Main content
Course: NASA > Unit 3
Lesson 4: Curiosity rover: discoveries- Curiosity has landed
- Curiosity descent
- Systems check
- Curiosity's first drive
- Navigation update
- Observations
- Discovery: Streambed
- First CheMin results
- Preparation for holidays
- Calcium-rich deposits found
- Results of first drilling
- Mars' bygone atmosphere
- 'Spring Break' over: commanding resumes
- Rover ready to switch gears
- Trek to Mt. Sharp begins
- Dating younger rocks
- Curiosity completes its first martian year
- A softer trek to mount sharp
- A taste of mount sharp
© 2024 Khan AcademyTerms of usePrivacy PolicyCookie Notice
Navigation update
Navigation
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
By Sol 29, Curiosity had driven a total of 358 feet (109 meters). The Glenelg area farther east is the mission's first major science destination, selected as likely to offer a good target for Curiosity's first analysis of powder collected by drilling into a rock
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona
Glenelg marks the intersection of three kinds of terrain. One of the three terrain types is light-toned with well-developed layering, which likely records deposits of sedimentary materials. There are also black bands that run through the area and might constitute additional layers that alternate with the light-toned layers. The black bands are not easily seen from orbit and are on the order of about 3.3-feet (1-meter) thick. Both of these layer types are important science targets.
Image Credit: NASA/JPL
Then, the rover will aim to drive to the blue spot marked "Base of Mt. Sharp", which is a natural break in the dunes that will allow Curiosity to begin scaling the lower reaches of Mount Sharp. At the base of Mt. Sharp are layered buttes and mesas that scientists hope will reveal the area's geological history.
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona
Here is an Image of Aeolis Mons (Mount Sharp) in the distance:
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
Want to join the conversation?
- How long did it take the rover to get to Glenelg ?(4 votes)
- According to what I researched curiosity landed on mars at August 6, 2012 and it reached Glenelg on November 26, 2012, so according to my calculations it took 112 days for curiosity to reach Glenelg.(10 votes)
- how many more days till curiosity reaches mount sharp(3 votes)
- It is already at mount sharp. These videos are a few years old.(5 votes)
- In the third and fifth pictures I can see a blue streak on the ground. I would normally assume that's water, but if they found water on mars I would think they'd mention it. Does anyone know what it is?(2 votes)
- there shadows the reason there blue is the atmosphere(1 vote)
- What purposes of Curiosity are there and what are they?(2 votes)
- Why can't it read relative humidity or wind is there none.(3 votes)
- Please explain the question more specific so I can answer it.(1 vote)
- why don't nasa send more rovers and send more futher? why not explore more into the univires?(1 vote)
- I think they do send a few satellites instead of rovers but it costs a lot and they need more resources and research (knowledge) to make the things that carry the rovers use fuel more efficiently.(2 votes)
- so Min what is the thing that rovers do(1 vote)
- in the second paragraph, what does sedimentary materials mean?(1 vote)
- Isn't Olympus Mons the highest mountain on Mars? And I think its also the largest mountain in the Solar System?(1 vote)
- yes. It is also the highest volcano in the solar system(1 vote)
- how was the mountain made anyway, water,weathering,erosion?(1 vote)