[X] My Assistant

[fredk]

I think the return to driving deserves a new topic for Oppy. According to this new release, Oppy is back up to 300 Whrs, and had a small cleaning event!

The release also gives a surprizing reason for the drive to the rim:

One reason the rover team chose to drive Opportunity closer to the crater rim was to be prepared, if the pace of dust accumulation on the solar panels increases, to drive onto the inner slope of the crater. This would give the rover a sun-facing tilt to maximize daily energy supplies. The drive was also designed to check performance of the rover's mobility system, so it included a turn in place and a short drive backwards.

That explains why they drove to this point on the rim - if they enter they'll face south, as it's still southern summer.

[Del Palmer]

I wonder if the need for Oppy to conserve power meant that it didn't always 'stow' the Pancam when not in use (the actuators would need to be heated at certain times of the day to allow it to be moved).