Tag Archives: Bagnold Dunes

Curiosity update: Early wheel check-up

Sol 1591-92 January 25, 2017, update by USGS scientist Ryan Anderson: The Sol 1589-1590 plan went well, with a successful ~31 meter drive. ChemCam remains “sick” and some diagnostic activities are being planned for the weekend plan. We are approaching … Continue reading

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Curiosity: Around the butte, and through the gap…

Sol 1446, August 30, 2016. Three Navcam frames show the rover’s route forward, as it rounds the wide east-west butte (left) that has stood blocking views of Mt. Sharp. The butte on the right flank of the gap is the … Continue reading

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Curiosity’s dune studies yield a surprise

Some of the wind-sculpted sand ripples on Mars are a type not seen on Earth, and their relationship to the thin Martian atmosphere today provides new clues about the atmosphere’s history. The determination that these mid-size ripples are a distinct … Continue reading

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Curiosity: MAHLI looks northeast

Sol 1378, June 22, 2016. Curiosity’s Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) sometimes takes a shot of the rover’s surroundings while the instrument arm (which carries the camera) is stowed, producing a tilted perspective. The image above (click to enlarge) was … Continue reading

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Curiosity update: Contact science at Koes

Sol 1380-81, June 22, 2016, update from USGS scientist Lauren Edgar: The drive on Sol 1378 went well, and Curiosity drove ~44 m to the south, bringing our total drive distance to more than 13.2 km.  We’re currently making our … Continue reading

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HiRISE: Curiosity on the Naukluft Plateau

HiRISE periodically acquires images of the two working rovers on Mars, Opportunity (Mars Exploration Rover) and Curiosity (Mars Science Laboratory). Although earlier pictures are generally sufficient for mapping the terrain and topography, new images allow scientists and engineers to study … Continue reading

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Curiosity: Approaching Naukluft

Sol 1262, February 23, 2016.  Five Navcam frames, looking generally north-northwest, profile the edge of the Naukluft Plateau. The rover must traverse this feature or go around it to skirt the dunes that stand in the way of driving toward … Continue reading

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Curiosity: Climbing onto Naukluft Plateau

Sol 1261, February 22, 2016. The view grows wider as Curiosity drives up onto Naukluft Plateau to get around High Dune (at right). Click to enlarge. Sol 1261 raw images (from all cameras), and Curiosity’s latest location.

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Curiosity update: Driving around the dune

Sol 1256-61, February 19, 2016, update from USGS scientist Ryan Anderson: Apologies for the lateness of this week’s update: The rover is fine, gradually working its way around the north end of a large dune. I’m just an absent-minded blogger … Continue reading

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Curiosity: Mastcam scopes it out

Sol 1256, February 17, 2016. The wide-angle Mastcam snapped a multi-frame look-ahead at the terrain Curiosity will have to get over or go around. High Dune lies just out of the frame at left. Click to enlarge. Sol 1256 raw … Continue reading

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