Curiosity rover drills Basque Lakes target in Cache Creek quad

The Curiosity rover drilled a rock target called Basque Lakes this week. The work took place in the Cache Creek quad, which is listed as recently entered.

Basque Lakes was drilled this week in the Cache Creek quad. The quad is listed as recently entered and is named after Cache Creek, British Columbia, Canada.

The drill target was checked with a pre-load test, and MAHLI imaged it after that check. MAHLI was positioned within 1 centimeter, while APXS touched the rock target.

ChemCam fired its laser at the Basque Lakes drill target, examined Cordillera by remote imaging, and analyzed Peace River. It also observed the new drill hole and tailings.

Mastcam imaged nearby terrain and joined Navcam in monitoring environmental and atmospheric conditions. SAM payload material is from the Basque Lakes drill sample.

The Cache Creek area includes oceanic crust, marine sediments, volcanic rocks, and glacial deposits. It is described as having lakes with unusual chemistry possibly analogous to Mars lakes.

The update shows an aging rover conducting drilling, contact checks, laser observations, and camera monitoring, with milestones of 14 years and 38 kilometers. The facts contain no lunar-specific detail, but they document long-duration robotic field science.

CheMin X-ray diffraction analysis is planned this weekend. Analysis of the Basque Lakes drill sample should continue next week, and Curiosity is likely to remain at the location for another week. Additional activities are planned, and the rover will dump the sample and drive away.