Sol 5135 - Opportunity Continues Weathering the Global Dust Event of 2018 at Perseverance Valley

Opportunity is hunkered down in the floor of Perseverance Valley here on the inner wall of Endeavour crater waiting out the global dust storm of 2018.

Sol 5114 - A Major Dust Storm on Mars

Opportunity was continuing to gather data from outcrops in Perseverance Valley up until the end of May and the first week of June. But then a dust storm developed to the northwest and unexpectedly expanded into Merdiani Planum where Opportunity is exploring.

During the last week of Febraury, 2018, on Sol 4999 since landing on Mars (14 tears ago), Opportunity woke up at took a picture of the sunrise over the southeast rim of Endeavour crater. Opportunity then proceeded with its science activities here on the inner wall of Endeavour crater.

Sol 4978 - January 25, 2018 Opportunity at Outcrop SIte "Robledo"

Opportunity is continuing its drive down Persevereance Valley, a channel that was cut in the inner wall of the 22 km-diameter Endeavour impact crater in ancient Mars (Noachian) time. This is the second stop of a series of stops as Opportunity drives down the valley. The goal is to collect field data that will help assess the origin of the valley. While the valley looks like a water-cut valley, we cannot be sure whether other processes like wind or drive flow have cut the valley. But that is why we are taking our time and collecting data as we drive.

With the latest drive on sol 4782, Opportunity  began the long drive down the floor of Perseverance Valley here on Endeavour crater. THis is rather historic in that it represents the first time that a rover has driven down an apparent wtaer-cut valley on Mars. Over the next few months OPportunity will explore the floor and sides of the valley for evidence of the scale and timing of the fluvial activity, if that is what is represents.