MSL Mission Scientists Make Surprise Discovery and Reveal New Techniques in Data Transmission

On Sol 27, the focus of the plan was to sample Mars’ atmosphere with the SAM instrument. ChemCam was operational again, so the top priority was given to acquiring better observations of its calibration target. However, upon discovering a new outcrop target, the science team wanted to investigate further with ChemCam’s laser. Steve Squyres, the Mineralogy Science Theme Group Lead, requested an additional 40 minutes for scientific observations from Tactical Uplink Lead Pauline Hwang, who agreed.

This decision brought about happiness among the team as Mastcam observations were included in the plan. As I left JPL a few hours ago, it seemed likely that these observations would be approved and sent to MSL early the next morning. Although I wasn’t scheduled for a tactical role that day, I couldn’t resist spending most of my time at JPL as I find MSL mission operations to be incredibly engaging. With less focus on planning, I was able to catch up on tasks such as processing new MARDI images for compression analysis and reviewing older ChemCam RMI images for size reduction potential.

Compressing images is crucial for maximizing data transmission efficiency from MSL to Mars orbiters. Preserving image details for geological interpretation while optimizing file sizes is essential. Completing this analysis promptly is vital for ensuring efficient data transmission and utilization of resources.