Press Release: CaSSIS Returns First Images from Primary Science Orbit
26 April 2018Image credit: ESA/Roscosmos/CaSSIS. Koralev crater (165.9 E, 73.3 N) at 5.08 m/px with a ground-track velocity of 2.90 km/s. The Colour and Stereo Surface Imaging System (CaSSIS) flown onboard the European Space Agency's ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) spacecraft, on 14 March 2016, sent out… Read More
Sols 2022-2024: Waternish extravaganza
13 April 2018The Sol 2020 drive completed successfully, placing the vehicle in a good position for contact science on the Waternish conglomerate. To sample the diversity of clasts in Waternish, the Sol 2022 plan includes brushing two spots, a 5-point APXS raster, and lots of MAHLI imaging. But… Read More
Sols 2020-2021: Leaving Bressay
11 April 2018The top science priority for this plan is to acquire all of the data needed to adequately characterize the rocks at the current location before driving away. So the GEO Science Theme Group discussed the priorities of various proposed observations, including a Right Mastcam mosaic of… Read More
Sol 2019: The workspace that just keeps giving
10 April 2018For the past few sols Curiosity has been exploring a diverse assemblage of cobbles and boulders on Vera Rubin Ridge, trying to understand how this blocky deposit came to be, and what the variety of rock types can tell us about geologic processes in Gale crater. We’ve been really excited… Read More
Astrogeology Sows STEM Seeds
9 April 2018The fifth Annual Flagstaff Community STEM Celebration, at Lawrence Walkup Skydome, was another undertaking of progress for presenting science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Astrogeology seldom misses an opportunity to sow STEM seeds — encouraging STEM activities,… Read More
Sol 2014: Something new and different
5 April 2018For much of the last year, Curiosity has been exploring fine-grained rocks along Vera Rubin Ridge, and investigating red and gray color variations. Recently, something else caught our eye: dark cobbles and boulders exposed in patches, as seen in the above Mastcam image. We’ve seen… Read More
Sols 2008-2010: Exploring variations in composition, texture, and color
30 March 2018Yesterday Curiosity drove 35 m to the southeast, which set us up for some great contact science on the rim of a small impact crater. We’re working our way toward Region 13 on Vera Rubin Ridge and exploring changes in bedrock composition, texture, and color, as shown in the above Navcam… Read More
Let the Good Times Roll at LPSC
19 March 2018Many Astrogeology Science Center employees are off to the 49th Lunar Planetary Science Center Conference (LPSC), in Woodlands, Texas, beginning this week throughout the 23rd. LPSC is co-sponsored by the Lunar and Planetary Institute and NASA. Astrogeology engages in this yearly conference to… Read More
Happy International Women's Day: with Barbie!
7 March 2018Hooray to the little girls who have grown up and are making contributions to science every day! In honor of International Women's Day on March 8, Mattel is making 17 new Barbie dolls that include an Inspiring Women line—featuring dolls based on historical female figures, and Shero… Read More
Sols 1981-1983: Second sample acquisition attempt
2 March 2018All of the data returned for the second drill target, called "Lake Orcadie 2," support the decision to attempt to acquire sample at that location using feed-extended drilling. So the weekend plan is focused on drilling, which is planned for the second sol (1982). But first, on Sol… Read More
