SKY NIGHTLY
← MARS  |  Home MARS

No word from Opportunity as skies begin to clear

by Staff Writers Pasadena CA (JPL) Aug 30, 2018 JPL
No signal from Opportunity has been heard. The dust storm on Mars continues to decay.

There has been no new storm activity within ~1,864 miles (3,000 kilometers) of the rover site. The atmospheric opacity (tau) over the rover is decreasing. As reported previously, it is expected that Opportunity has experienced a low-power fault, and then perhaps, a mission clock fault.

Subsequent to the last contact with the rover on Sol 5111 (June 10, 2018), the up-loss timer has expired, adding another fault condition. The science team is continuing to listen for the rover either during the expected fault communication windows, or listening over a broader range of times using the Deep Space Network Radio Science Receiver.

The science team is also sending a command three times a week to elicit a beep if the rover happens to be awake.

Total odometry is unchanged at 28.06 miles (45.16 kilometers).

Buy Advertising About Us Editorial & Other Enquiries Privacy statement
The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, is Copyright 1995-2026 Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principles for news reporting and research purposes.