Curiosity Rover
15 reportsThe documented context of Curiosity Rover includes habitability evidence, while also considering surface mission constraints and Martian geology. The evidence surrounding Martian geology is read through instrument calibration and mission operations reports; confidence remains limited because the main constraint is that hardware constraints and changing conditions can limit scientific return.
Curiosity Drills Its 48th Rock Target on Mars
Curiosity has drilled into Basque Lakes in Gale crater and is preparing mineral analysis that could reveal how this Martian rock formed and changed over time
Curiosity Finds Strange Discs Before Its Next Mars Drill
Curiosity has photographed millimeter-scale disc-shaped features on Martian bedrock and is preparing a drill campaign to determine whether they formed from minerals or fragments of harder rock
Curiosity Finds Mars Rocks in Subtle Bands
NASA's Curiosity rover is examining subtly banded terrain in Valle Grande, where new contact science, panoramic imaging, and centimeter-scale rock features are helping map the geological transition across Gale Crater's sulfate-rich slopes.
Neil deGrasse Tyson releases Lost in Space, a new encyclopedia of the cosmos
Neil deGrasse Tyson and Lindsey Nyx Walker introduce Lost in Space, a 400-page National Geographic encyclopedia packed with thousands of facts, images, and profiles of planets, telescopes, and cosmic phenomena.
NASA Selects Blue Origin to Build Dedicated Mars Communications Orbiter
NASA has awarded Blue Origin a $700 million contract to develop the Mars Telecommunications Network, a dedicated relay orbiter intended to support future Mars missions as current infrastructure ages
Voyager 2's Launch Opened the Outer Solar System to Exploration
NASA's Voyager 2 spacecraft began its journey to the outer planets on August 20, 1977, using a rare planetary alignment to visit Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune and extend humanity's reach into interstellar space
Curiosity Marks 14 Years on Mars with New Rock Layer Analysis
NASA's Curiosity rover has reached its 14th anniversary on Mars, continuing its ascent of Mount Sharp with detailed rock and environmental measurements using its suite of scientific instruments
Curiosity Rover Detects Extensive Polygon Patterns in Martian Valley
NASA's Curiosity rover has imaged a vast field of honeycomb-like polygonal fractures in Mars' Valle Grande, raising new questions about the planet's surface processes and past water activity
Spirit Rover Data Reveals Widespread Ancient Water Activity on Mars
A new analysis of NASA's Spirit rover data has identified crystalline hematite and altered magnetite in Martian soil, supporting the view that liquid water once shaped large regions of Mars
Viking 1's First Mars Surface Image Revisited on 50th Anniversary
NASA has released the original images captured by Viking 1 after its 1976 Mars landing, offering a detailed look at the Red Planet's surface and the mission's scientific legacy
NASA Eyes Mars Skies 50 Years After Viking 1's Landmark Landing
NASA's Viking 1 lander touched down on Mars in 1976, launching a new era of planetary exploration. Now, five decades later, the agency is preparing to extend its reach above the Martian surface with aerial missions.
How NASA Langley Engineered the First Mars Landings
Fifty years after Viking 1 and 2 touched down on Mars, the engineering and mission design led by NASA's Langley Research Center remain central to how planetary landings are planned and executed across the solar system
Curiosity Rover Reveals Ancient Sandstorm Evidence on Mars
NASA's Curiosity rover has imaged Martian rocks shaped by a powerful ancient sandstorm, offering new insight into the Red Planet's dynamic past and the processes that once shaped its surface
Viking 1's Mars Life Experiments: What the Evidence Still Can't Prove
Fifty years after NASA's Viking 1 lander touched down on Mars, scientists remain divided over whether its life-detection experiments found evidence of Martian biology or were confounded by non-biological chemistry and instrument limitations
Curiosity Rover Images Unusual Honeycomb Patterns on Martian Surface
NASA's Curiosity rover has captured detailed images of a honeycomb-like texture on Mars, revealing polygonal surface patterns and scattered dark rocks. Scientists are investigating the origin of these features using in situ rover observations and orbital data