Leonard David's INSIDE OUTER SPACE

Curiosity’s Navcam Left B took this image on August 17, 2015, Sol 1077.
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

For NASA’s Curiosity rover on Mars it’s Sol 1078.

In an update from Ken Herkenhoff of the USGS Astrogeology Science Center in Flagstaff, Arizona, before the Mars machinery began a drive away from a current location, the ChemCam and Mastcam were set to observe rock targets dubbed “Huson” and “Ignatius.”

Mastcam was also to image another rock called “Hodown.”

ChemCam looks at rocks and soils from a distance, firing a laser at the target to analyze the elemental composition of vaporized Martian rock and soil.

This image was taken by ChemCam: Remote Micro-Imager onboard NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity on August 17, Sol 1077.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/LANL

After the drive, an overnight Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) instrument integration on a drill sample was planned. CheMin identifies and measures the abundances of various minerals on Mars.

The rover is scheduled to carry out atmospheric observations early on the morning of Sol 1079.

Credit: NASA/JPL Grotzinger

More Navcam atmospheric observations are planned later that sol, along with some ChemCam calibration activities.

Herkenhoff adds: “I’m glad that we are making good progress toward Mt. Sharp!”