ChemCam Does a Double Take

During extensive drill campaigns such as these, while Curiosity parked in one location for several weeks, the science team has ample time to scrutinize the rocks, pebbles and sands in the immediate vicinity of the rover. This is a luxury, because when Curiosity is driving, we usually get just a quick glimpse of the terrain in front of the rover before leaving it behind forever. Often, an instrument such as ChemCam will measure the chemistry of a rock, and by the time we have received and analyzed that chemistry data, that rock is just a speck in the rearview mirror. But during a drill campaign, when ChemCam reveals something interesting about a nearby target, we have the chance to follow up with more measurements.