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Sols 787-788 Update On Curiosity From USGS Scientist Lauren Edgar: Drive to Gilbert Peak

It was a busy day of rover operations here at the USGS.

It was a busy day of rover operations here at the USGS. Ken Herkenhoff was the Science Operations Working Group (SOWG) Chair and I was the Geology Science Theme Lead (STL). Today we planned two sols and the goal was to characterize the Book Cliffs outcrop and drive toward the "Gilbert Peak" outcrop. This Navcam image from Sol 785 shows our current location at Book Cliffs in the lower right part of the frame, and some beautiful ripples in the valley to the west. The Sol 787-788 plan includes a number of ChemCam and Mastcam observations of the targets "Goblin Valley," "Deadman Pass," and "Funeral Peak" (we picked names that also fit a Halloween theme!). We also planned some Mastcam mosaics to investigate the stratigraphy at Book Cliffs and some other upcoming outcrops. During the drive on Sol 787 we will acquire a series of MARDI and Mastcam images to document the geology along the traverse. The plan also includes postdrive imaging to prepare for targeting on Friday , as well as environmental observations to characterize the atmospheric opacity and composition. Ken and I will both be on duty again on Friday, and we’re looking forward to exploring the Gilbert Peak outcrop.

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 Lauren Edgar, Planetary Geologist at USGS Astrogeology Science Center

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Last Updated
Oct 30, 2024

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