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February 10th, 2017
Mastcam Left image from Curiosity rover taken on Sol 1604, February 9, 2017.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
The Curiosity Mars rover’s Chemistry & Camera (ChemCam) is expected to be back in operation shortly, after running a set of planned diagnostics.
Mastcam observations have been underway to look for any changes in the nearby sand.
Mastcam also has multispectral observations of targets “Matagamon,” “Scarboro,” and “Flume Ridge.” Mastcam is on tap too to create a mosaic of some interesting sand ripples.
Curiosity Navcam Right B image taken on Sol 1605, February 10, 2017.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Dust devil movie
In addition, Mastcam atmospheric observations and a Navcam dust devil movie is on the schedule, reports Ryan Anderson, a planetary scientist at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center in Flagstaff, Arizona.
The robot’s assignments included use of the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) to take a look at “Matagamon,” “West Branch,” “Flume Ridge,” “Dry Wall” and “McKenny.”
Moving on
This action is to be followed by an engineering test with the rover’s Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) and perform an overnight APXS measurement of the target “Flume Ridge.”
Curiosity Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) photo acquired on February 10, 2017, Sol 1605.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
If all goes according to plan, observations by Curiosity will move on to stop #2 of this second campaign to study Bagnold dunes, Anderson concludes.
Posted in Space News
