Heading south from Cape York, Opportunity's post-conjunction adventures / Sol 3291 - ... Options

[Phil Stooke]

Time for a new thread... we should be starting up right about now after conjunction, and if no other targets have popped up our plucky rover should be heading south within days. This should be quite a scenic trip, so sit back and enjoy the fun.

Phil

[fredk]

Good timing, Phil - the first post-conjuction pics are coming in now:
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportuni...8M1.JPG?sol3285
Now we know the sun's still shining on Mars!

[mhoward]

Technically we haven't seen any images from the last 6 sols or so yet, but I'm going to take a leap of faith and assume those will be coming soon.

[mhoward]

Opportunity in Standby as Commanding Moratorium Ends

Adding: @mikeseibert on Twitter says "Oppy should be back to regular operations after tomorrow's uplink. #knockonwood" So let's knock on wood.

[eoincampbell]

If that's the case I'm off to listen to Tony Orlando...

[Tesheiner]

Adding: @mikeseibert on Twitter says "Oppy should be back to regular operations after tomorrow's uplink. #knockonwood" So let's knock on wood.

And look what's included on "tomorrow's uplink".

03294::p1154::01::2::0::0::2::0::4::front_hazcam_idd_unstow_doc
03294::p1165::00::1::1::0::0::0::2::flhaz_IDD_check_subframe_2bpp_pri_41
03294::p1201::07::2::0::0::2::0::4::front_haz_penultimate_1bpp_pri17
03294::p1214::05::2::0::0::2::0::4::front_haz_ultimate_4bpp_pri15
03294::p1234::06::2::2::0::0::0::4::front_haz_fault_half_pri15_4bpp
03294::p1254::02::2::0::0::2::0::4::front_haz_fault_pri15_4bpp
03294::p1301::06::2::0::0::2::0::4::rear_haz_penultimate_1bpp_pri17
03294::p1334::00::2::2::0::0::0::4::rear_haz_fault_half_pri15_4bpp
03294::p1354::01::2::0::0::2::0::4::rear_haz_fault_pri15_4bpp
03294::p1939::05::2::0::0::2::0::4::navcam_idd_doc_1_bpp_pri_15
03294::p1960::05::2::0::0::2::0::4::nav_1x1_az0_El_neg50_4bpp_pri16
03294::p2601::05::4::2::0::0::2::8::pancam_tau_L78R48

[mhoward]

As they say on the Internet: "Squee!"

[RoverDriver]

...

Actually it will be a teeny tiny drive. In fact it will be my shortest drive ever. So short we had to devise a trick to actually command such a small motion by combining two slightly larger ones. But at least it is

Paolo

[mhoward]

Oh well, any is good

[nprev]

This is being widely reported right now:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mer/news/mer20130429.html

[dtolman]

So is Oppy up and running, or was that premature optimism and they're still trying to regain control?
tl;dr - or ?

[jamescanvin]

I don't think there is any reason to be worried at this point.

I know we're all in withdrawal but hang in there folks, I'm sure we'll get our fix soon.

[mhoward]

The article has been updated today to confirm that Opportunity has resumed normal operations.

NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Project received confirmation from Mars this morning (May 1) that the Opportunity rover is back under ground control, executing a sequence of commands sent by the rover team. Opportunity is no longer in standby automode and has resumed normal operations.

(Still waiting for new images though.)

[brellis]

Our beloved Rover Driver was featured in a bbc article today

[fredk]

From the latest PS update, some more details about plans:

Once Opportunity does leave Matijevic Hill, the plan is for the rover to put her pedal to the metal and drive straight for Solander Point. "We calculated a rapid transit route through the winter strategy planning group, a straight-forward engineering route that would get us to Solander Point in time," Arvidson informed. "The issue is, if we leave in say mid-May roughly, there's just not a whole lot of time to do diversions to scientifically interesting locations. This route allows for a short stop at Nobby's Head so that the rover can take some stereo images of the northern side of hill for engineering characterization of slopes, just in case we need a possible bail-out location for winter, but other than that it's a path that will take Opportunity to Solander as quickly as possible. It's equivalent to what we're doing on Curiosity to get that rover to Mt. Sharp."