Today on Mars, the planning day went very smoothly, starting off with a science block filled with various spectroscopic ChemCam observations. The ChemCam instrument can be used in both passive and active modes, and both were utilized in today’s plan. Active observations required shooting a laser at specific rock targets like “Coatbridge” and “Pitscurrie”, analyzing the resulting plasmas. These observations will help determine the spectral characteristics of the local geology, and Mastcam images will provide context for these measurements.
In the second science block, while REMS monitoring was ongoing, environmental observations were conducted. This included Navcam movies to look for dust devils and clouds. These observations are important for understanding the environmental conditions on Mars and how they may impact the mission. The team on Mars is dedicated to gathering as much data as possible to further our knowledge of the Red Planet.