Opportunity’s Journey at Endeavour Crater
NASA/JPL-Caltech/UArizona
Opportunity’s Journey at Endeavour Crater
ESP_032573_1775  Science Theme: Future Exploration/Landing Sites
Opportunity has been on the western rim of 20-kilometer-diameter Endeavour Crater in Meridiani Planum for about two years investigating the 3-4 billion-year-old sedimentary layers of Cape York. Now, more than a decade after the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity’s 2003 launch, this HiRISE image captures the rover traversing south to new science targets and a winter haven at Solander Point.

Opportunity’s destination at Solander Point is thought to have abundant clay-bearing rocks (as detected from orbit) as part of well-exposed geological layers that are sure to provide vital clues to Mars’ watery past. In addition, the north-facing slopes at Solander Point will maximize the amount of solar energy the rover can collect and allow a more productive southern winter science campaign.

Opportunity has been investigating younger sedimentary units exposed in the smaller craters of Eagle, Endurance, and Victoria for the last 9.5 years. By driving across Meridiani to Endeavour Crater, Opportunity currently holds the US space program’s all-time record for distance traversed on another planetary body at greater than 36 kilometers or 22 miles.

This image, a HiRISE digital terrain model, and cameras on board Opportunity aid rover drivers in identifying safe routes. Additionally, they assist NASA geologists in finding attractive science targets for future investigation.

NB: This image was acquired on 8 July 2013, or Sol 3361 of the rover’s surface mission 10 years after launch.



Written by: Matthew Chojnacki  (17 July 2013)
 
Acquisition date
08 July 2013

Local Mars time
14:15

Latitude (centered)
-2.251°

Longitude (East)
354.640°

Spacecraft altitude
268.3 km (166.8 miles)

Original image scale range
26.9 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~81 cm across are resolved

Map projected scale
25 cm/pixel and North is up

Map projection
Equirectangular

Emission angle
4.4°

Phase angle
29.4°

Solar incidence angle
34°, with the Sun about 56° above the horizon

Solar longitude
348.3°, Northern Winter

For non-map projected images
North azimuth:  97°
Sub-solar azimuth:  0.2°
JPEG
Black and white
map projected  non-map

IRB color
map projected  non-map

Merged IRB
map projected

Merged RGB
map projected

RGB color
non-map projected

JP2
Black and white
map-projected   (421MB)

IRB color
map-projected   (234MB)

JP2 EXTRAS
Black and white
map-projected  (165MB)
non-map           (252MB)

IRB color
map projected  (52MB)
non-map           (203MB)

Merged IRB
map projected  (110MB)

Merged RGB
map-projected  (105MB)

RGB color
non map           (205MB)
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
B&W label
Color label
Merged IRB label
Merged RGB label
EDR products
HiView

NB
IRB: infrared-red-blue
RGB: red-green-blue
About color products (PDF)

Black & white is 5 km across; enhanced color about 1 km
For scale, use JPEG/JP2 black & white map-projected images

USAGE POLICY
All of the images produced by HiRISE and accessible on this site are within the public domain: there are no restrictions on their usage by anyone in the public, including news or science organizations. We do ask for a credit line where possible:
NASA/JPL-Caltech/UArizona

POSTSCRIPT
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, Washington. The HiRISE camera was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corporation and is operated by the University of Arizona.