Curiosity had a nice ~78 m drive on Sol 1448, which set us up for a lot of great science over the long (4-sol) weekend. Unfortunately a problem with the Deep Space Network caused an entire Odyssey pass to be lost, so we didn’t receive the workspace images that we would have needed to do contact science. Without those images we didn’t feel safe moving the arm. But the team did a great job putting together a full weekend plan.

The first sol starts with several Navcam observations to search for dust devils and monitor the atmosphere. Then we’ll acquire a Mastcam mosaic to document the beautiful buttes that we’ve been driving through, followed by ChemCam observations of the targets "Benguela" and "Gabela" to assess the composition of the local bedrock. Later in the afternoon we’ll take two more Mastcam mosaics of the buttes under better lighting conditions. Overnight, Curiosity will carry out a SAM methane experiment. On the second sol we’ll take a 360-degree Mastcam mosaic to document the geology as we drive through the Murray Buttes. On the third sol we’ll drive, followed by standard post-drive imaging for targeting and context. After a busy weekend, the fourth sol is devoted entirely to REMS observations.

While the buttes are beautiful, they pose a challenge to communications, because they are partially occluding communications between the rover and the satellites we use to relay data (MRO and ODY), so sometimes the data volume that we can relay is pretty low. But it’s a small price to pay for the great stratigraphic exposures and gorgeous view!

By Lauren Edgar

--Lauren is a Research Geologist at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center and a member of the MSL science team.

MSL roved 53 meters on Sol 1446, and ended up in an area with nice exposures of bedrock . We were interested in taking MAHLI close-up images of the bedrock
but were concerned that they would not be very useful if the surface as
dusty as it typically is. We therefore considered using the ChemCam laser to
clean off some of the dust and get chemical information before deploying
the arm, but recognized that the MAHLI targets would be partly shadowed
by the arm turret, which would make the MAHLI images more difficult to
interpret. Adding the arm activities would also leave less time for
driving, so we had a lot of trade-offs to consider and it was a busy day
for me as SOWG Chair! We finally decided not to include the MAHLI
images in the plan, and focus instead on Mastcam imaging of the nearby
buttes and maximizing the drive distance. We were also able to fit
ChemCam and Mastcam observations of the "Luxilo" bedrock target into the
plan, along with Right Mastcam images of the "Caxito" laminated
exposure and the Sol 1446 AEGIS target. After the drive and usual
post-drive imaging, SAM will clean its scrubber overnight. On Sol 1449,
Mastcam will again measure the amount of dust in the atmosphere and
ChemCam will autonomously perform another AEGIS activity.

by Ken Herkenhoff Dates of planned rover activities described in these reports are subject to change due to a variety of factors related to the Martian environment, communication relays and rover status.

The MSL activities planned for last weekend went well, and the
rover's batteries have enough energy to proceed with another drive on Sol 1446.
We started the day looking at the beautiful new Mastcam images of the
nearby buttes ,
then got down to planning the details of the 2-sol plan. On Sol 1446,
Mastcam will extend coverage of previously-planned mosaics,
and ChemCam will use its laser to measure the chemistry of "Muchinda"
on a large outcrop block .
After the drive, ChemCam will autonomously make another observation
using the AEGIS software. Overnight, CheMin will prepare and analyze an
empty sample cell in anticipation of a new drill sample. Early on
Sol 1447, Mastcam and Navcam will measure the dust in the atmosphere and
search for clouds. Most of these observations will be repeated just
before local noon and late in the afternoon to look for short-term changes.

by Ken Herkenhoff Dates of planned rover activities described in these reports are subject to change due to a variety of factors related to the Martian environment, communication relays and rover status.

The drive planned on Wednesday did not execute due to an unanticipated flight software interaction. However, the problem is now understood and we will attempt the drive again next week.

Today’s three-sol weekend plan is focused on SAM activities and contact science. On the first sol we’ll do a SAM pre-conditioning activity to prepare the sample cup prior to delivery of the Marimba2 drill sample. We’ll also acquire a ChemCam observation of the target "Viana 2" to assess the chemistry of the local bedrock and nodules. Then we’ll take a Mastcam mosaic to document several light-toned ridges and possible channel features, followed by several environmental monitoring activities. In the afternoon we’ll drop off the Marimba2 sample to SAM, and the evolved gas analysis will occur overnight. The second sol contains ChemCam observations of "Ganda" and "Catabola," followed by DRT and contact science on "Ganda," and MAHLI and another short APXS integration on the target "Andulo." This is a very power heavy and complex plan, so the third sol will be relatively light, with a ChemCam passive and Mastcam multispectral observation on "Ganda," and additional ChemCam LIBS target at "Calonda," and some Mastcam deck monitoring. Sounds like a busy weekend!

By Lauren Edgar

--Lauren is a Research Geologist at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center and a member of the MSL science team.

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 the drive we’ll take some post-drive imaging for targeting and context, as well as an autonomously selected ChemCam target using AEGIS. The second sol is mostly devoted to atmospheric monitoring, including a ChemCam passive sky activity, and Navcam observations to search for dust devils and clouds. If we keep up this driving pace, we could be looking for our next drill target as early as next Wednesday!

By Lauren Edgar

--Lauren is a Research Geologist at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center and a member of the MSL science team.

Dates of planned rover activities described in these reports are subject to change due to a variety of factors related to the Martian environment, communication relays and rover status.

Our weekend drive halted a little bit early, but everything
is looking good and we will continue to drive in today’s plan. We will start
off the Sol 1439 plan with ChemCam observations of the layered rock targets "Quibala"
and "Quibaxe". Mastcam will then image Quibala, followed by a whole bunch of
mosaics documenting the stratigraphy in the nearby buttes as well as the
locations called "Quibaxe", "Quipungo" and "Quicombo". (I think the people choosing names today got a little carried away with names starting with Q...) After that the rover
will drive, and we will follow up with post-drive imaging as well as a ChemCam
AEGIS observation.

The following morning, Mastcam and Navcam have some
atmospheric observations, and then in the afternoon ChemCam will analyze its
calibration targets. by Ryan Anderson -Ryan is a planetary scientist at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center and a member of the ChemCam team on MSL. Dates of planned rover activities described in these reports are subject to change due to a variety of factors related to the martian environment, communication relays and rover status

We are making good progress with our drives (we’re already
approaching our next drill site!) and the road in front of us is looking pretty
smooth. As usual we have a busy weekend planned. Sol 1436 starts off with
ChemCam and Mastcam of the layered rock targets "Conda" and "Savungo". Mastcam
then has a mosaic of one of the buttes, and another mosaic of an interesting
feature within the Murray formation called "Chitado". Later in the day, MAHLI
will take a look at the targets "Biula" and "Conda". Then Curiosity will brush
the dust off of Conda and do an overnight APXS measurement. CheMin will also do
another analysis of Marimba2 overnight.

On Sol 1437, ChemCam has a passive observation of Conda and
an RMI mosaic of the target "Chicala". Mastcam will also take a picture of
Chicala and do an atmospheric measurement. In the morning on Sol 1438, Mastcam
has a big 16x3 mosaic of the Murray Buttes, and Navcam has an atmospheric
observation. Then the rover will have a long drive (60-90 m) followed by the
usual post-drive imaging. by Ryan Anderson -Ryan is a planetary scientist at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center and a member of the ChemCam team on MSL. Dates of planned rover activities described in these reports are subject to change due to a variety of factors related to the martian environment, communication relays and rover status

Once again our drive went smoothly and we’re planning to drive
some more in today’s plan! The Sol 1434 plan starts out with ChemCam
observations of the targets "Cubal" and "Soyo". Mastcam will document those two
targets and then continue the effort to study the nearby buttes. The team is
really enjoying the spectacular scenery because it means there is a lot of
interesting geology on display! In the afternoon on Sol 1434, we will check out
the rover’s wheels with MAHLI. On Sol 1435 Curiosity will drive about 65 meters
and do the usual post-drive imaging. In the afternoon on Sol 1435 there is a
short science block, during which ChemCam will make a calibration measurement. by Ryan Anderson -Ryan is a planetary scientist at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center and a member of the ChemCam team on MSL. Dates of planned rover activities described in these reports are subject to change due to a variety of factors related to the martian environment, communication relays and rover status

Yestersol's drive went nicely, so today the plan looks quite similar, with a remote sensing block followed by another 50 meters of driving!

The Sol 1433 plan starts with ChemCam and Mastcam of the target "Klein Klipneus". After that, Mastcam has a couple of mosaics to continue admiring the scenery (a.k.a. studying the stratigraphy of the Murray Buttes). Then Curiosity will drive and collect post-drive imaging, followed by an untargeted science block with Mastcam and Navcam atmospheric observations. CheMin will also be doing its third analysis of the "Marimba2" drill sample and then reading out its data to be downlinked.

by Ryan Anderson

-Ryan is a planetary scientist at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center and a member of the ChemCam team on MSL. Dates of planned rover activities described in these reports are subject to change due to a variety of factors related to the martian environment, communication relays and rover status

The weekend plan went well, so the plan for Sol 1432 is to keep
driving! Curiosity will go about 52 meters across a patch of sand, but before
that we have a short science block. ChemCam will observe the target "Longa" and
Mastcam has two mosaics of the nearby buttes. After the drive, we have
post-drive imaging, and some onboard data processing of the MAHLI images of the
"Marimba" drill hole, as well as some CheMin data processing. In the morning of
Sol 1433 we are planning some atmospheric observations with Navcam and Mastcam,
although one of them had to be removed from the plan when we realized that one
of the nearby buttes was blocking our view of the crater rim! by Ryan Anderson -Ryan is a planetary scientist at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center and a member of the ChemCam team on MSL. Dates of planned rover activities described in these reports are subject to change due to a variety of factors related to the martian environment, communication relays and rover status