After successfully completing the Sol 1249 drive, the rover is now in an area with numerous bright bedrock outcrops. One of the most prominent features in this image is a large outcrop named “Kuiseb,” which will be the target for dumping a sand sample and conducting examinations this weekend. Using ChemCam and Mastcam, scientists on Earth will observe the bedrock target to better understand its composition and properties.
Once observations are complete, the rover will reverse course slightly and then move forward to place the large outcrop within reach of its robotic arm. The rover’s team will take a series of images of the workspace to aid in selecting which rocks to collect samples from, with Ken Herkenhoff leading the planning process. These activities are subject to change based on various factors related to the Martian environment, communication connections, and the status of the rover.