Crossing the Dunes at Murray Buttes, Sites 54-62, Sols 1353-1659, May 28 2016-Apr 6 2017 Options

[PaulH51]

Midnight Planets has reported Curiosity's movement of ~46.3m WSW (-116º) on Sol 1353.
Only 7 L-NavCams were available for this rough & ready stitch in MS ICE, the raws are a little overexposed, but they may assist in pinpointing the location.
I cropped the stitch a little to get it under the upload limit.
I'll post the full resolution 360 on an image host as the images become available, unless someone beats me to it

[atomoid]

that's really cool, i could lose my whole day playing around in that sandbox, though hard to get fine enough movement controls with such a large world size, perhaps the size maxed out here, but here is a sample compare (though my eyeballing probably didn't get sol1376 position that well) of that hummock on sol1376.. and stereo too..

[Sean]

I'm hoping for some improvement in the sensitivity of moving around by experimenting with the scale of the imported model, although I suspect Sketchfab impose rigid constraints for what is allowed.

Don't forget that you can change navigation mode in the menu to first person and then change walking speed with the mouse wheel which gives you fine control over movement as well as looking great in VR.

Having scouted the notional route ahead it appears we are in for some awesome vistas!

Here is a 360 for Sol 1376...

[Phil Stooke]

Thanks, Sean - here is a circular version.

Phil

[PaulH51]

Curiosity Mission Update by Ryan Anderson: Dated 21 June 2016: Sol 1378-1379: Making up for lost distance:

Over the weekend, the rover stopped after about 17 meters of the planned 65 meter drive. The rover is fine, the drive just tripped one of the (very conservative) limits on how the rover’s suspension was expected to behave, causing Curiosity to stop and check in with Earth. Since there is nothing jumping out at us as a contact science target where we stopped, in today’s plan we will try to make up for some of the lost distance from the weekend plan.
In the Sol 1378 plan, ChemCam has observations of some bedrock at the target “Tombua” and a rock named “Ai Ais”. Mastcam then will image the two ChemCam targets, as well as the Sol 1376 AEGIS target. Mastcam will also image some veins at a location called “Helgas”. After that, we will drive and collect some typical post-drive imaging.
On Sol 1379, we won’t have data down from Sol 1378 yet, so it is an untargeted plan. In the morning, ChemCam, NavCam, and Mastcam have some atmospheric observations. Then in the afternoon, ChemCam has some calibration observations, followed by a few more Mastcam atmospheric observations.

[PaulH51]

Midnight Planets reports that Curiosity moved approximately 42.7m S (-171º) on Sol 1378 - Link
I'll add one of my rough-n-ready pano's as soon as I have enough frames

[jvandriel]

The Navcam L view on Sol 1378.

Jan van Driel

[Phil Stooke]

Here's a quick circular version of that pan - thanks, Jan. This gives a really nice depiction of our location near those big drifts.

Phil

[Sean]

Sol 1375 MR crop

[PaulH51]

Sol 1375 MR crop

Very nice scenery, thanks Sean

HiRISE have finally released the latest image of Curiosity PIA20738 : Curiosity on the Naukluft Plateau during 25 March 2016 / Rover Sol 1291

Photojournal Page (PIA20738) LINK
HiRISE Page (ESP_045293_1755) LINK

[PaulH51]

Curiosity Mission Update by Lauren Edgar: Dated 22 June 2016: Sols 1380-1381: Contact Science at “Koes”

The drive on Sol 1378 went well, and Curiosity drove ~44 m to the south, bringing our total drive distance to more than 13.2 km. We’re currently making our way through a gap in the Bagnold dunes (part of a dune is visible in the upper left of the drive direction Navcam frame, above).
Today’s two-sol plan includes targeted remote sensing, and contact science at a target named “Koes.” We’ve been searching for a good place to do contact science on the Murray formation around here, and there won’t be enough power or time to fit contact science in the weekend plan, so it’s great to pick it up here. The plan starts with ChemCam and Mastcam observations of “Koes” and “Onawa” to characterize the Murray formation. Then we’ll use the DRT to brush off a fresh surface at “Koes,” followed by MAHLI imaging. We’ll also use MAHLI to image the rover wheels, as part of our ongoing monitoring. Then we’ll place APXS for an overnight integration on “Koes.” We’ll also carry out a SAM preconditioning activity, which heats up a sample cup in preparation for solid sample analysis. Curiosity will wake up early the next morning to acquire a Mastcam mosaic of “Baynes Mountain” to document the contact between the Murray and Stimson formations. On Sol 1381, we’ll acquire another ChemCam observation of the Murray formation at “Khoabendus,” and we’ll use Mastcam to characterize veins at the target “Helgas.” Then Navcam will be used to monitor the atmosphere and search for dust devils.

[PaulH51]

Sol 1378 end-of-drive MAHLI, rotated and enhanced


1024x919 LINK
1961x1760 LINK

[Explorer1]

I'd say it's surreal, but after this many years on the forum I know better. Great work Paul!

[PaulH51]

Another busy weekend on Mars, Sol 1380 MAHLI image of APXS target 'Koes'

[Sean]

Some snaps from Sol 1381...

ML


MR

[PaulH51]

Some snaps from Sol 1381

Sean's L-MastCam mosaic appears to be "Baynes Mountain" mosaic referenced in the recent USGS mission update

"Curiosity will wake up early the next morning to acquire a Mastcam mosaic of “Baynes Mountain” to document the contact between the Murray and Stimson formations".