After thinking we were finally going to leave our current spot on Mars, a fault during one of our arm activities has caused us to stay another sol. This setback has led us to lose our plans for the past two sols, which included driving to our next waypoint in the Vera Rubin Ridge science campaign. Today, we find ourselves in recovery mode once again, working to make up for lost time.
Before the fault occurred, we captured a picture of the arm’s shadow on the ground. Now, on our third attempt to complete our science activities at this location, we are focusing on ChemCam and Mastcam targets of nearby bedrock formations with names like “Sherwood Forest,” “Tableland,” and “Troll Valley.” Additionally, we have planned a Mastcam image of a target called “Elf Woods,” originally meant for the weekend plan but removed due to power considerations.
Once these science activities are completed, Curiosity will move approximately 10 meters closer to our third designated stop on Vera Rubin Ridge. Despite the unforeseen challenges we’ve faced, our team is determined to make the most of our time on Mars and continue our exploration of the Red Planet.