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September 18th, 2015
Outcrop of interest as seen through Curiosity’s Navcam Left B camera on Sol 1107, taken September 17, 2015.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
A recent drive by the Curiosity Mars rover of 54 feet (16.6 meters) was completed on Sol 1107.
That drive placed the rover in front of a bright outcrop of interest, explains Ken Herkenhoff of the USGS Astrogeology Science Center in Flagstaff, Arizona.
Rover planners have found some bright blocks that have been confirmed as good targets for contact science, Herkenhoff reports. The plan is to approach and study these targets over the upcoming weekend.
On tap was use of Curiosity’s ChemCam and Mastcam to observe nearby rock and soil targets named “Sphinx,” “Houle,” and “Utopia.”
Mastcam Right image taken on Sol 1104, September 14, 2015
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
Earlier this week, the robot made additional contact science on the Murray formation in search of good sandstone for the rover’s next drill target.
Should we stay, should we go?
Lauren Edgar, a research geologist at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center, noted early this week that the bright patch of blocky outcrop was first identified in orbital images.
The question facing rover scientists: was the outcrop a good place to investigate further…or to keep driving?
Curiosity’s Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI), located on the turret at the end of the rover’s robotic arm, took this up-close image on September 16 2015, Sol 1106.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
Edgar said: “Can’t wait to see what the new images will reveal!”
As always, 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.
Today is Sol 1108 for Curiosity, landing on Mars in early August of 2012.
Posted in Space News
