Our team on Mars has been forced to put our plans on hold for another sol after a fault during one of our arm activities caused us to stay put. We had been looking forward to driving to our next waypoint in the Vera Rubin Ridge science campaign, but now we find ourselves in recovery mode once again, working hard to make up for lost time.
Before the fault occurred, we captured a picture of the arm’s shadow on the ground. Now, as we embark on our third attempt at completing our science activities at this location, we are focusing on ChemCam and Mastcam targets of nearby bedrock formations with names like “Sherwood Forest,” “Tableland,” and “Troll Valley.” We have also planned a Mastcam image of a target called “Elf Woods,” originally meant for the weekend plan but removed due to power considerations.
Once these science activities are completed, Curiosity will move approximately 10 meters closer to our third designated stop on Vera Rubin Ridge. Despite the unforeseen challenges we’ve faced, our team remains determined to make the most of our time on Mars and continue exploring the Red Planet.