Sol 2075: Adding More Science to Our Focus

On Sol 2075, the primary focus of our planning was on conducting a methane experiment using our SAM instrument to analyze an atmospheric sample. Although this experiment consumed most of our planning time, we were able to allocate an additional 45 minutes for additional science activities. This extra time was split between our Environmental (ENV) and Geologic (GEO) theme groups.

The ENV group planned several atmospheric monitoring activities to assess dust opacity using Navcam and Mastcam. These included taking line-of-sight images, performing a tau measurement, searching for dust devils with Navcam images, and capturing a deck monitoring image with Mastcam. The GEO team, on the other hand, planned a ChemCam LIBS observation on the target known as “Little Marais,” which had been previously analyzed on Sol 2074. This additional observation aimed to further characterize the chemistry of this intriguing feature. Additionally, ChemCam took an RMI image of the Duluth drill hole, which would aid in the planning of future drill hole targeting for the weekend.

In conclusion, although today’s planning centered primarily on the methane experiment, we were able to incorporate additional science activities for both the ENV and GEO groups to continue our exploration and analysis of the Martian environment.