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July 23rd, 2016
Curiosity Mastcam Right image taken on Sol 1407, July 21, 2016.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
Now in Sol 1409, NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover has focused its observations on a blocky deposit dubbed “Bimbe.”
Other targets over the weekend that are under scrutiny with rover instruments are “Seeis”, “Seeheim”, “Wilhelmstal”, “Oranjemund” , “Funda” and “Zambezi”.
Curiosity Navcam Left B image taken on Sol 1407, July 21, 2016.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Drive planned
On Sol 1410, the rover’s Chemistry & Camera (ChemCam) has an observation of the target “Mariental” with support from Mastcam.
“After that, we drive and do the usual post-drive imaging,” explains Ryan Anderson, a planetary scientist at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center in Flagstaff, Arizona.
The base image from the map is from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment Camera (HiRISE) in NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona
Rover deck deposits
On Sol 1411, the rover’s Mastcam has an observation of the rover deck to watch for dust and sand that end up on top of the rover, Anderson adds.
Wheel atop rock. Mars rover Curiosity acquired this image using its Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) on July 21, 2016, Sol 1407.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
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.
New map
Meanwhile, a new map has been released showing the route driven by NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity through the 1405 Martian day, or sol, of the rover’s mission on Mars (July, 20, 2016).
Numbering of the dots along the line indicate the sol number of each drive. North is up.
NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity acquired this image using its Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) on July 21, 2016, Sol 1407.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
From Sol 1401 to Sol 1405, Curiosity had driven a straight line distance of about 89.50 feet (27.28 meters).
Since touching down in Bradbury Landing in August 2012, Curiosity has driven 8.31 miles (13.37 kilometers).
Posted in Space News
