jon. "Mars Exploration Rover - Opportunity". NASA. Retrieved February 2, 2014.
  2. ^ a b "Launch Event Details – When did the Rovers Launch?". Retrieved April 25, 2009.
  3. ^ "Mars Exploration Rover project, NASA/JPL document NSS ISDC 2001 27/05/2001" (PDF). p. 5. Retrieved April 28, 2009.
  4. ^ Jonathan McDowell (July 15, 2003). "Jonathan's Space Report No. 504". Jonathan's Space Report. Retrieved April 28, 2009.
  5. ^ "Spirit" landed on January 4, 2004.
  6. ^ Tony Fitzpatrick - Opportunity on verge of new discovery
  7. ^ The scientific objectives of the Mars Exploration Rover
  8. ^ Chang, Kenneth (November 7, 2004). "Martian Robots, Taking Orders From a Manhattan Walk-Up". The New York Times. Retrieved April 9, 2009.
  9. ^ Squyres, Steve (2005). Roving Mars: Spirit, Opportunity, and the Exploration of the Red Planet. Hyperion Press. pp. 113–117. ISBN 978-1-4013-0149-1.
  10. ^ "MER - Batteries and Heaters". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. NASA. Retrieved August 13, 2012.
  11. ^ "Opportunity Update Archive". NASA/JPL. Retrieved May 4, 2009.
  12. ^ "NASA - NASA Mars Rover Arrives at New Site on Martian Surface". Nasa.gov. Retrieved July 15, 2012.
  13. ^ "Opportunity Updates". Retrieved July 31, 2012.
  14. ^ "Mars Exploration Rover Mission; "Like Rover, Like Asteroid"". Retrieved June 9, 2008.
  15. ^ "Space Shuttle Challenger Crew Memorialized on Mars". Retrieved July 24, 2008.
  16. ^ Opportunity: All Raw Images
  17. ^ Opportunity's View in 'Botany Bay' Toward 'Solander Point'

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External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mars Exploration Rover.

NASA links

MSSS and WUSTL links

Other links

Image map of Mars

The following imagemap of the planet Mars has embedded links to geographical features in addition to the noted Rover and Lander locations. Click on the features and you will be taken to the corresponding article pages. North is at the top; Elevations: red (higher), yellow (zero), blue (lower).


Map of Mars
Interactive image map of the global topography of Mars, overlaid with the position of Martian rovers and landers. Coloring of the base map indicates relative elevations of Martian surface.
Clickable image: Clicking on the labels will open a new article.
Legend:   Active (white lined, ※) •   Inactive •   Planned (dash lined, ⁂)
Bradbury Landing
Deep Space 2
Mars Polar Lander
Perseverance
Schiaparelli EDM
Spirit
Viking 1

Template:Link FA Template:Link GA

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