Curiosity update: Passagassawakeag and other challenges

Sol 1609, February 13, 2017, update by USGS scientist Ken Herkenhoff: MSL drove a little over 9 meters on Sol 1608, to get the vehicle closer to Ireson Hill and the dark blocks that have rolled down from the top of the hill.  Two of these blocks are within reach of the arm, but both are challenging targets.  Even the name chosen for the dark block at the left side of the image above is difficult: “Passagassawakeag.”  It’s pointier that we would like for contact science, and the other dark block, dubbed “Perry” (at lower right in the image above), is close enough to the rover that there is a risk of collision with the arm.  Complicating the plan further, the best time to take MAHLI images of these targets is late in the afternoon, when they won’t be shadowed by the arm.  But the last chance to send… [More at link]