Curiosity Mastcam Right image taken on Sol 1521, November 15, 2016. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

Curiosity Mastcam Right image taken on Sol 1521, November 15, 2016.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

 

Now in Sol 1525, NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover is wheeling toward a new drill site.

Making use of the rover’s Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) some striking images have been acquired of an outcrop called “Seawall.”

Curiosity Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) image of “Seawall” taken on November 18, 2016, Sol 1523. MAHLI is located on the turret at the end of the rover's robotic arm. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

Curiosity Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) image of “Seawall” taken on November 18, 2016, Sol 1523. MAHLI is located on the turret at the end of the rover’s robotic arm.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

According to Lauren Edgar, a research geologist at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center in Flagstaff, Arizona, the current plan is focused on finishing robot investigation at “Sutton Island,” and then driving towards the next drill target, roughly 30 feet (9 meters) away.

Bedrock composition

Also on tap are Navcam and Mastcam observations by the rover to monitor the opacity of the atmosphere and search for clouds.

Curiosity MAHLI image taken on November 18, 2016, Sol 1523. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

Curiosity MAHLI image taken on November 18, 2016, Sol 1523.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

Then the schedule includes Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) observations of “Ironbound Island” and “Goat Trail” to assess the composition of the bedrock. Furthermore, the plan also includes several Mastcam mosaics to characterize the geometry of this deposit and document its sedimentary structures.

Curiosity is also set to acquire MAHLI images of “Ironbound Island” to characterize the more typical Murray bedrock in this area, followed by an overnight Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) integration on the same target, Edgar adds.

Systematic campaign

The weekend plan also has Curiosity drive toward the next drill target “as we continue our systematic campaign of sampling the Murray formation,” Edgar points out.

Curiosity Mastcam Right image taken on Sol 1521, November 15, 2016.

Curiosity Mastcam Right image taken on Sol 1521, November 15, 2016.

“After the drive we’ll take post-drive imaging, including workspace imaging,” Edgar notes, “to prepare for upcoming contact science and characterizing the intended drill site.”

Look for methane

Lastly, a ChemCam’s Autonomous Exploration for Gathering Increased Science (AEGIS) software is to be utilized. In addition to all of these activities, the rover will perform a Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) Instrument Suite atmospheric observation to look for methane.

Concludes Edgar: “Quite the weekend for Curiosity!”

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