Earth planning date: Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025
In a single day earlier than planning in the present day, Mars reached a photo voltaic longitude of 40 levels. The photo voltaic longitude is how we wish to measure the place we’re in a Mars yr. Annually begins at 0 levels and advances to 360 levels on the finish of the yr. For these of us on the Environmental Science (ENV) group, 40 levels is a particular time because it marks the start of our annual Aphelion Cloud Belt (ACB) commentary marketing campaign. Throughout this time of yr, the northern polar ice cap is rising into the daylight, inflicting it to sublimate away and launch water vapor into the ambiance. On the similar time, the ambiance is usually colder, since Mars is close to aphelion (its furthest distance from the Solar).
Collectively, these two elements imply that Mars’ ambiance is a giant fan of forming clouds throughout this a part of the yr. Gale is true close to the southern fringe of the ACB, so we’re beginning to take extra cloud motion pictures to check how the ACB adjustments throughout the cloudy season. (Jezero Crater, residence to Perseverance, is far nearer to the center of the ACB, so regulate their Uncooked Pictures web page over the subsequent a number of months as nicely.
The drive from Monday’s plan ended early, after nearly 4 meters as an alternative of the 38 meters that had been deliberate (about 13 toes vs. 125 toes). We initially thought this might need been as a result of our left-front wheel bumped into the aspect of a big rock (see the picture above), however after we received our arms on the drive information, it turned out that the steering motor on the appropriate entrance wheel indicated {that a} rock was in the way in which on that aspect too, so Curiosity stopped the drive to await additional instruction from Earth. It is a well-understood situation, so we needs to be again on the street headed west in the present day.
The chilly climate continues to be creating energy challenges, so we needed to rigorously prioritize our actions in the present day. Regardless of the drive fault, we acquired the excellent news that it was secure to unstow the arm, so we had been capable of pack in a full set of MAHLI, APXS, and DRT actions. Earlier than that, although, we begin as ordinary with some distant sensing actions, together with ChemCam LIBS and Mastcam observations of “Beacon Hill” (some layered bedrock close to the rover) and a ChemCam RMI mosaic of the higher portion of Texoli butte.
After taking a 3½-hour nap to recharge our batteries, we get into the arm actions. These begin off with some MAHLI photographs of the MAHLI and APXS calibration targets, then proceed with MAHLI and APXS observations of “Zuma Canyon.” That is adopted by DRT, APXS, and MAHLI actions of some bedrock in our workspace, “Bear Canyon.” Though we then take one other brief nap, we don’t but stow the arm as now we have a pair of prolonged post-sunset APXS integrations. The arm is lastly stowed about an hour and a half earlier than midnight.
The second sol of this plan begins with some extra distant sensing actions, beginning with ChemCam LIBS on “Mission Level”. That is adopted by a collection of Mastcam photographs of “Crystal Lake” (polygonal fractures within the bedrock), “Stockton Flat” (positive lamination within the bedrock), “Mount Waterman,” and Mission Level. We then end with some ENV actions, together with a Mastcam tau and Navcam line-of-sight to measure mud within the ambiance and a Navcam cloud film. This plan ends with a (hopefully!) prolonged drive west and plenty of hours asleep to recharge our batteries as a lot as doable earlier than planning begins once more on Friday. In fact, I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out that REMS, RAD, and DAN proceed to diligently monitor the atmosphere all through this plan.
Written by Conor Hayes, Graduate Pupil at York College
