Sol 801-802 Update on Curiosity from USGS Scientist Ken Herkenhoff: Investigating the Scuff

The short drive and wheel scuffing activities planned for Sol 799
all completed as planned, leaving the rover in position for detailed
examination of the scuff .

Planning is still restricted, so we are planning 2 sols again today.
On Sol 801, Mastcam and ChemCam will observe the material disturbed by
the scuff, the "wall" of the scuff, and undisturbed material outside of
the scuffed area for comparison. Then the
APXS will be placed on the disturbed target "Kelso" for overnight
integration. Much more arm work is planned for Sol 802: The APXS will
be used to sense the surface, allowing more accurate placement of MAHLI
near targets "Dumont," "Kelso," and "Garlock" for
high-resolution imaging. Then the APXS will be placed on Dumont for
another overnight integration. Planning all of these activities took
more time than usual, so as SOWG Chair I had to watch the clock and push
more than usual to get back on schedule. In
the end, we recovered and the plan is looking good.

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 Ken Herkenhoff, Planetary Geologist at USGS Astrogeology Science Center