The MSL project has concluded that the bright object discovered on the ground is not harmful, allowing the team to proceed with the first sample manipulation activities. These tasks are intricate and require meticulous planning, leading to the exclusion of any “opportunistic science” in Sol 64. Instead, the science team focused on preparing for future sols.
As a journalist, I collaborated with the long-term planning team to determine the ideal time for a ChemCam decontamination (heating) activity. While Sol 66 appears to be the best option at present, plans may change in the future.