Sol 1290: A good vantage point

22 March 2016

The drive on Sol 1290 was successful, and Curiosity drove ~15 m to the north. We are currently sitting on top of a ridge in the Stimson formation, which provides a good view of the surrounding terrain and will enable us to plan the upcoming drives better.

The goal this week is to keep making our way across the Naukluft Plateau. Today’s plan follows a similar structure: remote sensing, drive, and post-drive imaging. The plan includes ChemCam documentation of the local bedrock at a target named “Khaudam,” and two Mastcam mosaics to assess the sedimentary structures exposed along the ridge. Then Curiosity will continue driving across the plateau, and will take post-drive imaging to prepare for upcoming targeting and traverse planning. It’s a quiet week of operations, while most of the science team is busy at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in Houston!

By Lauren Edgar

--Lauren is a Research Geologist at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center and a member of the MSL science team.