Leonard David's INSIDE OUTER SPACE

Curiosity Front Hazard Avoidance Camera Left B image taken on Sol 3092, April 18, 2021.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover at Gale Crater is now performing Sol 3093 tasks.

Curiosity is ready to begin the drilling campaign on the “Bardou” drill target on top of “Mont Mercou” reports Mark Salvatore, a planetary geologist at the University of Michigan.

Dust Removal Tool preps new drill site. Curiosity Mars Hand Lens Imager photo produced on Sol 3092, April 18, 2021.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

The first day of the weekend plan (Sols 3092-3093) was slated to consist of acquiring passive spectra on this new drill target as well as additional context imaging for future targeting efforts, Salvatore adds.

Curiosity was scheduled to deploy its robotic arm to maneuver the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) into position for imaging.

Curiosity Left B Navigation Camera image acquired on Sol 3092, April 18, 2021.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Environmental imaging

On the following sol, Curiosity was set to continue imaging her surroundings as well as a Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) calibration target, followed by several rounds of environmental imaging using both the rover’s Navcam and Mastcam instruments.

These environmental observations were to occur midday, in the evening, and in the early morning hours of the following sol before handing the plan over to the next planning phase.

Curiosity Left B Navigation Camera image acquired on Sol 3092, April 18, 2021.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

“Stay tuned for some additional breathtaking images from this beautiful vantage point,” Salvatore concludes, “as well as data from the next drill target on Mars!”