Leonard David's INSIDE OUTER SPACE

Opportunity Mars rover uses its instrumented robot arm to investigate surface.
Front Hazcam, Sol 3993.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

While the Curiosity mega-rover patrols its site, not to be forgotten is NASA’s old-timer Mars robot, Opportunity.

It continues its exploratory work on the west rim of Endeavour Crater near the entrance of “Marathon Valley,” an assumed location for abundant clay minerals.

The robot has been using its robotic arm to collect Microscopic Imager (MI) photos, as well as utilize its Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS).

Close-up work! Opportunity uses its Microscopic Imager on Sol 3993
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Cornell/U.S. Geological Survey

Opportunity has implemented a supplementary way of collected additional battery data and has also been acquiring some atmospheric opacity measurements to support NASA’s next Mars lander – Insight — set to depart Earth in March 2016, landing on the Red Planet in September 2016.

Pre-launch photo of Opportunity.
Credit: NASA/KSC

Launched on July 07, 2003, Opportunity bounced its way to full Mars stop on January 25, 2004.

Opportunity’s total odometry now reads over 26 miles (42 kilometers).

Opportunity is at Sol 3995 – and its sols past “warranty” is 3905!

Opportunity’s exploration route.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech