The rover is set to study some intriguing knobby textures today. Before moving, it will use Navcam to take atmospheric measurements and ChemCam to analyze the targets “Duruchaus,” “Eiseb,” and “Aranos.” Mastcam will capture images of the ChemCam targets as well as document fine laminations in the rock at the Murray-Stimson contact, create a mosaic of the contact, and take a small mosaic of Mirabib and nearby veins using all of Mastcam’s science filters.
After completing these tasks, the rover will drive towards the knobby texture for post-drive imaging. However, due to its location, it is unlikely that the rover will be able to continue driving past this point. It is expected that the rover will return to its current position before proceeding onto the Naukluft plateau.
Ryan Anderson, a planetary scientist at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center and member of the ChemCam team on MSL, provided this update. The dates of planned rover activities are subject to change due to factors such as the martian environment, communication relays, and rover status.