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Sol 1183: Completing mobility tests

Today we are planning the last sol of the mobility test,
turning and backing out of the sand while taking multiple Hazcam images, then
pausing to take Navcam and Mastcam images of the wheel tracks. But first, Mastcam will take multispectral
images of a rock named "Narabeb" and a soil target dubbed "Kubib." The right Mastcam will also acquire another
2x2 mosaic of Secomib, to look for changes in the trench wall, and image the
spots where the APXS was placed on the sand.
The biggest challenge for me as SOWG Chair today was to prioritize the
post-drive data, as the volume of data expected to be received in time for
planning tomorrow is smaller than usual.
We’re hoping that the rover will drive close enough to " High Dune "
to allow contact science on the dark dune sand, so we’ll need good images of
the arm workspace. But we’re also
planning to drive again this weekend, so we’ll also need images in the
direction of the drive. It looks like we
will get just enough data to enable a full weekend plan, assuming that all the orbiter
and ground assets work as we’ve come to expect.

Later in the afternoon, the ChemCam RMI and right Mastcam
will acquire a small mosaic of an outcrop up on Mount Sharp, and both Mastcams
will image the ground in front of the rover.
Finally, the left Mastcam will acquire a mosaic of the ground and sand
to the right of the rover, and MARDI will take another twilight image. by Ken Herkenhoff
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