Mars exploration has proven to be an exciting challenge for the Curiosity team. Currently, their mission is centered on a new drill target named “Lake_Orcadie2,” which is located approximately 7 inches to the right of their original target. The team’s main focus is on collecting rock samples from this new location using instruments such as APXS and MAHLI, after removing debris with the dirt removal tool.
In addition to studying the new drill target, the Curiosity team will also examine the wall and tailings from the first drill hole. They will use ChemCam LIBS raster and Mastcam imaging techniques for this task. Despite facing challenges in reaching a depth where a rock sample can be collected due to impenetrably hard bedrock, the team remains optimistic about finding a suitable location for drilling and collecting samples.
