After a successful 114 m drive through Amargosa Valley on Sol 751, we are planning our arrival at the Pahrump Hills! The scenery is fantastic, and this Navcam image shows the bright outcrop that we intend to investigate. Planning is restricted this week, so today we are planning Sols 753 and 754. On the first sol we are planning several Mastcam and Navcam observations to characterize the terrain and the local geology, as well as a SAM observation to study the composition of the atmosphere. A short ~30 m drive on Sol 753 should put Curiosity in a good position at the Pahrump Hills. Sol 754 will consist of 2 hours of untargeted remote sensing, including ChemCam calibration activities to prepare for the Pahrump investigation, and a Navcam movie to monitor the atmosphere. While Curiosity is busy making her way towards the Pahrump Hills, the MSL Science Team is meeting in Pasadena this week to discuss recent results and plan upcoming science investigations!
Dates of planned rover activities described in these reports are subject to change due to a variety of factors related to the Martian environment, communication relays and rover status.
Written by Lauren Edgar, Planetary Geologist at USGS Astrogeology Science Center
