NASA’s Curiosity rover – Astronomy Now

Final NASA workshop considers Mars 2020 landing sites

15 October 2018 Astronomy Now

NASA is staging a fourth and final workshop to debate four proposed landing sites for the agency’s Mars 2020 rover. A decision on where to target the rover is expected by the end of the year.

NASA troubleshooting data transmission glitch with Curiosity Mars rover

19 September 2018 Astronomy Now

Engineers are troubleshooting a data transmission glitch aboard the Curiosity Mars rover that has interrupted science operations. They are studying real-time telemetry, which is not affected, to diagnose the problem.

Curiosity panorama shows still-dusty Mars from Vera Rubin Ridge

7 September 2018 Astronomy Now

NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover paused its research last month to snap images for a spectacular 360-degree panorama showing the robot’s view from Vera Rubin Ridge on the lower slopes of Mount Sharp, revealing a still-dusty world in the aftermath of a global dust storm.

Martian dust storm makes presence known in Gale Crater

22 June 2018 Astronomy Now

The global dust storm now blanketing Mars that has at least temporarily sidelined the solar-powered Opportunity rover also is dimming the sky above Gale Crater where the Curiosity rover is hard at work

Curiosity rover finds more evidence of Martian habitability

8 June 2018 Astronomy Now

NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover has detected a wide range of organic compounds on the red planet along with signs of seasonal variations in background methane levels, a possible indicator of biological activity.

Curiosity once again drilling into Mars rocks after long hiatus

24 May 2018 Astronomy Now

The drill at the end of the Curiosity Mars rover’s robot arm is back in action after being sidelined for more than a year by a mechanical problem. A new technique was successfully tested 20 May after months of engineering tests on Earth.

Curiosity Mars rover snaps a selfie

2 February 2018 Astronomy Now

The Curiosity Mars rover used a camera on the end of its robot arm to take a selfie on the slopes of Mount Sharp before moving on to begin exploring nearby clay-rich soils. The rover is slowly working its way up the lower slopes of the mountain, looking for changes that might indicate the transition from warmer, wetter eras to the dry, frigid environment seen today.

Curiosity snaps spectacular Mars panorama

31 January 2018 Astronomy Now

NASA’s Mars Curiosity rover sends back a spectacular panorama showing its path across the floor of Gale Crater from its landing site to its current perch on the slopes of Mount Sharp.

Mars rover’s panorama of entrance to ‘Murray Buttes’

21 August 2016 Astronomy Now

NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover acquired this 360-degree panorama as it neared features called “Murray Buttes” on lower Mount Sharp on the fourth anniversary of its landing.

Martian surface revealed in unprecedented detail

26 April 2016 Astronomy Now

The surface of Mars — including the location of Beagle-2 — has been shown in unprecedented detail by University College London scientists using a revolutionary image stacking and matching technique. The UCL researchers used the Super-Resolution Restoration (SRR) process to reveal objects at a resolution up to five times greater than previously achieved.