Sol 1059, July 29, 2015, update from USGS scientist Ryan Anderson: Today the main event is a “mini-start hole”, which is the name for a new type of initial drilling test that we are trying out on the target “Buckskin”. This test will drill a small hole in the rock to help determine whether it is safe to go ahead with the full hole.
In addition to that test, we are planning a detailed study of the target “Ch-paa-qn” which means “shining peak” in the native Salish language of northern Montana. This target is an isolated bright patch on the nearby outcrop, and we want to figure out if it is calcium sulfate like the white veins we see nearby, or if it is something else. The plan includes ChemCam active and passive observations of Ch-paa-qn, along with Mastcam multispectral images. [More at link]