Yesterday was a challenging day on Mars and Earth.
Yesterday was a challenging day on Mars and Earth. On Mars,
the rover stopped its drive early because it detected that its wheels were
slipping in the sand, so we weren’t where we expected to be and we had to
adjust our observations accordingly. At the same time on Earth, some network
issues at JPL made it difficult for many of us to connect to the tools that we
use to do our planning. Luckily those issues didn’t start up until the planning
for Sol 924 was pretty far along, so we were still able to get a good plan put
together.
On sol 924, ChemCam analyzed a layered rock target called "Hennefer",
and Mastcam took a supporting image. Mastcam also took a mosaic of the outcrop
we are heading toward, called "Garden City", as well as a small mosaic of the
sand ripple (called "Tropic Ripple") near where we stopped, and a mosaic of a
tiny crater that we called "Hemicyon Basin."
After that, the rover continued on its drive toward Garden
City. After the drive, ChemCam did a calibration measurement, MAHLI took an
image from its stowed position, and Mastcam took a 2x1 mosaic looking back
across the floor of Gale crater toward the "Peace Vallis" alluvial fan. Mastcam
and Navcam also had some atmospheric observations, and Mastcam and Navcam also
took some standard post-drive mosaics.
This morning things were a lot smoother. We started off
planning ogling the beautiful images of the Garden City outcrop, which is
cris-crossed with erosion resistant ridges. The plan for sol 925 is to do a
ChemCam analysis and associated Mastcam mosaic on one of the nearby ridges
called "San Timoteo", along with a Mastcam stereo mosaic of Garden City. Later
in the day, ChemCam has an observation of a dark rock to test some focusing
settings on a very dark target. Then CheMin will do an overnight analysis on
the sample that it is currently working on.
On the morning of sol 926m ChemCam has some passive observations
of the sky, and Mastcam and Navcam also have some atmospheric measurements.
Then the rover will do a short drive toward Garden City, followed by standard
imaging plus some extra Navcams of the hill that is rising above us.
Finally on sol 927, Mastcam and Navcam have some more
atmospheric measurements.
Next week many of us on the science team will be at the
Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, but we will also be eagerly checking in
on what Curiosity is doing at the tantalizing Garden City outcrop. by Ryan Anderson -Ryan is a planetary scientist at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center and a member of the ChemCam team on MSL. 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
