After a short six-meter drive to “Hallaig,” the science team began their investigation at a new potential drill target called “Broad Cairn.” This spot was identified as a flat area on a bright block within the clay-bearing unit of the Martian terrain. To determine if this location contained high levels of potassium (K), the team commanded the rover to use the dust removal tool (DRT) to clean off the spot. Following this, close-up pictures were taken using the MAHLI camera, with plans for an Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) integration at the optimal time of day to ensure high-quality data collection.
The primary focus was on retrieving the data quickly, so other science observations were delayed to the next planning sol. As the team eagerly awaits the results of their analysis, the anticipation builds as they hope to gain valuable insights from the information gathered at “Broad Cairn.”