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August 12th, 2022
Curiosity Left B Navigation Camera image acquired on Sol 3560, August 12, 2022.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover at Gale Crater is now performing Sol 3561 duties.
Curiosity is continuing to press on through Paraitepuy Pass reports Alex Innanen, an atmospheric scientist at York University; Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
“The terrain continues to be tricky, with lots of sand and rocks…and the rover planners are working hard to determine the best and safest way forward,” Innanen adds. “In between carefully creeping along, we’re pausing to take in the views – by which I mean do a lot of science!”
Curiosity Front Hazard Avoidance Camera Right B image taken on Sol 3560, August 12, 2022.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Best path
Before the robot departs its current location, researchers have packed in a whole host of observations. These start with Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) on the nearby Dust Removal Tool (DRT) target “Annai,” and two Remote Micro-Imager (RMI) mosaics looking further afield at the lower part of “Kukenan” and the marker band near the top of “Deepdale.”
Curiosity Chemistry & Camera Remote Micro-Imager (RMI) photo taken on Sol 3560, August 11, 2022.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/LANL
Curiosity Chemistry & Camera Remote Micro-Imager (RMI) photo taken on Sol 3560, August 11, 2022.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/LANL
Curiosity’s Mastcam is also documenting Annai, as well as looking at the side of Deepdale in order to study the processes of its formation, Innanen explains. To round out a recent morning of imaging, Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) is getting up close with two targets, Annai and “Mirizal.”
The plan called for finishing a recent sol with a drive and post-drive imaging to help find the best path onwards, Innanen notes.
Curiosity Front Hazard Avoidance Camera Right B image taken on Sol 3560, August 12, 2022.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Extra-long targeted movie
The plan for the current sol (3561) was relatively calm in comparison, with a ChemCam Autonomous Exploration for Gathering Increased Science (AEGIS) – using a software suite that permits the rover to autonomously detect and prioritize targets.
Curiosity Left B Navigation Camera image acquired on Sol 3560, August 12, 2022.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
As always, on the plan is keeping tabs on the environment of Gale Crater not only with the Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS) and Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN) instruments, which maintain their standard monitoring, but also with some observations of dust and clouds.
Curiosity Mars Hand Lens Imager photo produced on Sol 3560, August 12, 2022.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
“We have a suprahorizon movie, looking just above the horizon for clouds, followed by a line of sight and basic tau to measure atmospheric dust. We are also casting a wide net in hopes of spotting dust devils, with a 360 degree survey and extra-long targeted movie,” Innanen concludes.
Curiosity Left B Navigation Camera image acquired on Sol 3560, August 12, 2022.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Dates of planned rover activities described in these reports are subject to change due to a variety of factors related to the Martian environment, communication relays and rover status.
Curiosity Left B Navigation Camera image acquired on Sol 3560, August 12, 2022.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Curiosity Right B Navigation Camera image taken on Sol 3560, August 12, 2022.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Curiosity Right B Navigation Camera image taken on Sol 3560, August 12, 2022.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
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