Earth preparation date: Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024
The rover is on its method from the Tungsten Hills website to the next concern website for Gediz Vallis channel expedition, in which we prepare to get in close adequate for arm science to among the various big dark-toned “float” obstructs in the channel and likewise to among the light-toned pieces. We have actually seen some dark blocks in the channel that appear to be associated with the Stimson development product that the rover came across previously in the objective, however some appear like they might be something various. We do not believe any of them came from the channel so they need to originate from someplace greater up that the rover hasn’t been, and we’re interested in how they were transferred down into the channel.
We aren’t there yet, however the 4302-4303 strategy’s activities consist of some crucial longer-range characterization of the dark-toned and light-toned products through imaging. Context for the future close-up science on the dark-toned blocks will be offered by the Mastcam mosaics called “Bakeoven Meadow” and “Balloon Dome.” The broad Balloon Dome mosaic likewise covers a low dome-like structure formed by the light-toned slab-like rocks (visualized). Smaller sized mosaics will cover a set of targets that consist of contacts where other kinds of light-toned and dark-toned product happen beside each other in the exact same block: “Rattlesnake Creek” which seems in location, and “Casa Diablo Hot Springs,” which is a float.
The rover’s arm office offered a chance for contemporary aeolian science on the sandy-looking ripple, Sandy Meadow. Mastcam stereo imaging will record the shape of the ripple, while a suite of high-resolution MAHLI images will inform us something about the particle size of the grains in it. The contemporary environment will likewise be kept an eye on through a suprahorizon observation, a dust devil study, and imaging of the rover deck to try to find dust motion.
The work space consisted of little examples of the dark float blocks, so the structure of among them will be determined by both APXS and ChemCam LIBS as targets “Lucy’s Foot Pass” and “Colt Lake” respectively.
In the meantime, the Mastcam Boneyard Meadow mosaic will offer an appearance back at the Tungsten Hills dark rippled block along its bed linen aircraft to attempt to limit the origin of the ripples and the possible functions of water vs. wind in their development.
Interaction stays an obstacle for the rover in this place. Throughout preparation, the rover’s drive was moved from the 2nd sol to the very first sol in order to increase the downlink information volume readily available for the post-drive imaging, consequently making it possible for much better preparation at the science waypoint we anticipate to reach in the weekend strategy. Keeping interactions will need the rover to end its drive in a narrow variety of orientations, which might make approaching our next science target a bit challenging. We’ll learn on Friday!
Composed by: Lucy Lim, Planetary Scientist at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Modified by: Abigail Fraeman,