November 28, 2014

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Alien Yet Familiar: Following Curiosity Across Mars

822 Martian days after landing, NASA’s Curiosity rover, carrying the Mars Science Laboratory, continues on its extraordinary journey across landscapes that are both utterly alien, and remarkably familiar.

By Caleb A. Scharf

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This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American

822 Martian days after landing, NASA's Curiosity rover, carrying the Mars Science Laboratory, continues on its extraordinary journey across landscapes that are both utterly alien, and remarkably familiar. Here's a small update. On November 18th 2014 the rover was in the center of this region (within the Pahrump Hills), continuing across the base area of Mount Sharp, the 18,000 foot central peak within Gale Crater:

Curiosity at the center. Image from Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona)

In the next image you can get an idea of the planned route as it was back in September 2014 (with an improved, slightly more efficient path) - this map also gives a better indication of where Curiosity has come from since its touchdown at Bradbury Landing, and an inkling of the scale of Mount Sharp (insert).

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(NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona)

But the grander perspective comes from seeing Mount Sharp in its full glory, as shown here from a NASA/JPL release in September 2014. The scope of the rover's journey and ambition is impressive, to say the least.

(Credits: NASA/JPL, illustration, T.Reyes)

And what does it look like on the ground right now? Pretty interesting. Here's an image of a section of bedrock taken November 23rd 2014. It's part of an outcrop at Mount Sharp's base - within the Pahrump Hills.

(Mastcam image, Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS)

From November 13th 2014 here's a 'heads up' view, from a rocky outcrop to a field of small dunes...

(Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

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