Photo credit: www.engadget.com
Curiosity Rover’s Journey on Mars Visualized from Orbit
The Curiosity Mars rover continues to make significant progress on the Martian surface, despite its slow maximum speed of just 0.1 mph. A recent image captured by NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter offers a fascinating glimpse into the rover’s path, illustrating the tracks it has left as it transitions from one scientific site to another. The rover is barely visible at the beginning of a trail that stretches approximately 1,050 feet, marking its journey from the Gediz Vallis channel to its next location.
According to NASA, this image represents a historic moment, being “believed to be the first orbital image of the rover mid-drive across the Red Planet.”
Captured on February 28 by the HiRISE (High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment) camera aboard the orbiter, the photograph records the rover’s activity over the course of 11 drives that began at the start of that month. While it may seem unusual for tire tracks to remain visible for several weeks, this phenomenon is typical on Mars. As noted by NASA, these marks are “[l]ikely to last for months before being erased by wind.”
Curiosity is anticipated to reach its next scientific target soon, where researchers hope to explore geological formations believed to have been formed by ancient groundwater activity. This ongoing mission continues to provide vital insights into the history and evolution of Mars.
Source
www.engadget.com