24/7 Space News
MARSDAILY
Sun Blob Blues Sols 4134-4135
This image showing the road behind was taken by Right Navigation Camera onboard NASA's Mars rover Curiosity on Sol 4132
ADVERTISEMENT
     
Sun Blob Blues Sols 4134-4135
by Natalie Moore | Mission Ops - MSSS
Pasadena CA (JPL) Mar 26, 2024

Earth planning date: Friday, March 22, 2024: Sometimes it feels like we all make up the same brain and planning goes smooth as silk. Today I'm thankful it felt like that, because Friday plans have a higher potential to get rough. It really helps when the morning downlink brings down more data than expected and shows our drive completing successfully! The only thing getting us down was the "sun blob," a 13 degree cone around the sun that ChemCam is not allowed to point within. If ChemCam is pointed at the sun while not in a safe focus setting, its optics or RMI detector could be damaged.

The sun blob includes the sun's entire daily path through the sky plus 13 degrees, in the event ChemCam gets stuck pointed somewhere and Earth is unable to respond in time. Unfortunately, the ChemCam RMI areas of interest these days are mostly all inside the sun blob, and it's slowly moving southwards just like us! So while on Wednesday our rover was singing Back to the uGVr, today she's singing the "Sun Blob Blues" by the Channel Surfers (not a real band). Some of the team even thinks the blob itself might be sentient and hunting us (not really).

The first sol of this plan includes a ChemCam RMI of the beautiful Fascination Turret uGVr (upper Gediz Vallis ridge) outcrop that isn't in the sun blob, 5 laser shots and a Mastcam documentation image of a bedrock target in our workspace named "Petite Capucin," and a 12-frame Mastcam stereo mosaic of some gnarled-looking bedrock in front of us named "Sentinel Dome." We also have full arm backbones with three contact science targets named "Thompson Canyon," "Cabin Lake," and "Smoky Jack" for MAHLI and APXS.

The second sol of this plan includes some highly-desired Mastcam imaging in the early morning of Fascination Turret and the rest of the uGVr from this location, which we're hoping will illuminate some of the self-shadows inherent in the outcrop faces. ChemCam will acquire another RMI of Fascination Turret outside the sun blob and shoot another workspace target named "Phlox." Then, we drive onward! Hopefully on Monday we will be ~23 meters further south and continue our imaging spree of this gorgeous area.

Related Links
Curiosity Mars Science Laboratory
Mars News and Information at MarsDaily.com
Lunar Dreams and more

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
MARSDAILY
Curiosity's Encore Journey Along Upper Gediz Vallis Ridge
Pasadena CA (JPL) Mar 21, 2024
If the Curiosity rover had a song stuck in her head today, she might be humming "Back to the uGVR," to the tune of The Beatles "Back in the U.S.S.R," as she drives south along the eastern edge of the upper Gediz Vallis Ridge (uGVR). The rover drove up to the uGVR last summer and investigated several rocks; now with the beautiful "Fascination Turret" section of the uGVR in sight, the team is very excited to have another opportunity to further characterize the material within the ridge and assess th ... read more

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
MARSDAILY
NanoAvionics Partners with Neuraspace for Advanced Space Traffic Management Solutions

Advanced Space Revolutionizes Moon Navigation with AI-Powered CAPSTONE Experiment

Russia's Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft docks to ISS

Xi tells Dutch PM Rutte 'no force can stop' China tech progress

MARSDAILY
Ariane 6 Nears Maiden Flight: Twin Cores Assembled at European Spaceport

China advances space capabilities with latest multirole satellite launch

Ariane 6's Maiden Voyage Marks a New Era for European Space Missions with YPSat Onboard

Technical setback delays launch of final Delta IV Heavy

MARSDAILY
European Scientists Unveil Detailed Mars Map Ahead of Rosalind Franklin Rover Mission

Sun Blob Blues Sols 4134-4135

Bipartisan Congressional call to ensure Mars Sample Return a success

Mars Express achieves 25,000 orbits

MARSDAILY
Shenzhou 17 astronauts complete China's first in-space repair job

Tiangong Space Station's Solar Wings Restored After Spacewalk Repair by Shenzhou XVII Team

BIT advances microbiological research on Chinese Space Station

Chang'e 6 and new rockets highlight China's packed 2024 space agenda

MARSDAILY
Four veteran space industry leaders join Astrobotic as company turn to Griffin-1 project

Dedicated Satellite Set to Broaden Internet Access in Argentina

Intelsat bolsters global connectivity through enhanced Eutelsat Group Partnership

Airbus Prepares EUTELSAT 36D Satellite for Launch with Innovative BelugaST Transport

MARSDAILY
New Study Unveils Inadequacies in Traditional Theories of Van Allen Belts

Lockheed Martin to develop advanced radar training system for USAF

Kayhan Space revolutionizes university space programs with Pathfinder Classroom

Large language models use a surprisingly simple mechanism to retrieve some stored knowledge

MARSDAILY
ESA targets Enceladus in ambitious mission to Saturn

Webb opens new chapter in search for forming planets

Life Detection on Ice Moons Could Be Within Reach, New Study Shows

Loathed by scientists, loved by nature: sulfur and the origin of life

MARSDAILY
New study reveals potential "ice bombs" among Kuiper Belt Objects

Unlocking the Secrets of Eternal Ice in the Kuiper Belt

Hubble's Latest Gaze Reveals Jupiter's Dynamic Weather Patterns

NASA Armstrong Updates 1960s Concept to Study Giant Planets

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters


ADVERTISEMENT



The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2023 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.