Tag Archives: Bagnold Dunes

Curiosity: Wheel-check pit stop

Posted on December 4, 2015 by rburnham

Sol 1182, December 3, 2015. The Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) on the instrument arm performs a “pit stop” service by swinging under the rover to check the state of the wheels as they rest on sand. The right-side image … Continue reading →

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Curiosity update: ‘Completing mobility tests’

Posted on December 3, 2015 by rburnham

Sol 1183, December 3, 2015, update from USGS scientist Ken Herkenhoff: Today we are planning the last sol of the mobility test, turning and backing out of the sand while taking multiple Hazcam images, then pausing to take Navcam and … Continue reading →

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Curiosity update: ‘Studying our tracks’

Posted on December 3, 2015 by rburnham

Sol 1182, December 2, 2015, update from USGS scientist Ryan Anderson: Today’s plan is focused on studying the results of yesterday’s mobility test where we drove a little ways into a sand patch and then backed out, leaving trenches where … Continue reading →

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Curiosity update: ‘Mobility testing’

Posted on December 2, 2015 by rburnham

Sol 1181, December 1, 2015, update from USGS scientist Ken Herkenhoff: Due to problems at the Goldstone DSN complex, the bundle of command sequences generated for Sol 1180 could not be sent to MSL.  So the rover performed minimal activities … Continue reading →

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Curiosity update: ‘Heater table update’

Posted on December 1, 2015 by rburnham

Sol 1180, November 30, 2015, update from USGS scientist Ken Herkenhoff: The MAHLI wheel imaging planned for Sol 1179 completed nominally, and the initial assessment showed no broken grousers.  The rover is now poised to begin testing mobility in the … Continue reading →

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Curiosity update: ‘Recipe for a successful rover plan’

Posted on November 26, 2015 by rburnham

Sol 1177-79, November 25, 2015, update from USGS scientist Lauren Edgar: The 28 m drive on Sol 1174 ran successfully and Curiosity is now parked in front of a beautiful sand sheet and sand dune! Today science and engineering teams … Continue reading →

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Curiosity: Edge of the sands

Posted on November 25, 2015 by rburnham

Sol 1174, November 25, 2015. The Bagnold Dunes are beckoning, with complex patterns of wind-sculpted ripple crests. Below, two Mastcam-100 frames from Sol 1173 look northeast over layered crater-floor deposits to the rampart of Gale Crater’s wall in the distance. … Continue reading →

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Curiosity update: ‘A feast of activities’

Posted on November 25, 2015 by rburnham

Sol 1174-76, November 24, 2015, update from USGS scientist Lauren Edgar: As many Americans are making plans for Thanksgiving, we’re making sure that Curiosity has plenty to do over the holiday weekend.  On Sol 1173, Curiosity drove 45 m to … Continue reading →

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Curiosity: Sand ripples and thin bright veins

Posted on November 24, 2015 by rburnham

Sol 1173, November 24, 2015. At the edge of the Bagnold Dunes, Curiosity’s Navcam shot a five-frame composite showing the scene to the south and west (above). Note the light veins threading through the rock in the left foreground. Below, … Continue reading →

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Curiosity update: ‘Dune monitoring’

Posted on November 23, 2015 by rburnham

Sol 1173, November 23, 2015, update from USGS scientist Lauren Edgar: Over the weekend, Curiosity drove 51 m closer to the Bagnold Dunes.  I’m on duty as the Geology Science Theme Lead, and today we’re planning Sol 1173, which includes … Continue reading →

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