Curiosity update: A BOO-tiful Halloween on Mars

2214ML0117400010804127E01_DXXX-br2Sol 2217, November 1, 2018, update by MSL scientist Lucy Thompson: Today was an exciting day for me as a member of the APXS team and filling the role of payload uplink lead, as Sol 2217 marked a return to contact science activities after our anomaly on Sol 2172. When the anomaly occurred, the APXS was poised to measure the composition of the freshly exposed “Inverness” bedrock surface (after an unsuccessful drill attempt on Sol 2170) to compare with the previously brushed surface and other fresh rock surfaces examined by APXS on the Vera Rubin Ridge. The plan today is to recover this measurement, with accompanying MAHLI imaging, as well as to get chemical and textural data (with APXS and MAHLI) on another interesting target in the workspace, “Grange.” “Grange” appears to be an area of bright calcium sulfate (commonly observed as veins cross-cutting bedrock encountered throughout the mission), but with small, dark inclusions that might have an interesting composition. (…)

Looking ahead, Curiosity is hoping to soon drive away from this site towards an area, “Lake Orcadie,” where we will attempt another drill into one of these interesting bright grey areas identified from orbit on the Vera Rubin Ridge… [More at link]

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