Mars Perseverance Sol 286 – Right Navigation Camera: NAVCAM image looking southeast towards our return trip around Séítah. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
While many reflect on the past and bid it farewell, there’s a lot of exciting science to come in the next year. While many were enjoying the days between the Christmas and New Year holidays in the US, at JPLThe Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is a federally funded research and development center managed for NASA by the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). The laboratory’s primary function is the construction and operation of planetary robotic spacecraft, though it also conducts Earth-orbit and astronomy missions. It is also responsible for operating NASA’s Deep Space Network. JPL implements programs in planetary exploration, Earth science, space-based astronomy and technology development, while applying its capabilities to technical and scientific problems of national significance.”>JPL we were working to finish up sampling activities at Issole. We’ll soon bid an Auld Lang Syne to the Séítah region.
As lead Mapping Specialist, I get to enjoy looking at the road ahead for the rover. We’ll start by looping back around Séítah east, following our path back towards the Octavia E. Butler Landing site, then curling counter-clockwise to the delta front. In this mission rewind, we get a chance to look at some of the intriguing outcrops we’ve seen before like at Citadelle (where we first grabbed cores 1 & 2, around the sol 180 position on August 21, 2021), perhaps a new look at the unique layering at Mure (sol 168 on August 8, 2021), or even some of the rocks we didn’t get as close to as we wanted, just east of the landing site (sol 73 on May 4th (be with you!), 2021).
Remember to follow along as we explore with NASAEstablished in 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is an independent agency of the United States Federal Government that succeeded the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). It is responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and aerospace research. It’s vision is “To discover and expand knowledge for the benefit of humanity.””>NASA’s online rover map that we update every time we drive. My New Year’s resolution for the mission is to continue bringing you new maps and help scientists find the best rocks for the rover to explore throughout 2022!
Written by Fred Calef III, Mapping Specialist at NASA/JPL.
Source: SciTechDaily
