- sol 1039-1042, December 08, 2006:

Despite a non-functioning right front wheel, Spirit is healthy and on the move. The rover completed short drives on Martian days, or sols, 1039 (Dec. 5, 2006) and 1041 (Dec. 7, 2006) on its way toward a rock target informally named "Esperanza."

Sol-by-sol summary:

Sol 1039 (Dec. 5, 2006): Spirit drove 1 meter (3.3 feet) and acquired images after the drive using the hazard avoidance and navigation cameras. The rover took a super-resolution image with the panoramic camera and scanned the Martian sky for clouds with the navigation camera.

Sol 1040: Spirit scanned the sky, ground, and Esperanza using the miniature thermal emission spectrometer. The rover surveyed the sky and the horizon with the panoramic camera.

Sol 1041: Spirit turned in the direction of Esperanza, then drove another 1.5 meters (5 feet) toward the rock. Spirit acquired more detailed images after the drive with the hazard avoidance camera and a 360-degree view of the rover's surroundings with the navigation camera. The rover searched the sky for clouds with the navigation camera and took panoramic images of the "El Dorado" dune field and the Martian sky.

Sol 1042 (Dec. 8, 2006): Spirit panoramic camera took images for a full-color, 13-filter mosaic of the area studied by the rover during the last Martian winter. Spirit also scanned the area with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer.

Odometry:

As of sol 1039 (Dec. 5, 2006), Spirit's total odometry was 6,880.86 meters (4.28 miles).