curiosity rover

The Curiosity Rover Sure Looks Lonely When Seen From Space

A remarkable new image captured by a satellite in orbit around Mars shows the Curiosity rover as it explores the barren landscape. Curiosity is currently investigating the Naukluft Plateau, which is just north of the Bagnold Dune field. A newly released photo taken by the HiRISE instrument on board the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows the…

Tech News George Dvorsky Jun 24

Curiosity Is Using Sweet New Tools to Explore Martian Sand Dunes

Curiosity is busy poking and prodding the Bagnold Dunes, learning some new tricks in the first-ever interplanetary fieldwork on a sand dune. And of course it looks absolutely stunning while doing it in this latest sand dune selfie. The long-awaited dune scoop. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Curiosity crept up on Namib Dune, a large dune within…

Space & Spaceflight Mika McKinnon Jan 28

Which Grain of Sand Will Tell Us the Most About Mars?

Now that the Mars Curiosity Rover has reached the Namib Dune, the next challenge is figuring out where to collect samples. This is the first time a robot has visited a sand dune on another planet, so we want to get this right. The Curiosity Rover will be cautiously edging onto the dune, and even…

Tech News Mika McKinnon Jan 11

See Curiosity Cruise Around Gigantic Martian Dunes in These Stunning New Panoramas

NASA’s Curiosity rover is currently investigating a chain of Martian sand dunes, offering an unprecedented glimpse of these dynamic—but strangely familiar—features. Over the past several weeks, Curiosity has been investigating the Bagnold Dunes, a series of dark sand dunes that run across the northwestern flank of Mt. Sharp. These dunes are considered “true” dunes because…

Space & Spaceflight George Dvorsky Jan 6

The Mars Curiosity Rover Learned a New Camera Trick

Now this is an unusual view of the Curiosity rover on Mars! The rover is experimenting with using a different camera for self-portraits as part of its investigations at Namib dune. Every full self-portrait we’ve seen of Curiosity before were taken with the MAHLI camera taken at the end of its arm. This means the…

Space & Spaceflight Mika McKinnon Dec 23

NASA Just Called Off the Launch for Its Brand New Mars Lander

Mars InSight lander was set to blast its way towards the red planet just three short months from now. Today, NASA announced that leaks that had sprung up in the lander wouldn’t be fixed in time. The next window to send it back won’t be for two years—and whether it will make it then isn’t…

Tech News Ria Misra Dec 22

There’s a Mystery Lurking in Curiosity’s Latest Drillholes

In its slow ascent up Mount Sharp, NASA’s Curiosity Rover has stumbled upon a mystery fit for the robot’s name: silica. Lots and lots of silica. And the discovery may shape our understanding of the Red Planet’s geologic past, including whether life could have lived there. Silicon is one of the most abundant elements on…

Space & Spaceflight Maddie Stone Dec 17

For the First Time Ever, a Rover Has Ventured Onto a Martian Sand Dune

NASA’s Curiosity rover has boldly gone where no robotic probe has gone before: a Martian sand dune. NASA’s probe is currently exploring a section of the “Bagnold Dunes,” which is located along the northwestern flank of Mount Sharp. It’s the first time in history that a robotic probe has studied a Martian sand dune up…

Space & Spaceflight George Dvorsky Dec 11

Toolmarks on Mars Leave a Trail of Robotic Graffiti

Our robots are equipped tools that leave behind distinctive marks on the fourth planet from the Sun. Here’s how those tools have changed over time to leave a more lasting impression on Mars, and what we can expect from the robots of the future. Nuzzles from Sojourner The Pathfinder Lander’s deployable mini-rover Sojourner was equipped…

Space & Spaceflight Mika McKinnon Dec 4

These Mineral Veins Trace the Flow of Water on Ancient Mars

The mineral veins that crisscross through the rock around this ridge tell an important story about Mars’ ancient past. So of course the Curiosity rover shot them with a laser. Scientists have named this scenic spot on the lower slope of Mount Sharp “Garden City.” (Sometimes scientists have a sense of humor.) To give you…

Space & Spaceflight Kiona Smith-Strickland Nov 15

Stunning Photo Shows Where the Curiosity Rover is Headed Next on Mars

NASA’s Curiosity Rover is currently drilling holes on the lower slopes of Mount Sharp in a region called the Stimson Unit. It recently took a break from its duties to take some long-range photos of a hilly region that the rover will explore in the coming months and years. This composite image was captured by…

Space & Spaceflight George Dvorsky Oct 5

NASA Released a Free 3D-Printable Model of the Curiosity Rover

Last year NASA started releasing 3D models of its probes and spacecraft that anyone could download and use to 3D print their own space fleet. That collection now finally includes a tiny replica of the Curiosity Rover that’s been exploring Mars since 2012, and will soon be exploring your desk as well. The 3D model…

Tech News Andrew Liszewski Aug 14

Explore the Surface of Mars With NASA’s Latest Web Tools

Most of us will never set foot on Mars, but thanks to NASA’s unceasing public outreach campaign, now we can all imagine what that might be like. To commemorate the three year anniversary of the Curiosity rover’s Martian landing, NASA has unveiled two new web tools that allow you to explore the Red Planet’s surface…

Space & Spaceflight Maddie Stone Aug 8

The Curiosity Rover Is Helping NASA Study the Far Side of the Sun

As Curiosity works its way up Mount Sharp on Mars, studying rock and soil samples, it’s also helping scientists observe sunspots on the far side of the Sun. From its vantage point on Mars, Curiosity currently has a good view of the side of the Sun that’s pointed away from Earth, and its mast camera…

Space & Spaceflight Kiona Smith-Strickland Jul 12

Get a Sneak Peek at XKCD Creator Randall Munroe’s New Book

We’re big fans of xkcd here at Gizmodo (who isn’t?), and also of learnin’ about things, so we’re pretty excited for Randall Munroe’s upcoming book of explainer drawings, THING EXPLAINER: Complicated Stuff in Simple Words. We’ve got a sneak peek for you, below. The book is a series of annotated blueprints that explain everything from…

Space & Spaceflight Meg Neal Jun 5

This Is How You Fix A Space Robot 140 Million Miles Away From A Mechanic

The Curiosity Rover has been a remarkably resilient piece of machinery, but even the toughest robot occasionally needs a tune up. So how does that happen when we’re down here and Curiosity is all by its lonesome up on Mars? It only makes sense for Curiosity to be as autonomous as possible; it’s way up…

io9 Ria Misra May 26

The Curiosity Rover Looks Incredibly Lonely When Seen From Space

On the 949th day of its Martian mission, the Curiosity Rover was spotted by its space-based companion, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The image was captured two weeks ago when the rover was making its way through a valley called “Artist’s Drive” on the lower slope of Mount Sharp. Curiosity is currently making its way toward…

io9 George Dvorsky Apr 23

Curiosity’s Latest Wide-Angle Selfie Is Its Most Remarkable Photo Yet

Now would be a good time to update your desktop wallpaper. NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover has snapped a spectacular — if not inexplicable — wide-angled self-portrait at the Mojave Site on Mount Sharp where the probe is currently drilling for samples. Here’s how NASA created the extraordinary shot. It’s actually a composite of dozens of…

io9 George Dvorsky Feb 25

A New NASA Conspiracy: Does This Photo Show a Man Fixing the Mars Rover?

Look at the above image. Doesn’t that shadow look like a man in a spacesuit of some sort working on the Curiosity rover? Which is supposed to be on Mars, and not where humans can mess with it? The image is from 2012, and at least one person seems to think that this means that…

io9 Katharine Trendacosta Feb 3

Curiosity Has Stumbled Upon A Unique Mineral Patch

NASA’s Curiosity Rover has spent the better part of a year scooting from a low lying area called Yellowknife Bay to the base of Mount Sharp. As a recent chemical analysis performed by the robotic explorer shows, this region is distinctly different from that found within Gale Crater — which is exactly what NASA scientists…

io9 George Dvorsky Nov 5

The Curiosity Rover Sure Looks Lonely When Seen From Space

Curiosity Is Using Sweet New Tools to Explore Martian Sand Dunes

Which Grain of Sand Will Tell Us the Most About Mars?

See Curiosity Cruise Around Gigantic Martian Dunes in These Stunning New Panoramas

The Mars Curiosity Rover Learned a New Camera Trick

NASA Just Called Off the Launch for Its Brand New Mars Lander

There’s a Mystery Lurking in Curiosity’s Latest Drillholes

For the First Time Ever, a Rover Has Ventured Onto a Martian Sand Dune

Toolmarks on Mars Leave a Trail of Robotic Graffiti

These Mineral Veins Trace the Flow of Water on Ancient Mars

Stunning Photo Shows Where the Curiosity Rover is Headed Next on Mars

NASA Released a Free 3D-Printable Model of the Curiosity Rover

Explore the Surface of Mars With NASA’s Latest Web Tools

The Curiosity Rover Is Helping NASA Study the Far Side of the Sun

Get a Sneak Peek at XKCD Creator Randall Munroe’s New Book

This Is How You Fix A Space Robot 140 Million Miles Away From A Mechanic

The Curiosity Rover Looks Incredibly Lonely When Seen From Space

Curiosity’s Latest Wide-Angle Selfie Is Its Most Remarkable Photo Yet

A New NASA Conspiracy: Does This Photo Show a Man Fixing the Mars Rover?

Curiosity Has Stumbled Upon A Unique Mineral Patch

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