Curiosity update: Starting the wrap-up at Rock Hall

Sols 2286-87, January 10, 2019, update by MSL scientist Catherine O’Connell-Cooper: Our onboard instruments SAM (Sample Analysis at Mars) and CheMin (Chemistry and Mineralogy) have come to the end of their investigation of the Rock Hall target, likely to be our last drill location on the Vera Rubin Ridge, so this 2-sol plan is the beginning of the drill operation wrap up. On the first sol (2286) SAM will “doggie bag” some sample, saving it for further experimentation in future weeks. The second sol of the plan (2287) will centre on preparations to “dump” the remaining sample from the drill onto the ground in the weekend plan, so that it can be analyzed by APXS, MAHLI, Mastcam and ChemCam. For example, Mastcam will image the Rock Hall drill hole, to monitor the degree of movement of the drill fines in the 3 weeks since our drilling… [More at link]