What must a rover commander balance when deciding between using the HGA for an emergency check-in versus the UHF relay system?

Power usage for a slow check-in versus high-volume data throughput

The commander faces a fundamental trade-off when prioritizing communication methods. Using the High-Gain Antenna (HGA) for a direct link to Earth is reliable and highly controlled, suitable for emergency checks, but it consumes precious power for a low data return. Conversely, using the UHF relay system via an orbiter demands less power from the rover itself and achieves a vastly superior data throughput rate, enabling the return of large science datasets. The choice involves weighing the immediate need for low-power, reliable communication against the mission goal of maximizing science data return via the power-efficient, higher-bandwidth relay.