Positive Drive Path Ahead for Mars Rover on Sol 1352: Plans for Weekend Activities and Routine Calibration

On Sol 1352, the post-drive imaging revealed sandy ripples ahead, but with enough rocky patches for the rover to drive towards the southwest. This news is positive as we plan to drive in that direction on Sol 1353. Prior to the drive, Mastcam will take stereo mosaics of the Murray-Stimson contact and a few areas to the west with nodular features. ChemCam will autonomously analyze the chemistry of a target chosen by the AEGIS software after the drive.

As anticipation builds for Memorial Day weekend, two sols are being planned on this day to get a head start. We expect to receive data from Sol 1352 tomorrow morning so we can continue planning weekend activities. Since activities on Sol 1353 cannot be precisely targeted, Navcam will search for clouds and Mastcam will measure dust levels in the atmosphere at various times that sol. Additionally, ChemCam will perform a routine calibration activity.

As MAHLI/MARDI uplink lead, it was another straightforward day with just planning an MARDI twilight image needed. However, please note that dates of planned rover activities mentioned in these reports are subject to change due to various factors related to the Martian environment, communication relays, and rover status.