Curiosity Sols 4927–4933: Let’s Drive to That Smooth Area

The science team has mapped several areas with different-looking surface texture in the area Curiosity is exploring. The "Where is Curiosity?" map shows shades of orange and beige as well as rough and smooth-looking textures, which geomorphologists use to plan the rover's exploration.

Ground-based images, including drive-direction imaging taken after each drive by the Mast Camera, supplement the orbital view and feed into drive planning. On Monday the team planned three sols to cover the U.S. federal holiday weekend. The workspace was spiky so the team could not find a place for the DRT.

APXS still found one good bedrock target, "Rio Baker," documented by MAHLI. ChemCam investigated "Rica Aventura" and "Tabebuia" with LIBS and made a passive spectral observation of a dark float block called "Lago Ranco," while remote imaging extended the investigation of the Cordillera base outcrop.

United States

curiosity, mars, sols, mast camera, chemcam, apxs, mahli, libs, rio baker, lago ranco