Heat Shield

        This mosaic was acquired by the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity on Sol 315 (December 12, 2004), and covers approximately 30 degrees side to side.  Opportunity had just egressed from exploring Endurance Crater, and attempted to image its own heat shield debris deposited on the Martian surface during EDL (Entry, Descent, and Landing). Other mosaics of the heat shield were taken on sols 317, 319, and 326, during the approach to the heat shield.  Two versions are provided at full resolution, an approximate true color generated using Pancam's 753 nm, 535 nm, 432 nm filters, and a false color stretch. 

Jim Bell
Pancam Instrument Lead
September 9, 2008