UPDATE -- Core Driller Cleared, On Mars -- As I Said, By Shaking It About.

The image at right shows the few remaining pebbles hitting Mars' surface, by gravity, and a bit of shaking.

Just as we said, just two days ago -- and the rover's drill assembly is now cleared to drill out a new core, from the designated "Issole" rock beside it. Here's the latest, from the team at NASA:

. . .With the tube’s open end still pointed towards the surface, we essentially shook the heck out of it for 208 seconds -- by means of the percussive function on the drill. Mastcam-Z imagery taken after the event shows that multiple pieces of sample were dumped onto the surface. Is Tube 261 clear of rock sample? We have new Mastcam-Z images looking down the drill bit into the sample container that indicate little if any debris from the cored-rock sample remains. The sample tube has been cleared for reuse by the project. . . .

Now you know -- grinning, at the 100^th day. . . of the school year antics, here.

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