[meteorite-list] Curiosity Rover: Near Possible Target for Use of Arm Instruments

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri, 28 Sep 2012 15:30:32 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <201209282230.q8SMUW7X014184_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=1362

Curiosity Rover Status Report
Near Possible Target for Use of Arm Instruments
September 28, 2012

On Sol 52 (Sept. 28), Curiosity drove about 122 feet (37.3 meters)
eastward toward the Glenelg area, using visual odometry to assess and
adjust for any wheel slippage. The mission's total distance driven has
now reached 0.28 mile (0.45 kilometer). The drive brought the rover to a
few meters away from an outcrop being considered for an approach drive
and subsequent examination with instruments at the end of Curiosity's
arm: the Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer and the Mars Hand Lens Imager.

Another priority in coming sols is to reach a location for first use of
the rover's capability to scoop up soil material and deliver a sample of
it into laboratory instruments.

Activities on Sol 52 included the usual monitoring of the environment
around Curiosity with the Radiation Assessment Detector, the Dynamic
Albedo of Neutrons instrument, and the Rover Environmental Monitoring
Station. A raw image from Curiosity's left Navigation Camera, showing
the ground near the rover after the Sol 52 drive, is at
http://1.usa.gov/SifbNW.

Curiosity continues to work in good health. Sol 52, in Mars local mean
solar time at Gale Crater, ends at 5:48 p.m. Sept. 28, PDT (8:48 p.m. EDT).
Received on Fri 28 Sep 2012 06:30:32 PM PDT