Today, I led the Geology team in our planned activities on Mars. Our schedule included 1.5 hours of targeted remote science, followed by contact science. We set our sights on several targets for observations using ChemCam and Mastcam, including “Winnipeg,” “Alma,” and “Blackjack.”
Our first target, “Winnipeg,” located in the Murray formation, will be assessed using MAHLI and APXS to determine its composition. Next, we will use ChemCam to characterize the composition across the Murray-Stimson contact, while “Blackjack” presents a resistant ledge within the Murray formation that will be studied using MAHLI and DRT.
We also planned to capture Mastcam mosaics to document the Murray-Stimson contact and study the local structure and stratification. Additionally, a Mastcam tau will be obtained to evaluate atmospheric opacity. In the afternoon, we will acquire MAHLI images of the “Sacajawea” target to investigate another resistant ledge. Using APXS overnight, we will analyze the composition of both targets – Winnipeg and Sacajawea – for better understanding of their geological properties.