MarsSampleReturn
Sols 4561-4562: Prepping to Drill at Altadena
Sols 4561-4562: Prepping to Drill at Altadena The Curiosity rover is preparing to drill at Altadena, a location chosen for its potential chemistry and geological features. The rover will conduct a “preload test” to determine if the drilling process will be successful and if the target rock has the desired chemistry. Due to power constraints, […]
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Uncertainty at NASA − Trump withdraws his nominee for administrator while the agency faces a steep proposed budget cut
Uncertainty at NASA − Trump withdraws his nominee for administrator while the agency faces a steep proposed budget cut NASA faces significant budget cuts proposed by the Trump administration, including a 50% reduction in space science programs and potential cancellation of several human spaceflight initiatives. The Trump administration has withdrawn the nomination of Jared Isaacman […]
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Sol 4553: Back to the Boxwork!
Sol 4553: Back to the Boxwork! Curiosity rover has returned to its “boxwork” terrain area, where it will investigate targets dubbed “Sisquoc River” and “Palo Verde Mountains”. The rover acquired an image of its workspace using its Left Navigation Camera on May 27, 2025, showing resistant, ridge-like features that are of interest for studying fluid-flow […]
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A Dust Devil Photobombs Perseverance!
A Dust Devil Photobombs Perseverance! The Perseverance rover on Mars recently took a selfie to celebrate its 1,500th Martian day, but it was photobombed by a dust devil! The dust devil, about 100 meters across, was captured by the WATSON camera on the end of the rover’s robotic arm for the first time. The rover had […]
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A decade after the release of ‘The Martian’ and a decade out from the world it envisions, a planetary scientist checks in on real-life Mars exploration
A decade after the release of ‘The Martian’ and a decade out from the world it envisions, a planetary scientist checks in on real-life Mars exploration Despite predictions made by Andy Weir’s bestselling novel “The Martian,” real-life Mars exploration has taken a different path than expected. While NASA plans to return humans to the Moon […]
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Sols 4522-4524: Up on the Roof
Sols 4522-4524: Up on the Roof Curiosity rover will spend Sol 4522 studying layered rocks at “Hale Telescope” using its Left Navigation Camera, Mastcam, and ChemCam instruments. On Sol 4523, Curiosity will perform a series of mosaics and observations on targets such as “Mesa Peak”, “Puerto Suelo”, and “Potrero Seco”, including companion observations with ChemCam […]
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Sols 4518-4519: Thumbs up from Mars
Sols 4518-4519: Thumbs up from Mars The Curiosity rover on Mars has made another exciting discovery, detecting the mineral siderite in three drill holes, which allowed scientists to piece together the carbon cycle of Mars. Today’s workspace looks intriguing with its fine layers and weathering patterns, but the team had to keep the arm stowed […]
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Sols 4511-4512: Low energy after a big weekend?
Sols 4511-4512: Low energy after a big weekend? Curiosity Rover’s weekend was busy, with full contact science, imaging tests, and a long 57m drive, leaving it low on power for Monday’s plan. The team had to prioritize science activities within the rover’s power limit, squeezing in activities such as acquiring Mastcam mosaics, ChemCam LIBS observations, […]
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NASA’s Perseverance Mars Rover Studies Trove of Rocks on Crater Rim
NASA’s Perseverance Mars Rover Studies Trove of Rocks on Crater Rim NASA’s Perseverance rover has been collecting and caching Martian rock samples from the Jezero crater, which will be returned to Earth for further analysis as part of NASA’s Mars Sample Return Program. The rover has discovered a serpentine-rich rock sample called “Tablelands” that contains […]
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Sols 4502-4504: Sneaking Past Devil’s Gate
Sols 4502-4504: Sneaking Past Devil’s Gate The NASA Mars rover Curiosity has been making progress driving up Mount Sharp, gaining new perspectives on the surrounding terrain. The rover had to navigate around a small ridgeline called “Devil’s Gate” to continue its journey, which presented opportunities for interesting geological observations and imaging. During this period, the […]
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