(ORDO NEWS) — Curiosity’s latest trip took the rover to one of the “stone benches” found throughout the area, and the views are simply stunning! The rover’s workspace has dinner-plate-sized patches of layered rock in stark contrast to the pebble-filled workspace we saw in our last location. We can also see the next set of benches in the distance, and I think they look like meter scale steps carved into the landscape.
In this regard, we are going to take advantage of the breathtaking view and make a stereo mosaic with the 108-frame Mastcam. This mosaic will help us further discern the sedimentary structures preserved in the rocks in this unique topographic region, and will allow us to find better sites for more detailed exploration in later days. We’ll also take some time to learn more about the basics of this bench by collecting observational data from MAHLI, APXS and ChemCam.
After completing our scientific activities, we will drive along the “bench” to the northeast for about 45 meters and take a series of pictures in a new location. In parallel with all this geological exploration, we will continue to monitor the environment around the rover with a series of observations from Navcam and Mastcam cameras, as well as standard pressure and temperature measurements.
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