Sols 2386-2387: A new drill hole!
22 April 2019The drilling planned for last weekend was successful, so the top priority for Sol 2386 is to drop portions of the Kilmarie sample onto a closed SAM inlet cover and take Mastcam images after each dropoff to characterize the size of each portion. The results of this portioning test will… Read More
Press Release: Discusses USGS-NASA Mapping Program
25 March 2019Planetary geologic maps show how rocks and sediments exist in three dimensions and help scientists interpret land surface evolution through time. They also help guide scientific investigations and place scientific results into a common context for comparability. Beginning at the Lunar and… Read More
Astrogeology Stepping Out for STEM
20 March 2019Members of the Astrogeology Science Center (ASC) stepped out last Monday night to join with other USGS Flagstaff Field Center employees and the greater Flagstaff Community in a fun-filled celebration of all things STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). The 6th annual Flagstaff Community… Read More
My Time With Oppy
21 February 2019The piece below was written by Alicia Vaughan, a former USGS Astrogeology researcher who played many roles* on the Mars Exploration Rover mission.The night Opportunity landed was the MOST exciting night of my life. My children are always offended by that, but it’s true. Lots of people… Read More
Lunar Legacy February Lecture Tonight
13 February 2019Dr. Ivo Lucchitta, and Dr. Baerbel Lucchitta Scientist Emeritus at Astrogeology Science Center, will be giving a talk entitled From the Mountain to the Moon on Wednesday February 13th about their personal experiences as USGS scientists helping with the Apollo missions, from training… Read More
USGS Flagstaff Science Campus back from shutdown: A notice from the SCD
12 February 2019We would like to take this time to extend thanks to our community for their unwavering support during the partial government shutdown. The USGS Flagstaff Science Campus is back fully operational as of January 28 from the longest shutdown in history lasting 35 days. More than 30 businesses in… Read More
Get to know us: Astrogeology
7 February 2019In 1960, Eugene Shoemaker and a team of other scientists founded the field of astrogeology to develop tools, methods, and training for the Apollo astronauts exploring the Moon. In 1962, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Branch of Astrogeology was established in Menlo Park, California; and in 1963,… Read More
Sols 2301-2303: Looking Forward to the Clay-Bearing Unit
28 January 2019This weekend's plan started off on Sol 2301 with some Mastcam atmospheric observations, followed by ChemCam analysis of "Loch Ness" and "Loch Skeen," examples of brown and gray bedrock. ChemCam also had a long-distance image mosaic of an interesting outcrop in the clay-bearing unit. Once the… Read More
Sol 2164: Science and Good Times at Rock Hall
19 December 2018We are still very excited and happy that the final drill hole, “Rock Hall,” on Vera Rubin Ridge was successful over the weekend. Now we get to analyze the drilled sample with rover instruments. We are planning one sol today, and the big event will be delivering some of the Rock Hall… Read More
Mike and the Moon
12 December 2018We had some friends visit while they were on vacation in northern Arizona over the Thanksgiving holiday this year. One night after dinner the topic of conversation drifted to my work with the USGS Astrogeology Science Center here in Flagstaff as an IT Specialist. They had seen Internet articles… Read More
