The Zabriskie Plateau, named after a sandstone formation in California, is the destination for the rover on Mars today. Prior to the drive, a pre-drive science block will take place, which includes environmental monitoring tasks such as ChemCam passive spectroscopy of atmospheric composition and Mastcam measurement of atmospheric dust opacity. The loose sand in the area is expected to limit the distance covered by the drive to approximately 60 meters.
After navigating through the ripples, the rover will begin its ascent up the Zabriskie Plateau. Tomorrow will be a restricted sol as the team waits for data to be transmitted back to Earth. Following this, they are anticipating engaging in possible contact science activities and more driving over the weekend. However, it is important to note that these plans may change due to various factors such as the Martian environment, communication relays, and the status of the rover itself.