Written by Remington Free, Operations Methods Engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Earth planning date: Friday, Might 9, 2025
I used to be on downlink right this moment for SA-SPaH, our robotic arm staff. We efficiently accomplished a variety of enjoyable arm actions, together with a DRT brushing and APXS observations of a bedrock goal, and in addition accomplished a traverse of about 25 meters (about 82 toes). Thrilling!
In the present day, our uplink staff deliberate three sols of actions. On Sol 4536, we’re utilizing the arm to do some inspection imaging of the MAHLI magnet utilizing Mastcam. This magnet permits us to find out whether or not or not the MAHLI cowl has efficiently opened or closed. These magnets accumulate a number of Martian mud particles, so we periodically take imaging to examine the amount of mud and get a greater understanding of the state of the {hardware}. I’ve included above a picture of the MAHLI instrument, from our final inspection on Sol 4291. After the magnet inspection, we’ll do some extra typical arm actions, which embrace some APXS placements, DRT brushing, and MAHLI imaging on targets of curiosity.
On this workspace, we’re fascinated about targets characterizing the pale layered sulfate unit we’ve been driving on, in addition to a goal within the new ridge-forming unit. Past our arm actions, we’ll do further science observations of the floor utilizing Mastcam and ChemCam.
On Sol 4537, we’ll concentrate on driving! Previous to our drive, we’ll take some extra scientific observations, together with a Navcam cloud film, Mastcam documentation of some geological items, and ChemCam LIBS on a ridge-forming unit. We’ve then deliberate a 21-meter drive (about 69 toes) to take us to a bedrock space of scientific curiosity. We’re excited as a result of the terrain seems fairly benign, so we’re hoping all of it goes easily!
Submit-drive, we’ll take some Mastcam survey imaging of clasts and soils alongside the traverse. Lastly on Sol 4538, we’ll intention our focus upwards and take a variety of observations of the sky. We’ll begin with a Navcam giant dust-devil survey, a Mastcam tau measurement of the atmospheric optical depth, and a ChemCam passive sky statement to check atmospheric composition. Early the next morning, we’ll take some further Navcam observations of clouds, and full one other Mastcam tau measurement of optical depth.