Leonard David's INSIDE OUTER SPACE

Curiosity Mastcam Right image taken on Sol 1548, December 13, 2016.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

Now in Sol 1550, Curiosity rover operators have yet to solve issues with the robot’s drill.

“Use of the arm and driving remain off limits while the drill continues to be diagnosed,” reports Ken Herkenhoff of the USGS Astrogeology Science Center in Flagstaff, Arizona.

A two sol plan has been scripted that makes use of  Curiosity’s Chemistry & Camera (ChemCam) and Right Mastcam observations of bright vein targets dubbed “Bear Brook” and “Canon Brook.”

Curiosity Rear Hazcam Left B image acquired on Sol 1549, December 14, 2016.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Twilight looks

The plan also calls for use of the Mars Descent Imager (MARDI) to acquire images during both morning and evening twilight to look for changes due to winds.

Also scripted are remote sensing duties on Sol 1551 that include ChemCam, Navcam and Mastcam observations of the sky and Sun at a couple times of day, and a set of ChemCam calibration activities, Herkenhoff adds.