Tag Archives: Pahrump Hills

Curiosity: Dusting off Mojave2

Posted on January 27, 2015 by rburnham

Sol 880, January 27, 2015. Preparing to drill the Mojave2 target (see post below), Curiosity used its Dust Removal Tool to clear off the rock surface. Two-frame MAHLI composite; click on the image to load a larger version in a … Continue reading →

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Curiosity update: ‘Resuming science planning’

Posted on January 26, 2015 by rburnham

Sol 880, January 26, 2015, update from USGS Scientist Ken Herkenhoff: Despite some problems at the Deep Space Network radio antenna early last week, the flight software transition went well and the MSL operations team is back to planning science … Continue reading →

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Curiosity update: ‘Exciting new software’

Posted on January 23, 2015 by rburnham

Sol 876, January 22, 2015, update from USGS Scientist Lauren Edgar: The flight software transition is going well, and Curiosity is doing a test run of the new version. Both the prime and backup rover computers are on track to … Continue reading →

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Curiosity update: ‘Software transition’

Posted on January 20, 2015 by rburnham

Sol 873-879, January 20, 2015, update from USGS Scientist Ken Herkenhoff: “There won’t be any MSL science planned this week because the rover’s software is being upgraded.  I was scheduled as SOWG Chair today and tomorrow… [More at link]

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Curiosity update: ‘A software upgrade is available. Install now?’

Posted on January 19, 2015 by rburnham

Sol 871-872, January 16, 2015, update from USGS Scientist Ryan Anderson: “Today’s plan for sols 871 and 872 is our last chance to get some science done before we begin a week of no activity while the engineering team upgrades … Continue reading →

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Software upgrade, plus a salty story at ‘Mojave’?

Posted on January 15, 2015 by rburnham

A rock target where NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover is using its sample-collection drill this week may have a salty story to tell. This target, called “Mojave,” displays copious slender features, slightly smaller than grains of rice, that appear to be … Continue reading →

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Curiosity update: ‘Broken rock’

Posted on January 15, 2015 by rburnham

Sol 869-870, January 14, 2015, update from USGS Scientist Ken Herkenhoff: “A mini-drill test on the Mojave rock target completed successfully, but MAHLI images taken after the test showed that the rotary-percussive drilling fractured the rock.  This was not expected, … Continue reading →

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Curiosity update: ‘Mini-drill at Mojave’

Posted on January 14, 2015 by rburnham

Sol 867-868, January 12, 2015, update from USGS Scientist Lauren Edgar: “Over the weekend, Curiosity did a short drive to get into position to drill at ‘Mojave.’  The previously acquired MAHLI images of this target show some really interesting crystals, … Continue reading →

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Curiosity: Drilling into sandstone

Posted on January 14, 2015 by rburnham

Sols 866-7, January 13-14, 2015. Curiosity’s drill bit into a cracked slab of fine-grain rock, probably sandstone or mudstone. In the wide-field view at right, note the light-colored minerals in some of the cracks between pieces of the slab. In … Continue reading →

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Curiosity update: ‘Hello again, Pink Cliffs’

Posted on January 9, 2015 by rburnham

Sol 864-866, January 9, 2015, update from USGS Scientist Ryan Anderson: “The drive toward ‘Pink Cliffs’ went according to plan, so in the Sol 864 plan we will be doing a very short drive (called a bump) toward our drilling … Continue reading →

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