NASA's Curiosity Rover Returns to Regular Schedule on Mars

After a brief detour to investigate an erosional surface, NASA's Curiosity rover has returned to its regularly scheduled programming on Mars. The rover is now back on course to ascend Mount Sharp, a key geological feature in the Gale Crater. Curiosity's recent activities include capturing images of unique geologic features, conducting contact science on bedrock targets, and monitoring the atmosphere for dust storms. The rover's Mastcam took a near-field mosaic of the erosional ridge, dubbed 'Los Toldos,' and a mosaic of further away bedrock exposure above the erosional surface, named 'Los Ladrillos. ' Curiosity also drove 100 feet to a new location, where it conducted contact science on two bedrock targets and imaged the calibration target. The rover will continue to climb Mount Sharp, with a planned drive distance of 150 feet.