The Sol 1352 post-drive imaging indicates that there are sandy ripples ahead on the rover’s path, but there are also enough rocky patches to ensure smooth driving towards the southwest. This is encouraging news, as the team is planning to proceed in that direction on Sol 1353. Before the drive, Mastcam will capture stereo mosaics of the Murray-Stimson contact and a few areas to the west featuring nodular features. Following the drive, ChemCam will autonomously analyze the chemistry of a chosen target using AEGIS software.
To prepare for the upcoming Memorial Day holiday weekend, two sols are being planned in advance. Data from Sol 1352 will be received the following morning to aid in planning for the remainder of the weekend. The activities for Sol 1353 are not exact, so Navcam will be on the lookout for clouds and Mastcam will monitor dust levels in the atmosphere at different times during the sol. Additionally, ChemCam will conduct a calibration activity as part of its routine operations.
As the MAHLI/MARDI uplink lead, it was a straightforward day for Ken Herkenhoff, with only the usual planning for the MARDI twilight image. Please note that the dates of planned rover activities mentioned in these reports may change due to various factors related to Mars’ environment, communication relays, and the rover’s current status.