Post Conjunction: Santa Maria to Cape York, The Journey to 'Spirit Point' Options

[ElkGroveDan]

Starting a new topic to include Eduardo's Google overlay for the rest of the journey to Cape York:

http://planetary.s3.amazonaws.com/gmars_ma...41_1775_RED.kml

Follow the link above and it should load right in to your Google Mars features.

I took a low crow's flight along the final 6km this morning. Below in green is what I think the final route will look like. Also an interesting feature along the way that appears to be a cluster of rocks, possibly Santa Maria ejecta, or large meteorite fragments. Note how the dune has evolved around the three (or more) objects. Object is at -2.199395°, -5.396676° -- roughly 3km down range from Santa Maria.

EDIT: bad link replaced, wider context image added for three rocks.

Attached thumbnail(s)

 

[vikingmars]

...Below in green is what I think the final route will look like.

The Green path is interesting indeed.
On my side, I bet for a "directissime" (as we say in French) route to Cape York (RED path on ElkGroveDan's good map), because Oppy is now on a very flat terrain with just small dust ripples. I think the Navigators will just race (straight route) on the smoothier terrain available in front of them (maybe with short stops at small craters), not only to gain time, but speed also, while saving some energy by avoiding wheel friction on "pavements"... We'll see

[SFJCody]

I can see them making a beeline. I think the path from here to Cape York will be one of straightest they've ever made.