As the uplink lead for the Opportunity Microscopic Imager and engineering cameras (Hazcams and Navcams), I have been unable to closely follow the MSL planning due to my busy schedule. However, I am excited about the upcoming weekend plan for conducting more MAHLI imaging of the rover wheels and a short drive to a promising location for dumping and examining the drill sample. If everything goes smoothly, most of next week will be dedicated to upgrading the rover flight software.
The timing of this upgrade is perfect as many MSL scientists will be attending the fall meeting of the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco next week. This upgrade will require suspending scientific observations temporarily but will ultimately enhance the rover’s capabilities. During the meeting, there will be a press briefing to highlight recent science findings and discoveries.
Operating two rovers on Mars simultaneously presents a unique challenge, but it’s a good problem to have. With so much data coming in from both rovers, it’s important that we are able to manage it efficiently while still making progress towards our goals. Despite these challenges, I am confident that we will continue to make significant strides in exploring Mars with both rovers working together.