Curiosity update: Touch and go!

Sol 1480-81, October 3, 2016, update by USGS scientist Ken Herkenhoff: MSL drove 12.5 meters on Sol 1478, to an area with lots of nodules in the bedrock.  The tactical planning team decided to exercise the “touch and go” option, so the arm will be deployed for contact science before driving away on Sol 1480.  The plan is packed with a variety of activities, starting with a short APXS integration and MAHLI imaging of a nodule-rich target named “Oodi.”  The arm will then be moved out of the way for ChemCam and Right Mastcam observations of Oodi and nearby bedrock targets “Calenga” and “Caconda.” [More at link]