By 
November 5th, 2015
This image was taken by Curiosity’s Right B Navcam on November 3, 2015, Sol 1153.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
An issue with the Deep Space Network curtailed some Curiosity rover activity. In addition, the intentional “safe mode” status of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) has meant less exchange between Earth and the Mars robot.
“Still, even with limited data we were able to put together a good plan,” notes Ryan Anderson, a planetary scientist at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center in Flagstaff, Arizona.
Recent planning “was a bit challenging,” Anderson reports, “because we only got a few Navcam images down to show us possible science targets, which limited our choices for ChemCam observations.”
Sand dunes ahead
On Sol 1155, the Chemistry & Camera (ChemCam) was to observe the targets “Thermopolis” and “Pinckney” to get measurements of the typical bedrock and typical soil or sand in the area, plus a long-distance image of one of the sand dunes that the rover is approaching, Anderson adds.
Also, on tap, the rover’s Mastcam was set to take documentation images of those two ChemCam targets and the distant sand dune, plus a 13×3 mosaic of a nearby outcrop.
Following those duties, Curiosity was slated to drive and take standard post-drive images.
Looking for clouds
On Sol 1156, Anderson notes, several environmental and atmospheric measurements, including a couple Mastcam observations to measure the amount of dust in the atmosphere were on the books, as was making Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN) observations, and a Navcam movie to look for clouds.
Lastly, the Mars Descent Imager (MARDI) also has a post-drive image of the ground under the rover.
“The weekend plan,” Anderson concludes, “looks like it will be focused on contact science, but we should be able to fit some ChemCam in there too!”
As always, projected dates of planned rover activities are subject to change due to a variety of factors related to the Martian environment, communication relays and rover status.
Posted in Space News
