Curiosity update: ‘Scooping sand for SAM’

Sol 1223-24, January 13, 2016, update from USGS scientist Ken Herkenhoff: The Sol 1221 drive went well, including a wheel scuff in the dark sand dune, and the rover is in a good position for contact science.  The Sol 1223-1224 plan is therefore loaded with arm activities, limited by the available power.  First, MAHLI will take pictures of a couple of locations on the dune surface that has not been disturbed by the wheels, and of sand that was disturbed by the wheel scuff.  Then the APXS will be placed as close as possible to the… [More at link]