28th October 2013 Sol 436

Today is a soliday on Mars and no science activities.  We are parked close to our next Waypoint called Cooperstown.  We will be getting full resolution MastCam images over the next few days of a large outcrop that we are aiming for.

Meanwhile there is a  public NASA-hosted  conference about the next Curiosity-class rover – called Mars2020 as it is due for launch in mid 2020.  The power source (plutonium) and basic structure, together with Skycrane Entry, Descent and Landing will be the same as for MSL.  However, Mars2020 will have a sample caching system – the first part of Mars Sample Return (MSR).  A separate, later mission will be needed to retrieve the cached samples and put them in Mars orbit, using a Mars Ascent Vehicle (rocket).