Curiosity arrived at a ridge-rich site that might be Mars’ version of a boxwork structure, but a perched wheel prevented close analysis. Instead, the rover unleashed a suite of cameras and sensors to document its strange new surroundings while prepping for a Friday return.
Curiosity has rolled into another fascinating part of Mars, and this one might be the most exciting yet. We’re now at the edge of what could be a boxwork structure—a striking pattern of tough, web-like ridges first seen from orbit (see image below). Ever since we spotted it in satellite images, we’ve been eager to investigate it up close.
These initial observations mark the beginning of that exploration. We’re aiming to find out whether these ridges, especially the prominent one in front of us, truly belong to a boxwork formation. But there’s a small challenge: one of Curiosity’s front wheels is resting on a pebble, and moving the robotic arm right now could risk slipping. So instead of using the arm, we’re capturing as much science as we can remotely and will gently reposition the rover for a closer look later this week.
High-Tech Imaging and Remote Sensing Sweep
Before we move, Curiosity is using its powerful Mastcam to take a sweeping mosaic of the landscape all around. These wide-angle images help us track how the terrain changes with elevation along the rover’s path. Mastcam will also take a closer look at “Temblor Range,” a nearby ridge we previously crossed—our wheel tracks are still visible there.
Next up, Mastcam will photograph a trough similar to others we’ve seen in the area. These formations are especially intriguing because their origin is still uncertain. It will also re-image the AEGIS target selected in an earlier plan.
Meanwhile, the ChemCam instrument is firing its laser at a rugged peak named “Glendale Peak,” part of the potential boxwork ridge. It’s also capturing a high-resolution mosaic of Texoli Butte. After that, Mastcam will circle back to take detailed photos of Glendale Peak as well.
Maintaining the Rover’s Heat Defense System
In parallel with all the imaging is our monthly test and maintenance of our backup pump for the Heat Rejection System (HRS). The HRS is a fluid loop that distributes the heat from the rover’s power source to help keep all the subsystems within reasonable temperatures. We need to periodically make sure it stays in good working order, just in case our primary pump has issues.
Positioning for a Closer Look at Martian Terrain
After all the imaging, the rover will bump 30 centimeters backwards (about 12 inches) to come down off the pebble and put the interesting science targets in the arm workspace. This should leave us in a position where it is safe to unstow the arm and put instruments down on the surface.
Atmospheric Science and Autonomous Targeting
On the second, untargeted sol of the plan, we have some additional atmospheric science, including a large dust-devil survey, as well as a Navcam suprahorizon movie and a Mastcam solar tau to measure the dust in the atmosphere. We finish up with another autonomous targeting of ChemCam with AEGI.
Written by Ashley Stroupe, Mission Operations Engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory
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