The plan for Sol 713 is to do some brief ChemCam and Mastcam observations of a target calledThorndike, and then drive.
The plan for Sol 713 is to do some brief ChemCam and Mastcam observations of a target called
Thorndike, and then drive. The goal of the drive is to move the rover a short distance back in the
direction we came from to get out of the sand that has been causing driving difficulties recently. Once
we’re on more stable ground, we will weigh science and engineering considerations and decide what
our driving strategy will be: do we keep trying to drive in the sand in Hidden Valley, or do we drive on
the rocky surface of Zabriskie plateau?
Dates of planned rover activities described in these reports are subject to change due to a variety of factors related to the Martian environment, communication relays and rover status.
Written by Ryan Anderson, Planetary Geologist at USGS Astrogeology Science Center
