Sol 1360: Preparing to drill
2 June 2016
Arm work continues to go well, so preparation for drilling and
sample analysis is the focus of the Sol 1360 plan. First, CheMin will
dump the Lubango and Okoruso drill samples out of their cells. Then
ChemCam and Mastcam will observe a bright vein named "Charlottenfelder"
and a bedrock target called "Chameis Bay" before arm activities resume.
MAHLI will take close-up images of the Oudam drill target
and a single image of the "footprint" that APXS likely made on the
Okoruso dump pile yesterday. Overnight, CheMin will analyze an empty
cell to provide a baseline measurement before receiving the new drill
sample. Early the next morning, before handover to the next plan,
observations of the Sun and sky will measure dust in the atmosphere over
the rover and search for clouds and dust devils. The Right Mastcam
will take a 10-image mosaic of the "Otjizonjati" outcrop northwest of
the rover
when it is well-illuminated by the morning sun. Finally, the RMI will
acquire a 5-image mosaic of part of Aeolis Mons (Mount Sharp) toward the
south.
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.