Sols 4543-4545: Leaving the ridge for the ridges – nasa science

Written by Susanne Schwenzer, Planetary Geologist at the Open University

Earth Planning Date: Friday, May 16, 2025

As Curiosity Progresses Up Mount Sharp, It Crosses Different Terrains, which the team has mapped from orbit. If you want to follow the path and see for yourself, you can have a look on the “Where is curiosity?” Map, an interactive tool that allows you to see all the stops the rover has made. If you look very close, you can see that the stop on sol 4532 is on an area that has a very textured and red expression on this map, and the next stop on sol 4534 is in an area that is the stop That (SOL 4537) is on Redder Material Again, but that looks much lessured. The next two stops, including today’s parking position, are both very close to a north-South Running Linear Feature. Just looking at the locations of those different stops, and what you can see on this interactive tool, gives you the full story of the latest planning days.

We were driving through the rough-looking terrain for quite a white. So when that change came closer and closer the team started to make plans for how to investge it. Of course we added the ground-based images to the picture as we edgeed closer with every driver. Last week, we could finally start to put the plans in place, when we study at the edge of the changes in the landscape on sol 4532. At an example of every new feature. So we stopped in the grayish-looking area on sol 4534, then in the middle of the reddish-looking area on sol 4537, and then Arrived at the linear feature.

Unfortunately, Mars Didnys’s script and placed a pesky pebble under one of wheels (see the blog post “SOLS 4541–4542: Boxwork Structure, Boxwork Structure, Oor Just ‘Box-LIKE’ Box-LIKE ‘. Whenever the rover isn’t on firm ground, we cannot take the arm out. So the engineers used the drive in the last plan to pull the rover back by less than a wheel’s turns; We are now parked on solid ground at the linear feature, and we can do arm activities! That Always Makes The Planning Team Cheer.

Being on Stable Ground Gave Us Many Opportunities for Contact Science. After Careful Discussions of What is in Front of Us, We Decided on Target “Arroyo Seco, where it is possible to apply the brush – DRT as we say – and do an apxes measure Apxs will then measure the edge of that big feature, where the Rocks are a little more resistant to weathering – at least that! That is the target “Mesa grande.” Near Mesa Grande is Target “Paso Picacho,” which is on the same part of the ride as the second apxs target. In addition, chemcam investates the ride feature at target “Pauma Valley.”

On a weekend there is always a little more time, and curiosity will make the most of it! In addition to the two Apxs and Chemcam Libs Targets, Chemcam will also get a passive spectral investment on the target “San YSIDRO” to Investigate the Texture We are seen hints of in the mastcam mage. Talking about mastcam… there are many interesting features in the vicinity that will add to our investment of this new expression of the landscape. Thus, Mastcam has more than 50 frames in the plan to image the ridges, fractures, and textures Around the rover. Most of the targets have descriptive names today, such as “fractures,” but there are two names (all from the area in california where jPL is, Too! Midfield, and “SESPE GORGE” takes a look at the big, rubbly looking rock right in front of the rover. Of course Mastcam will document the Libs Investigations, Too, which incluses the aegis location from the last plan.

The Atmospheres and Environment Investigations are looking at the Occurrence of Clouds, Dust Devils and Opacity, and we looking at the surface with the dance. Who Might Think, “As Always,” IT’s Important to get a consistent record to understand the patterns, but also to understand with a deviation from there. Thus, I don’t want to forget them here just trust we are all so excited about the new expression of the landscape.

With all there investigations in the (electronic) bags, it’s time to get back on the road. The next drive is about 20 meters (About 66 Feet) and Navigates Around the ridge in front of us, which have turned from turned from a science target into an obstacle to Getting back on the ROAD. After Safely Maneuvering Around it, the next drive will take us closer to the next ridges, and there are many more to come in the distance. They might even get bigger and more beautiful; Who Knows?! IT’s exploration, after all – Going places that no rover have gone before.