NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover has just begun Sol 1671 activities.
Reports Roger Wiens, Curiosity’s Chemistry & Camera (ChemCam) Principal Investigator, the rover has nailed a drive of 112 feet (34 meters) to another rock exposure identified in orbital images.
Mud cracks
“Ever since we observed possible mud cracks at Old Soaker,” Wiens said, “the rover team has been pursuing the idea that Curiosity is exploring strata that represent occasional dry-lake periods.”
Interesting rocks
As the rover drives further from the dunes, Wiens added, “it is nice to be seeing more and more interesting rocks out the front window.”
The main activities in the plan that were sent up on Monday to Curiosity included a 9×7 Mastcam mosaic of the rock outcrop “Jellison Cove,” along with Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI), Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS), and ChemCam on “Deer Isle,” and a second ChemCam analysis of “Calf Island.”