The Mars Science Laboratory’s rover has been excelling in autonomous navigation, allowing for longer drives into uncharted territories. Today, the team is confident enough in the view ahead to plan a drive of over 100 meters, with the last approximately 45 meters utilizing AutoNav. However, driving such a distance leaves little time for targeted scientific observations, allowing only a few minutes today. This trade-off between observations and drive distance was expected once AutoNav was successfully tested on the B computer, but it remains a difficult decision to make.
Some scientists are eager to spend more time studying intriguing features along the way to Aeolis Mons (“Mt. Sharp”), but Gale crater was chosen as the landing site for the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) due to the opportunity to investigate the geologic history preserved in the layers of Aeolis Mons. The ultimate scientific objective is to reach the base of the mountain with minimal delays, prioritizing the study of its intriguing geological layers.