The MSL project has determined that the bright object on the ground is not harmful, allowing the team to proceed with the first sample manipulation activities. These complex tasks have led to the exclusion of any “opportunistic science” in the Sol 64 plan. Instead, the science team focused on planning for future sols.
As a member of the long-term planning team, I collaborated with them to determine the best time to schedule a ChemCam decontamination (heating) activity. While Sol 66 appears to be the most suitable time for this task, plans are subject to change in the future.