Curiosity update: Cruising through the Murray Buttes

Sol 1441-42, August 24, 2016, update by USGS scientist Lauren Edgar: Curiosity is making good progress through the Murray Buttes, and on Sol 1439 we drove another 34 m to the south.  Today’s two-sol plan fits our familiar routine: a pre-drive science block, drive, post-drive imaging for targeting, and an untargeted science block on the second sol.  The plan starts with Mastcam and ChemCam observations of the targets “Viana,” “Ukuma,” and “Waku Kungo” to assess the composition and sedimentary structures in the local bedrock.  We’ll also acquire a large Mastcam mosaic to document some of the buttes.  After… [More at link]