Phew! Today was a busy day on Mars! Ken and I were both on
operations today, picking up where Lauren left off yesterday. Ken was helping
with ChemCam science in the geology and mineralogy (GeoMin) theme group, and I
was the GeoMin Keeper of the Plan (KOP). We started off the day admiring the
beautiful images from the sol 1031 "dog’s-eye view" mosaic of the ledge near
the target "Missoula". Then there was a long discussion about where to do our
contact science, and in particular where to put APXS for an overnight
measurement. In the end, we decided to do a MAHLI mosaic of the target "Clark",
just to the left of the "dog’s eye" mosaic from sol 1031, and then a MAHLI
observation of "Lumpry" which will also be the overnight APXS location.

That is followed by some Mastcam, starting with some carefully-timed
images of Phobos as it crosses in front of the sun. After that, we are planning
"multispectral" Mastcam observations of targets "Coombs", "Cottonwood", and "Lowary".
Multispectral means that we take images of the same target through several
different color filters to get an idea of what the reflectance spectrum of the
rocks looks like. After all that Mastcam we also have a Navcam movie to search
for clouds, and a couple of Navcam images to allow more targeted Mastcam
tomorrow.

But wait, there’s more! We also scheduled another MAHLI
observation of the target "Seeley" which is a rock that was broken by the rover’s
wheels. That is followed by ChemCam observations of "Coombs", "Regis", and "Spotted
Bear" and associated Mastcam documentation images.

That means that once planning for today was done, we were
both also involved in working on tomorrow’s plan, which will cover the long
holiday weekend. We will both be on duty tomorrow in the same roles, polishing
the plan we started today and making sure the rover is busy doing good science
over the weekend. 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.

Today we planned some MAHLI imaging along the contact near the "Missoula" target (the ledge in the upper left portion of this Navcam image ). We refer to it as a dog’s eye mosaic, meaning that we use the MAHLI camera to take a series of images along a vertical face – essentially sticking our nose in there to get a good view. Hopefully it will provide a good perspective on the contact between the Stimson and Pahrump units! The plan also includes several ChemCam observations along the contact, at targets named "Selow," "Clark," and ldquo;Wapiti." We planned these as vertical transects to characterize any changes in chemistry from the Pahrump unit into the Stimson unit. We’ll also acquire ChemCam data on the target "Seeley" – a broken rock that exposes a fresh surface. Then we’ll take a Mastcam mosaic to capture the contact and some of the surrounding veins. Ken Herkenhoff and I were both on duty again today, so it was fun planning here at the USGS. We put together a really full plan to handover for Sol 1032, so we’re looking forward to some more exciting contact science tomorrow! By Lauren Edgar

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

Curiosity is still investigating the contact between the Pahrump and Stimson units. Over the weekend, Curiosity acquired MAHLI images on a coarse-grained rock named "Big Arm" (above). The goal today is to characterize some of the veins that occur above and below the contact, and then bump towards a target named "Missoula" to assess the contact at that location.

The plan today includes ChemCam observations of vein targets named "Lemhi" and "Lowary" corresponding to high and low targets above and below the contact. We will also acquire Mastcam images of the vein targets using all of the camera filters. After a short drive to reposition the rover in front of "Missoula," we’ll take some Navcam and Mastcam images to prepare for contact science tomorrow. The plan also includes a Navcam cloud movie to monitor the atmosphere. I was the GSTL today and Ken Herkenhoff was the SOWG Chair, so it was a busy day of rover operations here at the USGS! By Lauren Edgar

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

Mars has passed through solar conjunction ,

and reliable communication with the spacecraft at Mars is possible
again. As planning started this morning, we were still waiting for
more data to be relayed by the orbiters to confirm that MSL is ready to
resume science planning, but proceeded with
tactical planning so that we would be ready when the data arrived. The
Sol 1027 plan starts with Mastcam observations of several targets that
were imaged just before solar conjunction, to look for changes caused by
winds or maybe Marsquakes. Mastcam will
then look at the sun to measure the amount of dust in the atmosphere,
Navcam will search for dust devils, and ChemCam/Mastcam will observe
nearby targets "Piegan" and "Wallace." On Sol 1028, the arm will be
used to take MAHLI images of the rocks and soil
in front of the rover from various vantage points, to measure changes
in their reflectance with observation geometry ("photometry"). After
dusk, APXS and MAHLI will measure 3 spots on a rock called "Big Arm"
that was imaged by MAHLI during the day before
solar conjunction. The nighttime images, using MAHLI's LEDs for
illumination, should nicely complement the daytime images of the rock.
Finishing off the weekend plan, on Sol 1029 ChemCam will acquire some
calibration data and Mastcam will take a stereo mosaic
of the outcrops to the east of the rover.

As SOWG Chair today, I was a bit worried about
planning so many activities on the first day of tactical planning in a
few weeks, but the team hit the ground running and did a great job.
Early this afternoon, we got word from the downlink
team that the data acquired during conjunction show that the rover is
in good health, and that we were therefore "go" for planning. MSL is
back in action! 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.

Today is the last day
of MSL tactical operations until after solar conjunction, so this will probably be the last MSL update for a few weeks. Ryan Anderson
and I are both on shift as payload uplink lead today, but because the
instruments we're representing
(ChemCam and MAHLI/MARDI, respectively) are already standing down in
preparation for conjunction, our efforts have been focused on planning for the
resumption of activities after conjunction. We don't know precisely
when tactical planning will resume, as the ability
to communicate with spacecraft as Mars passes behind the Sun depends on
variable solar activity. The expectation is that the next tactical
planning day will be June 25th (Sol 1026), but the schedule probably won't firm up until that week.

The Sol 1003 plan starts with Mastcam images of the
Sun to measure the amount of dust in the atmosphere, followed by
another set of Mastcam/Navcam photometry images to extend the experiment started on Sol 1000. Then Mastcam will take images of
various targets near the rover, to be compared with images of the same
targets taken after conjunction to look for changes caused by winds.
Later in the afternoon, the photometry and change-detection
imaging will be repeated, and Mastcam will acquire a stereo mosaic of
" Apikuni Mountain. "

Then the focus motors of both Mastcams will be moved to their "home"
positions for conjunction and Navcam will search for clouds above MSL.
The Sol 1004 plan includes only the usual RAD and REMS observations, a
preview of the plan for the next few weeks.
During the break from tactical operations, the science team will have
more time to analyze the wealth of data the rover has returned over the
past 1000 sols. 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.

We're planning 3 sols of MSL activities today, starting with Sol 1000! As we continue to prepare for solar conjunction, arm motion is allowed in this plan, but no contact science. The plan starts with ChemCam and Mastcam observations of a platy rock called "Newland" and a Navcam search for dust devils. Then the first of several Mastcam/Navcam photometry observations is planned. The goal of these images of patches of ground east and west of the rover is to measure reflectivity at various times of day and compare the results with models of the physical properties of the surface. The arm will then be moved to a position that allows imaging in front of the rover, including a large Mastcam stereo mosaic of the nearby outcrops. The rover will wake up early on Sol 1001 for another photometry observation, which will be repeated later that morning before Mastcam and Chemcam observations of " Big Arm 2 ," a potential contact science target. Three more photometry observations are planned late in the afternoon, before the arm is tucked away for conjunction. On Sol 1002, Mastcam will observe the Sun during the day, and Phobos after dusk. It's been a good day for me so far as SOWG Chair--not too hectic but certainly not boring! 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.

Today is the last day we can plan MAHLI activities before the operational stand-down for solar conjunction, to ensure that we have time to confirm that MAHLI's dust cover is safely closed. So we worked to include as many MAHLI images as possible in the Sol 999 plan, making for a rather hectic day for me as MAHLI uplink lead. The plan includes a full set of MAHLI images of a
potential DRT target called " Big Arm ."
The target dubbed " Wallace " was selected for brushing by the
DRT, followed by a full set of MAHLI images of the brushed spot. The
APXS will then be placed on Wallace for overnight integration. Mastcam
multispectral observations of the brushed Ronan target and some rocks
broken by one of the wheels (dubbed "Seeley")
are also planned--we want to image them before any dust is deposited on
those clean surfaces. 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.

A short bump on Sol
997 put Curiosity in a great position to investigate a few different rock units in Marias Pass, using the instruments on the rover’s arm. The 2.5 m drive brings our total odometry to 10,599 m. With the upcoming solar conjunction (Mars will be on the opposite side of the sun from the Earth, so we can’t communicate with the rover for most of the month of June), Curiosity is now parked for the next few weeks. But we are parked in front of a beautiful outcrop that shows the contact between the underlying Pahrump unit and the overlying Stimson unit.

The goal of today’s
plan is to characterize the Stimson unit. First, Curiosity will acquire ChemCam and Mastcam on part of the Stimson unit called "Ronan" (the large block in the top part of this Mastcam image) as well as a coarse-grained block named "Big_Arm." Then we’ll acquire several MAHLI images on "Ronan." Next, Curiosity will brush "Ronan" to remove the dust, and will then take MAHLI images of the brushed area to get a better look at the grain size and textures. And finally, we’ll place APXS on the target to investigate the bulk chemistry of "Ronan." Tomorrow’s plan will likely include similar observations on the Pahrump unit. By Lauren Edgar

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

Curiosity spent the weekend characterizing the terrain and bedrock exposed in Marias Pass. Curiosity drove 33 m further into Marias Pass, bringing our total odometry to 10,596 m. The drive set us up perfectly to investigate the contact between two different types of bedrock – the underlying Pahrump unit and the overlying Stimson unit.

Today’s plan is focused on characterizing the contact in this new location, and then bumping even closer to the outcrop to prepare for contact science later this week. Now that ChemCam is back in action with its autonomous focusing capability , the plan includes two ChemCam rasters on the targets "Mission" and "Missoula" to assess the chemistry on either side of the contact. The plan also includes some Mastcam mosaics to document the sedimentary structures, and a Navcam observation to search for dust devils. Then Curiosity will bump closer to the outcrop, and will acquire images for future targeting. Overnight, Curiosity will acquire Mastcam images of Phobos to study aerosols in the atmosphere of Mars. By Lauren Edgar

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

On Sol 992 Curiosity took a short drive into Marias Pass to get a better look at the terrain ahead. The 6 m drive on Sol 992 brought our total odometry to 10,562 m. It also put Curiosity in a great position for targeted science over the long holiday weekend.
The 4 sol plan includes some large Mastcam mosaics to characterize the terrain and the contact between the Stimson and Pahrump units. The plan also includes ChemCam and Mastcam observations on the targets "Hoodoo," "Pinehaven," "Red Sleep," and "Red Horn" to assess the composition of the bright outcrop and veins. On Sol 995, Curiosity will bump closer to the outcrop, to prepare for possible contact science next week. Curiosity will also acquire several Mastcam observations of Deimos and stars to assess the nighttime atmospheric opacity. Sol 996 will be a "REMS-a-palooza" devoted entirely to extended environmental monitoring. By Lauren Edgar --Lauren is a Research Geologist at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center and a member of 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.