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PASSPORT TO KNOWLEDGE - To MARS with MER

Daily Updates - March 10, 2004
Spirit Status at end of sol 65

Spirit spent sol 65, which ended at 12:29 a.m. PST on March 10, analyzing soil targets with the alpha particle x-ray spectrometer, Moessbauer spectrometer and microscopic imager before stowing its arm, doing some remote sensing of the trench dubbed Serendipity Trench," and then finally setting off for the longest directed drive to date. That drive was 27 meters (88.6 feet) toward the edge of Bonneville" crater.

Spirit then attempted to use auto navigation to reach a target that was an additional 6 meters (19.7 feet) away. Sensitive obstacle avoidance software prevented Spirit from reaching the destination, and like yestersol, the rover completed several drives forward and back. Those drives resulted in a final odometer reading of 40.7 meters (133.5 feet) for the day, even though the total straight-line distance traveled was 30 meters (98.4 feet).

The 30-meter (98.4 feet) drive put Spirit close enough to Bonneville's" edge to take images with the navigation cameras that reveal the opposite rim of the crater.

On sol 66, which ends at 1:09 a.m. PST on March 11, 2004, Spirit will drive up to the summit of the rim and show us what's inside with a 180-degree navigation camera panorama.

Spirit Daily Update Archive