Curiosity’s Two-Sol Plan on Mars: Contact Science and Remote Sensing to Reveal Unique Martian Environments

Mars rover Curiosity is set to carry out a two-sol plan on the red planet. The plan, which involves targeted remote sensing and contact science at a target called “Koes,” will help researchers better understand the geology and environment of the Martian surface.

The team behind Curiosity has been searching for a suitable location to conduct contact science on the Murray formation in the area, and “Koes” was chosen for this purpose due to its unique characteristics. Due to constraints on power and time, contact science could not be included in the weekend plan, making it a great opportunity to include it in this plan.

The first part of the two-sol plan will involve ChemCam and Mastcam observations of “Koes” and “Onawa” to gather data and characterize the Murray formation in the area. The team will then use the Dust Removal Tool (DRT) to brush off a fresh surface at “Koes” before capturing images with the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI). In addition to imaging the rocks, MAHLI will also be used to capture images of the rover wheels for ongoing monitoring purposes. The Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) will be placed on “Koes” for an overnight integration to analyze the composition of the target.

After conducting a Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) preconditioning activity, which heats up a sample cup in preparation for solid sample analysis, Curiosity will wake up early on Sol 1381 to acquire a Mastcam mosaic of “Baynes Mountain” to document