Curiosity is put to the test in very rugged terrain on Mars

May 14. () –

NASA’s veteran Curiosity rover continues its exploration of the slopes of Mount Sharp on Mars with a long journey over very rugged terrain, as the image from May 10 shows.

Curiosity, deployed to Gale Crater on Mars in 2012 with the goal of determining whether life ever existed on the Red Planet, is now stationed on the south side of Pinnacle Ridge, the last area of ​​the upper ridge of Gediz Vallis, which mission managers at JPL plan to investigate before cross the Gediz Vallis canal. Curiosity visited the north side of Pinnacle Ridge in the second week of May, collecting all kinds of data that tell us a lot about the composition and textures of the rocks that make up the ridge.

For that reason, mission planners had to make a big decision: Now that we can see that the southern side of Pinnacle Ridge is passable, should we drive over it to obtain additional contact science data on the ridge’s rocks? ? from Gediz Vallis, or should we continue driving along the Gediz Vallis canal towards our planned canal crossing location? Driving over Pinnacle Ridge at this location could give us the opportunity to learn more about the materials that make up the ridge and the role of water in this area, but it could also take several sols (days) and not tell us much more than we already learned. from our research on the north face of Pinnacle Ridge.

The mission team met to discuss the pros and cons of this decision, and eventually the 25 or so scientists who were in the tactical operations planning group came to a consensus decision that it would be preferable to move forward rather than pass. more time here, NASA reports.

Thus, during the day of May 10, Curiosity dedicated itself to collecting many observations and then continue your way up and along the canal, heading about 23 meters southwest. Before leaving, she also took the opportunity to make some contact science observations on the rocks at the rover’s feet.