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Sols 1509-1510: No contact science

MSL drove another 44 meters on Sol 1508, ending up in an area that
again is partly covered by dark sand. There aren't any very compelling
targets within the arm workspace , so we decided again to forgo contact
science, and focused instead on remote observations. Planning is
restricted, so we are planning 2 sols today. On Sol 1509, Navcam will
search for dust devils and ChemCam will acquire passive spectra of
"Ellsworth," another target in the area about 500 meters away where
orbital data indicate the presence of clay minerals. ChemCam and the
Right Mastcam will also observe a nearby sand target named "Sand Beach,"
a vein target called "The Triad," and a typical bedrock target dubbed
"Rum Island." The Right Mastcam will then acquire a 5x1 mosaic of
Ellsworth and "McFarland Hill" and a 3x1 mosaic of nodule-rich bedrock
at "Connors Nubble." A 4x1 Left Mastcam mosaic is also planned, to
survey nearby sedimentary structures and nodules. The rover will drive
again later that afternoon, and images will be acquired to set us up for
contact science (including brushing) this weekend. ChemCam will then
observe a target selected using AEGIS, and CheMin will perform another
analysis overnight. On Sol 1510, ChemCam will perform multiple
calibration activities. We're hoping that we'll be in a good position
for contact science after the Sol 1509 drive!

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