Earth preparation date: Monday, Nov. 25, 2024 Today we prepared a massive seven-sol strategy, to cover the U.S. Thanksgiving vacation duration. Our weekend drive ended a little early and we didn’t get all of our required verification images. At 7 feet high and weighing about 2,000 pounds, the rover itself is as huge as a big vehicle (check out this page, with a 3D interactive design of the rover, and more information about its measurements). The contact science instruments are at the end of the arm, which extends for another 7 feet (2.1 meters) when completely extended– for example, when reaching for a target in the work space. We actually require those verification images to be sure that all 6 wheels are securely planted on the ground before getting the arm to do get in touch with science– nobody desires our rover to be all wibbly-wobbly, like a huge tower of Thanksgiving jello! No APXS or MAHLI this Thanksgiving; however we have so numerous other activities, it’s a really packed strategy. Mastcam has more than 5 hours of activity throughout the strategy. A scheduled mosaic of Texoli butte and surrounding location grew so big, it was divided into 2 unique activities of a 50×4 mosaic (4 rows of 50 images) and a 50×1 mosaic. This dirty office has many fascinating functions, with plentiful round nodular or concretionary functions (usually less than 2 centimeters, or 0.79 inches, in size), thin dark-toned layers interbedded with the more dominant paler-colored bedrock and some unspoiled polygonal ridges. Mastcam will image the work area in a 4×4 mosaic, offering us a lot more info on blemish size and circulation, and on the relative stratigraphic positioning of the darker-toned layers, polygonal raised ridges (like those in the accompanying image), and blemishes. A 2nd (4×3) mosaic to the right of the rover at “Saurian Crest” takes a look at variations in bed linen layers. ChemCam will take LIBS measurements on a few of the bigger nodular locations at “Golden Bear Lake” and “Frying Pan Lake” and a more measurement on part of a polygonal ridge at “Caltech Peak.” The ecological style group (ENV) will run activities throughout the strategy too. The REMS instrument will get information right throughout the week. A series of single frame modification detection Mastcam images on 2 locations of assembling ripples (“Ostrander Hut”) are prepared– these will be handled 3 various sols to search for modifications in the sediment pattern, which might offer info on wind motion, strength, and instructions. Mastcam will take 3 “tau” measurements, imaging the sky to measure the quantity of dust in the environment, and Navcam will obtain dust-devil motion pictures and suprahorizon films on 3 different sols. Our drive on the 6th day of the strategy will set us in a brand-new work area. As one of the NASA engineers stated today, we will be taking a look at “rocks billions of years of ages, on another world that has actually never ever been taken a look at previously by human eyes”– we have a lot to be grateful for this Thanksgiving vacation! Composed by Catherine O’Connell-Cooper, Planetary Geologist at University of New Brunswick Share Details NASA Science Editorial Team Explore More Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA
Learn more
