Earth planning date: Monday, January 27, 2025
I was in geology and mineralogy (GEO) The scientific team of the scientific team today, and my day started with a blow and a drum roll – delivered by a rare winter storm (rare here in England, at least). I lost electricity for a few minutes, but thanks to the batteries of laptops and the telephone wi-fi, I think that nobody noticed it … So, Shhh, do not tell the boss!
Planning was particularly interesting because we had a decision to make, that we wanted to align the observations of Chemcam and Apxs with each other and to focus on a target, or if we want two different targets. As the Geo Science team directs, it is my role to facilitate this discussion, but it is always fun – and easy. Many colleagues come with well -prepared reasons for which they want to have some observation in today’s plan, and I always learn something new on Mars, or geology, or both when these discussions occur . Weighing all the arguments carefully, we decided for the coordinated dance of contact and scientific observations at a distance on a target of rocky substratum that we have called “Desert View”. Apxs will start the dance, followed by active chemcam and a RMI image in the same place. The closure of the dance will be Mahli, imagining the Apxs target which, at this stage, will have the laser stands.
Such coordinated observation will allow us to see how the rock reacts to the interaction with the laser. We have done it several times and we have often learned interesting things about the mineralogy of the rock. But more than 10 years ago, there was an even more ambitious coordination exercise: on ground 687, imagery on a target called “Nova” was timed so that Mastcam actually captured the laser spark in the image. Although this is useful for engineering purposes, as a mineralogist, I want to see the effect on the rock. Here is the result of this “sparkle” On Target Nova on floor 687.
But let’s go back to today’s planning. In addition to the coordinated observations, Chemcam also adds to the remote micro-imagemaker of Gould Mesa with a vertical RMI observation designed to cover all the beautiful layers of the Mesa, just like a stratigraphic column. Mastcam looks at the crater of the rustic canyon to obtain a new angle. The craters are three-dimensional and looks at it on all sides will help decipher the nature of this little crater, and to fully use the window in the basement it offers. MASTCAM has two other mosaics, “Condor Peak” and “Boulder Basin”, which both look at interesting characteristics in the landscape: Condor Peak in a newly visible mound, and the rock basin The structures and the textures are always the same Whether they have been, or document possible modifications. Mars has already surprised us, so we try to look as often as power and other resources allow it, if only to confirm that nothing has changed. You can see the blocks we use for this observation in the image of the gray level navigation camera above; We particularly like it when the overturned blocks give us a different view, while the blocks of dishes in the same image show the “regular” perspective.
Once the targeted science is finished, the rover will continue his training along the planned route, to see what Mars has to offer to the next stop. After the journey, Tuesday will take on its image and Chemcam makes an autonomous observation, choosing its own target. After the reduction is a section of atmosphere objectives to look at dust levels and look for dust devils. Continuous observations include observation by the Dan instrument of the surface and the wind and temperature measurements.
With this, the plan again makes the best use of all the power we have … and here in England, time has improved, inside my power is back to normal, and outside Proverbial rain, this small island is so famous for.
Written by Susanne Schwenzer, planetary geologist at open university