Despite giving it the “old college try,” Curiosity’s attempt to drill into the Marker Band at the “Encanto” site did not reach sampling depth. Because other rocks around the rover look similar to “Encanto” and are likely also too hard to drill, the Science Team decided to convert the plan to a “Touch and Go.”
Although the Science Team is disappointed to leave this Marker Band location without a sample, Curiosity will use MAHLI, APXS, and ChemCam LIBS to analyze the chemistry and texture of the shallow “Encanto” drill hole and tailings, targeting the intriguing light-toned material exposed in the wall of the drill hole. We may see another location in the Marker Band worth sampling in the near future, but even if we don’t, there will certainly be many more exciting drilling opportunities to look forward to as Curiosity continues her climb up Mt. Sharp!
In addition to a ~25 meter drive to the south on Sol 3721, Mastcam will take an image of the “Cacao” target to document the terrain in the direction that the rover is driving as well as a multispectral image of “Cana Dulce,” a dark-toned rock that is perched on the surface of the Marker Band. Curiosity will round out the sol by observing the sky and looking for dust devils.
Related Links
Curiosity Mars Science Laboratory
Mars News and Information at MarsDaily.com
Lunar Dreams and more
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What is the Chemistry and Mineralogy Instrument?
Moffett Field CA (SPX) Jan 19, 2023
Minerals are like a time capsule; they provide a record of what the environment was like at the time they formed. Different minerals are linked to different kinds of environments. The temperature, pressure, and chemical ingredients that were present – including water – determine what minerals form and how they are altered.
For example, gypsum is a mineral that contains calcium, sulfur, and water. Anhydrite is a mineral that contains calcium and sulfur, but no water. The Chemistry and Mineralogy (C … read more