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After a 25-meter drive on Sol 1578, MSL is surrounded by more dark sand than usual, but there is enough rock exposed that we had a lot of science targets to choose from today. Due to the US holiday on Monday ,
we are planning 4 sols today. The first sol will include only REMS
atmospheric observations while the rover recharges after the SAM methane
measurement the night before, but the rest of the plan is packed! Sol
1580 starts with ChemCam passive (no laser) measurements of the sky and
calibration targets. Then we'll use the laser to zap rock targets "Oak
Bay" and "Rockport" and take Right Mastcam images of them. Mastcam will
also acquire a mosaic of bedrock exposures just west of the rover,
measure dust in the atmosphere, and take another image of the rover
deck. Later that afternoon, ChemCam and Right Mastcam will observe
disturbed sand at "Kennebec," an undisturbed ripple called "Spruce Top,"
and bedrock targets named "Traveler" and "Mars Hill." Right Mastcam
will also acquire a 3x1 mosaic of a more distant outcrop dubbed "Ogler
Point."
Sol 1581 is dominated by contact science,
starting with full suite of MAHLI images of Mars Hill. MAHLI will also
take close-up images of nearby "Camera Hill" and acquire a 3-image
mosaic of the layered outcrop target "Small Falls." The APXS will be
placed on Camera Hill for a short integration, then on Mars Hill for an
overnight integration.
On Sol 1582, Navcam will search
for clouds and dust devils before the rover drives away. After the
drive, AEGIS will again be used to autonomously select a ChemCam target
and acquire data, and MARDI will take another image during twilight.
Finally, the rover will get some well-earned rest overnight.
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