By Clay Dillow Posted 09.05.2012 at 1:07 pm 6 Comments

Curiosity in 360 Degrees Click here to see this amazing image even larger. NASA/JPL-Caltech

A new image released by NASA this week shows the Mars Rover Curiosity’s view of the red planet in a sweeping 360 degrees. The rover, which is en route toward a location known as Glenelg since last week, has been prodigiously snapping photos with its navigation camera, and mission handlers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory stitched together this panorama that shows both where Curiosity has been and where it is going.

The photos used in the panorama are from August 30, when Curiosity logged a 70-foot drive toward Glenelg, the site where it will do its first geologic drilling. It drove an additional 98 feet on September 1, so you can get an idea of the pace of things there on Mars. Glenelg is roughly 1,300 feet away from Curiosity’s landing site, so it’s going to take a few weeks for the rover to reach its destination.

In the detail below (taken from the same image) you can see the tracks Curiosity has left behind on the Martian frontier--proof that there’s some trail-blazing science taking place up there.

Curiosity: Trail Blazing:  NASA/JPL-Caltech

[SPACE]

6 Comments

Link to this comment
aerosphere
09/05/12 at 4:21 pm

Why did they not stay and explore Mount sharp? They could have taken more pictures. It would be cool if they found a cave there. That would lead to the exploration of a martian cavern.

Link to this comment
jeffsback
09/05/12 at 5:40 pm

Mars Rover Curiosity is not designed to function in a cave. It requires access to clear skies for communication (transmit data or receive instructions). Even a simple sand storm could temporarily delay it's normal operation. It might be possible to program the rover to explore a cavern autonomously but the risks would seem to be to great.

Link to this comment
Robot
09/05/12 at 7:39 pm

aerosphere,
Sir have you ever been on a tour in a museum? The tour guide is always pushing the crowd along. What we can't see it the Martian behind Curiosity prodding it along, not to display the Martian city accidentally. ;}

Link to this comment
aerosphere
09/05/12 at 8:50 pm

Lol Robot.

Is Curiosity autonomous? It seems that it would be safer for it to be mostly controlled by Nasa.

Link to this comment
Robot
09/05/12 at 9:26 pm

aerosphere,
Well sir, are any of us truly an island amongst ourselves? It seems Curiosity in the most remote parts of our solar system from Earth needs contact from Mother Earth and I am happy to see that Curiosity has found new friends on Mars, too. Perhaps we will be lucky and learn more if Curiosity kisses and augmentation. ;)

Link to this comment
ender7718
09/09/12 at 5:33 pm

I think robot might be drunk, lol jk



June 2013: American Energy Independence

Five amazing, clean technologies that will set us free, in this month's energy-focused issue. Also: how to build a better bomb detector, the robotic toys that are raising your children, a human catapult, the world's smallest arcade, and much more.


Online Content Director: Suzanne LaBarre | Email
Senior Editor: Paul Adams | Email
Associate Editor: Dan Nosowitz | Email
Assistant Editor: Colin Lecher | Email
Assistant Editor: Rose Pastore | Email

Contributing Writers:
Rebecca Boyle | Email
Kelsey D. Atherton | Email
Francie Diep | Email
Shaunacy Ferro | Email

circ-top-header.gif
circ-cover.gif