Leonard David's INSIDE OUTER SPACE

Curiosity Right B Navigation Camera image taken on Sol 3838, May 24, 2023.
Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover at Gale crater is now performing Sol 3839 tasks.

This month has been busy for the robot reports Scott VanBommel, a planetary scientist at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.

“Our rover has been hard at work since arriving at its current location around the first of the month. In the three weeks since, Curiosity has thoroughly characterized the area around ‘Ubajara’ and completed another successful drill campaign, its 38th such accomplishment,” VanBommel explains.  

Curiosity Right B Navigation Camera image taken on Sol 3838, May 24, 2023.
Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

On the road again

Curiosity will soon hit the road.

“While we do not anticipate any travel congestion (we’d have quite the drive before we encounter another vehicle on Mars), we remain on the lookout for fascinating stops along the way,” VanBommel explains, “particularly those that may provide us with further clues as to the ancient history of Gale crater.”

Curiosity Right B Navigation Camera image taken on Sol 3838, May 24, 2023.
Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

In a recently scripted two-sol plan (Sols 3839-3840) Curiosity’s robotic arm was extended, first thing in the morning, and cleared an oblate area (roughly the size of a sticky note) of dust using the Dust Removal Tool (DRT).

This exposed the rock target ‘Zipaquira’ for Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) analysis early in the plan, permitting Mars researchers to take advantage of the favorable cool morning temperatures as Gale crater approaches winter solstice.

Curiosity Right B Navigation Camera image taken on Sol 3838, May 24, 2023.
Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Targets in the plan

After the quick, roughly 30 minute APXS activity was completed, Curiosity moved the arm, took Mastcam images of the DRT’d Zipaquira location, and left the arm out of the way for further Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) and Mastcam activities.

Dust buster on Mars. Curiosity Mast Camera Right image acquired on Sol 3837, May 23, 2023.
Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

“ChemCam investigated the target ‘Karipuna’ before Mastcam documented both the APXS and ChemCam targets in the plan, ahead of additional imaging of the ‘Boa Hora’ target,” VanBommel reports.

Weekend plan

As lighting became more favorable around the middle of the day for the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI), Curiosity moved the arm back to Zipaquira and acquired four MAHLI images at various resolutions.

Curiosity Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) photo produced on Sol 3837, May 23, 2023.
Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

“With these images saved on board, activities at Ubajara were completed. Curiosity then commenced the next leg of its journey,” VanBommel says, a planned drive of over 120 feet (37 meters).

“At the end of the drive Curiosity acquired the requisite imaging to ensure that Friday’s planning team has everything they need for a comprehensive four-sol long weekend plan,” VanBommel concluded.