Monthly Archives: June 2017

HiRISE: Utopia Planitia

Posted on June 22, 2017 by rburnham

Utopia Planitia, a name that literally means “plains of nowhere.” Beautiful Mars series.

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Opportunity: Straightens wheel, resumes driving

Posted on June 22, 2017 by rburnham

Opportunity Status Report, June 22, 2017: The rover experienced a left-front wheel steering actuator stall on Sol 4750 (June 4, 2017), leaving the wheel toed out by 33 degrees. Our initial attempts to straighten the wheel failed to yield any … Continue reading →

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THEMIS: Channels across lava plains near Nirgal Vallis

Posted on June 22, 2017 by rburnham

THEMIS Image of the Day, June 22, 2017. Do you see what I do? Someone on Mars is smiling at me. (THEMIS Art #131) More THEMIS Images of the Day by geological topic.

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Curiosity: Vera Rubin Ridge

Posted on June 21, 2017 by rburnham

Sol 1732, June 20, 2017. Four Navcam shots detail the skyline of Vera Rubin Ridge. Before taking these images, Curiosity drove more than 13 meters (43 feet) to the east-southeast. Rover drivers are threading a course between sand ripple patches … Continue reading →

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MARCI weather report, June 12-18, 2017

Posted on June 21, 2017 by rburnham

Local-scale dust-raising activity continued this past week with sporadic storms over the mid-to-high latitudes of both northern and southern hemispheres. Towards the beginning of the week, dust storms were spotted pushing southward over the plains of Acidalia and Utopia. Looking … Continue reading →

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Opportunity: Rolling again

Posted on June 21, 2017 by rburnham

Sol 4766, June 21, 2017. Opportunity is rolling again, this time with a drive of 4.7 meters (15 feet) to the west-northwest. The multi-frame Pancam composite (above) was taken at a local time of 4 pm in an eastward direction … Continue reading →

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THEMIS: Dunes, dust devil tracks, and wind streaks on northern polar lowlands

Posted on June 21, 2017 by rburnham

THEMIS Image of the Day, June 21, 2017. Do you see what I see? Look out, a barrage of bullets is headed our way! (THEMIS Art #130) More THEMIS Images of the Day by geological topic.

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HiRISE images Curiosity on its way to the ridge

Posted on June 20, 2017 by rburnham

Using the most powerful telescope ever sent to Mars, NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter caught a view of the Curiosity rover this month amid rocky mountainside terrain. The car-size rover, climbing up lower Mount Sharp toward its next destination, appears as … Continue reading →

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Curiosity update: Marching ahead towards Vera Rubin Ridge

Posted on June 20, 2017 by rburnham

Sol 1732-33, June 19, 2017, update by MSL scientist Mark Salvatore: As this is my first time contributing to the MSL blog, I’d like to quickly introduce myself to you all. I’m Mark, an MSL Participating Scientist and a faculty … Continue reading →

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HiRISE: Fractured ground in Isidis Planitia

Posted on June 20, 2017 by rburnham

Fractured ground in Isidis Planitia. Beautiful Mars series.

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