The 32-meter Sol 1371 drive completed exactly as planned, givingthe rover a good view of the path toward the south .
The 32-meter Sol 1371 drive completed exactly as planned, giving
the rover a good view of the path toward the south . So another
~30-meter drive is planned for Sol 1373, after some remote science
observations. We had the option of using the DRT and taking MAHLI
images of the brush spot before the drive, but the science team decided
to acquire more remote science observations rather than brushing the
Stimson Formation bedrock reachable by the arm. Mastcam will image the
path ahead through all spectral filters, then ChemCam and the Right
Mastcam will observe Stimson bedrock targets "Sesfontein" and
"Swartbooisdrif." The Right Mastcam will image the ChemCam target that
was autonomously selected by the AEGIS software on Sol 1371, and a Left
Mastcam mosaic of a fracture zone west of the rover
is planned. On Sol 1374, AEGIS will be used to autonomously
acquire another ChemCam observation and the Left Mastcam will take a 3x2
mosaic of the same area.
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
