Curiosity had a successful drive of 19 m on Sol 1067 and is now back at Missoula to conduct more targeted science. The rover’s main goal is to study the Stimson-Pahrump contact in detail and determine the relative timing of some of the observed veins. The upcoming three-sol plan is packed with ChemCam analyses. On Sol 1068, Curiosity will use ChemCam LIBS to analyze four different “Missoula” targets (Missoula A, B, C, and D) to better understand the chemistry at the contact. Mastcam images will also be taken to document these targets.
On Sol 1070, the rover will perform a ChemCam passive observation on the target “Coombs” and a regular ChemCam LIBS observation on the target “Stenerson.” Additionally, environmental monitoring activities will be conducted over the weekend to check the opacity of the atmosphere and search for dust devils. After completing the investigations with ChemCam, Curiosity will resume its drive through Marias Pass on Sol 1070 and capture post-drive images in preparation for science activities next week.
Lauren Edgar, a Research Geologist at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center and a member of the MSL science team, provided this update. Please note that the dates of the planned rover activities mentioned in these reports are subject to change due to various factors related to the Martian environment, communication relays, and the rover’s status.