As part of its ongoing exploration mission, the rover on Mars is set to focus on studying some intriguing knobby textures. Before proceeding with the drive, Navcam will collect atmospheric measurements while ChemCam will analyze targets “Duruchaus,” “Eiseb,” and “Aranos.” Mastcam will capture documentation images of ChemCam’s targets as well as mosaics of fine laminations in the rock at the Murray-Stimson contact and of Mirabib and nearby veins using all of Mastcam’s science filters.
After imaging activities, a short drive will be conducted towards the knobby texture. Post-drive imaging is planned to document any changes in the terrain. However, due to its location, it is not suitable for further driving exploration. It is expected that the rover will return to its current position before continuing its journey up onto the Naukluft plateau.
Ryan Anderson, a planetary scientist at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center and a member of the ChemCam team on MSL, discusses the planned rover activities. These activities may be subject to change due to factors such as the martian environment, communication relays, and rover status.
