Sols 1245-1247: Analyzing Murray formation bedrock

5 February 2016

On Sol 1244, Curiosity bumped 2 meters forward to get to a nice patch of bedrock. The focus of the weekend plan is to study typical Murray formation bedrock, do some targeted remote sensing, and then drive towards the Naukluft Plateau.

The 3-sol weekend plan starts by using the DRT to clear off the dust on the target “Kudis.” Then we’ll acquire MAHLI images of this typical Murray formation bedrock. Nearby, there’s an interesting patch of nodules, so the science team decided to go for a second MAHLI target named “Tinkas.” In addition to all of the contact science on “Kudis” and “Tinkas,” MAHLI will also be used for wheel imaging and to check out the REMS UV sensor. Overnight, we’ll acquire APXS data on both targets, to compare the typical bedrock composition to the nodule-rich composition. On the second sol, Curiosity will wake up early for some atmospheric monitoring observations. Around midday, we’ll acquire Mastcam multispectral imaging of “Kudis,” followed by a ChemCam passive observation of the sky. ChemCam will also be used to assess the composition of typical bedrock and the nodule-rich rock, and Mastcam will document the local geology. On the third sol, Curiosity will drive towards the Naukluft Plateau, and acquire post-drive imaging to prepare for next week. Sounds like a busy weekend!

By Lauren Edgar

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