Sols 4396-4397: Roving in a Martian Wonderland
NASA’s Curiosity rover has spent the past two Martian days, Sols 4396 and 4397 (Dec. 15-16, 2024), exploring a region of the Gale Crater floor known as the “Glen Torridon” area. This region is characterized by a series of low, rounded hills and valleys, and Curiosity has been investigating the composition and structure of these features.
On Sol 4396, Curiosity drove about 130 meters (427 feet) to the southwest, crossing a small valley and climbing onto a low hill. Along the way, the rover used its Mastcam and ChemCam instruments to study the composition of the rocks and soils in the area.
On Sol 4397, Curiosity continued its drive to the southwest, covering about 100 meters (328 feet). The rover stopped at a location called “Flanders Moss” to take a series of Mastcam and ChemCam observations of a large, dark-toned rock. This rock is thought to be a fragment of a lava flow that once covered this region of Mars.
Curiosity’s observations at Glen Torridon are helping scientists to understand the geological history of the Gale Crater floor. The rover’s data suggest that this region was once a volcanic landscape, and that the hills and valleys that we see today were formed by erosion over time.
Curiosity is now preparing to leave the Glen Torridon area and head to a new region of the Gale Crater floor called the “Stimson Formation.” The Stimson Formation is thought to be a sedimentary deposit, and Curiosity will be investigating the composition and structure of this formation to learn more about the environmental conditions on Mars billions of years ago.
Curiosity has now been exploring the Gale Crater floor for over six years, and the rover’s data have provided scientists with a wealth of information about the geology and history of Mars. Curiosity’s mission is scheduled to end in 2025, but the rover is still going strong and continues to make important discoveries.
Sols 4396-4397: Roving in a Martian Wonderland
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NASA a new article on 2024-12-17 23:57 titled “Sols 4396-4397: Roving in a Martian Wonderland”. Please write a detailed article on this news item, including any relevant information. Answers should be in English.
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