By 
November 4th, 2020
“Hedgehope Hill” taken by Curiosity’s Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) in a “dog’s eye” mosaic produced October 29 on Sol 2926 – where MAHLI gets down low to the ground to look at the side of a rock. Technique helps Mars researchers learn how the sediment in this rock was deposited.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover is now performing Sol 2932 tasks.
Curiosity MAHLI photo produced on Sol 2931, November 3, 2020.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
“Curiosity is on the road to the sulfate unit, but there are always stops on a road trip,” reports Kristen Bennett, a planetary geologist at USGS Astrogeology Science Center in Flagstaff, Arizona. The rover’s drive did not finish in the weekend plan, so there has been a re-sequencing of that drive.
Meanwhile, the operations team has scripted a plan that includes contact science, remote science, and a drive, Bennett adds.
Curiosity Chemistry & Camera Remote Micro-Imager (RMI) photo acquired on Sol 2931, November 3, 2020.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/LANL
Surrounded by pebbles
“The shortened drive placed the rover in a location surrounded by pebbles and loose soil,” Bennett notes, so the robot’s Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) and Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) target, “Rachan,” is a pebble near the rover.
Curiosity Front Hazard Avoidance Camera Right B image taken on Sol 2931, November 3, 2020.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
The Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) target, “Lee,” is a different pebble near the rover.
“It is always good to document the composition of the terrain, even if that means targeting a lot of pebbles! Several Mastcam mosaics are planned that cover the rocks carved into benches Curiosity will explore over the next few weeks. There will also be a dust devil movie in an attempt to spot more dust devils during this windy season,” Bennett reports.
Curiosity Left B Navigation Camera image taken on Sol 2931, November 3, 2020.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Curiosity Left B Navigation Camera image taken on Sol 2931, November 3, 2020.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Curiosity Left B Navigation Camera image taken on Sol 2931, November 3, 2020.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Curiosity Left B Navigation Camera image taken on Sol 2931, November 3, 2020.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Posted in Space News
