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The rover bumped back 33 cm on Sol 1039, placing all 6 wheels onfirm ground and allowing contact science on the bright rocks near thetop of the slope in front of the vehicle.
The rover bumped back 33 cm on Sol 1039, placing all 6 wheels on
firm ground and allowing contact science on the bright rocks near the
top of the slope in front of the vehicle.
So the weekend plan is a full one, including both contact science and a
drive back toward the southwest. First, on Sol 1041, ChemCam will
passively (no laser) acquire spectra of the sky and a rock dubbed
"Monarch" before firing its laser at "Frog" and "Mosquito." Mastcam
will then take pictures of these rock targets as well as "Elk" and
"Lamoose." Later that afternoon, the arm will be deployed to take MAHLI
images of Lamoose, Mosquito, and the REMS UV sensor, then place the
APXS on Lamoose for an overnight integration. The drive, with DAN
measurements along the way, is planned for Sol 1042. In addition to the
usual post-drive imaging, Mastcam will again look for spots on the
"back" side of the Sun .
Overnight, SAM will complete a calibration activity. On Sol 1043,
ChemCam will take some calibration data, Navcam will search for clouds
near the northern horizon, and Mastcam will take another pair of Sun
images. Finally, late that night, CheMin will perform its own
calibration activity. So the science team is very busy today, with
activities planned for every science instrument on the rover!
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
