The rover on Mars will continue its exploration journey on Sol 685 with a pre-drive science block, followed by a 2.5-hour drive, and post-drive imaging for targeting. The pre-drive science block will involve several environmental monitoring activities, such as ChemCam passive spectroscopy of atmospheric composition and Mastcam measurement of atmospheric dust opacity. During the drive, the rover is expected to cover approximately 60 meters as it navigates through loose sand.
Once the rover completes its current mission, it will ascend onto the Zabriskie Plateau, named after a sandstone formation near Shoshone, California. The team is eagerly anticipating tomorrow’s activities on Sol 686 but must wait for data to come down from the rover before they can proceed. However, they are looking forward to possible contact science and more driving over the weekend. It’s important to note that these dates are subject to change due to various factors related to the Martian environment, communication relays, and the rover’s status.