Written by Conor Hayes, Graduate Scholar at York College
Earth planning date: Monday, July 28, 2025
At present was a reasonably simple day of planning. Our drive over the weekend accomplished efficiently, and we rapidly confirmed that we’re parked in a secure place. Thus, we have been in a position to unstow the rover’s arm to poke round in our new workspace, which options a big sand-filled fracture. Apart from all the good geology work to be completed, the view from our present location is kind of spectacular.
We’re nonetheless within the time of yr the place the environment at Gale within reason dust-free (no less than, in comparison with later within the yr), permitting us to look all the best way out to and past the Gale crater rim. The higher slopes of Mount Sharp have additionally re-emerged to our east after spending months hidden behind the partitions of Gediz Vallis. There is a bit extra sand and dirt on this location than we have seen not too long ago, so we are able to additionally see the path left behind by the rover’s wheels as we drove to this location (see the picture above).
We’re nonetheless deep in our examination of the boxwork structures that we’re now driving via, so most of Curiosity’s consideration on this plan is concentrated a lot nearer to the rover than any of the scenic vista surrounding us. APXS, DRT, and MAHLI will all check out “Cañón de Palca,” some bedrock near the big fracture on this workspace. Mastcam and ChemCam RMI will picture some boxwork ridges at “Caine,” and also will collaborate on imaging of the weekend’s post-drive AEGIS goal and a LIBS bedrock goal “Doña Ines.” Mastcam’s solo actions embrace looking at some layering at “Paniri butte” and at MAHLI to look at a speck of mud which will have fallen on the lens.
We’ll be driving away from this location alongside one of many boxwork ridges, which, at about 5 meters (about 16 ft) extensive, is greater than massive sufficient to suit our car-sized rover. Submit-drive actions are largely targeted on environmental monitoring, together with Navcam line-of-sight and dust-devil surveys to have a look at mud, and a number of other Navcam cloud films. As common, ChemCam will even be a part of the post-drive enjoyable with an AEGIS remark. Extra environmental monitoring by REMS, RAD, and DAN fill out the rest of this plan.