Curiosity Mastcam Left image acquired on Sol 1669, April 17, 2017.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

 

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

Curiosity Mastcam Right image of “Old Soaker,” taken on Sol 1568, January 3, 2017. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

“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.”

Curiosity Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) photo, acquired on Sol 1668, April 16, 2017.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

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.”

 

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