After NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover drilled a sample from this rock on April 25, 2026, it withdrew its robotic arm and pulled the entire rock off the surface with it.
Mastcam
Posted inAstrogeology, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Sample Return, Status Report
Curiosity Astrobiology Rover Gets Stuck And Unstuck In ‘Atacama’
Earth planning date: Friday, May 1, 2026 Chile’s Atacama desert is the driest mid-latitude desert in the world, receiving only 15 millimeters (0.59 inches) of precipitation per year. Only the […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Desert Worlds, Exploration Gear & Tech, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Status Report
Mars Curiosity Blog Sols 4845-4851: Bye-Bye Boxwork, Bye-Bye
Earth planning date: Friday, March 27, 2026
Posted inAstrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Desert Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Status Report
Mars Curiosity Blog, Sols 4852–4858: When Data Take Their Time…
Earth planning date: Friday, April 3, 2026 Written by Susanne P. Schwenzer, Professor of Planetary Mineralogy at The Open University, UK
Posted inAstrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Desert Worlds, Fossils & Paleontology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs
Serendipitous Discovery Of Martian Ripple Marks Reveals An Ancient Sandstorm
The search for life on Mars involves the efforts of scientists from many different disciplines. An important aspect of that search is to study Martian sedimentary rocks for information about […]
Posted inImaging & Spectroscopy, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Press Release
Mars Perseverance Sol 1539: Left Mastcam-Z Camera
This photo was selected by public vote and featured as “Image of the Week” for Week 227 (June 15 – 21, 2025) of the Perseverance rover mission on Mars.
Posted inAstrogeology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Press Release
Examining The Altadena Drill Hole On Mars
As we near the end of our Altadena drill campaign, Curiosity continued her exploration of the Martian bedrock within the boxwork structures on Mount Sharp. After successfully delivering a powdered […]
Posted inMars, Missions & Hardware, Status Report
Mars Science Laboratory Sols 4468-4470: A Wintry Mix of Mars Science
Earth planning date: Friday, Feb. 28, 2025
Posted inAstrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Press Release, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Sample Return
Unburied Treasure: Rover Researchers Find Unexpected Minerals On Mars
Sometimes scientists must dig and work and sweat to make scientific discoveries. And sometimes a robot rolls over a rock that turns out to be a revelation.
Posted inAstrogeology, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Status Report
Mars Astrobiology Rover Curiosity Update: Sols 4300-4301: Rippled Pages
Earth planning date: Monday, Sept. 9, 2024 With today’s plan, Curiosity completes its most southerly planned exploration of the Gediz Vallis channel. From here, our rover will head north and […]