Circular Signs of the RAT

This image was taken by Opportunity's front hazard-avoidance camera, providing a circular 
sign of the success of the first grinding of a rock on the El Capitan area.  The round, 
shallow depression in this image is on a target dubbed McKittrick.  

The rock abrasion tool ground off a patch 45.5 millimeters (1.8 inches) in diameter during 
Opportunity's 30th sol on Mars, Feb. 23, 2004. The hole exposed fresh interior material of 
the rock for close inspection by the rover's microscopic imager and two spectrometers on 
the robotic arm. The Honeybee Robotics team determined the depth of cut at McKittrick to 
be 4.4 millimeters (0.17 inches) deep.

On sol 34, Feb. 27, 2004, the rock abrasion tool is scheduled to grind into its second target 
on the El Capitan area dubbed Guadalupe in the upper middle part of this image.

The rock abrasion tools on both Mars Exploration Rovers were supplied by Honeybee 
Robotics, New York, N.Y.

Image Credit:  NASA/JPL

APPROVED BY:  Larry Soderblom, SOWG chair, and Stephen Gorevan cell =347/256-
2216

CAPTION WRITER:  Christine Johnson 818/667-7853 cell

RELEASE DATE:  February 27, 2004

IMAGE FILE NAME: xpe_McKittrick_RAT_Haz.jpg

SOURCE FILE NAME(S): 1F131117877FFL0500P1214L0M1

SUMMARY INFORMATION:  Viz image of Opportunity area

NAME OF SUBMITTER: Stephen Gorevan

INSTITUTION:  Honeybee Robotics

THEME/TEAM/GROUP:  RAT

SOL OF OBSERVATION:  33

EARTH DATE OF OBSERVATION:  February 26, 2004

TITLE OF IMAGE: Circular Signs of the RAT

CAPTION:  Above




<br> USERNAME: cjohns