[meteorite-list] Mars Rover Curiosity's View of Possible Westward Route

[Ron Baalke]

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2014-033  

NASA Mars Rover's View of Possible Westward Route
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
January 31, 2014

NASA's Curiosity Mars rover reached the edge of a dune on Jan. 30 and
photographed the valley on the other side, to aid assessment of whether
to cross the dune.

Curiosity is on a southwestward traverse of many months from an area
where it found evidence of ancient conditions favorable for microbial
life to its long-term science destination on the lower slopes of Mount
Sharp. Based on analysis of images taken from orbit by NASA's Mars
Reconnaissance Orbiter, a location dubbed "Dingo Gap" was assessed as a
possible gateway to a favorable route for the next portion of the traverse.

A dune across Dingo Gap is about 3 feet (1 meter) high, tapered off at
both sides of the gap between two low scarps. Curiosity reached the
eastern side of the dune on Jan. 30 and returned images that the rover
team is using to guide decisions about upcoming drives.

NASA's Mars Science Laboratory Project is using Curiosity to assess
ancient habitable environments and major changes in Martian
environmental conditions. JPL, a division of the California Institute of
Technology in Pasadena, built the rover and manages the project for
NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington.

For more information about Curiosity, visit http://www.nasa.gov/msl ,
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/ . You can
follow the mission on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/marscuriosity
and on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/marscuriosity .

Guy Webster 818-354-6278
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
guy.webster at jpl.nasa.gov

2014-033