The mosaic was created from observations of the Curiosity Martian rover. Before you is a view of the mountain of Aolid, which the apparatus has climbed since 2014. This is an area with clay rocks that scientists want to explore. Analysis may shed light on the role of water in creating the mountain.
NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has reached a new milestone - 2000 Martian days or sol. In January, the device provided a mosaic that offered a preliminary overview of further tasks.
In the picture you can see the Mount of Aeolis, on which Curiosity has been climbing since 2014. In the center is the next scientific goal - areas with clay minerals. For their formation need water. Researchers have already determined that the lower layers of the mountain appeared in the lakes that once filled the lower crater of Gail. Uncharted sites could tell more about the availability of water and how long it could last. The rover research team seeks to analyze rock samples mined from clay from the central regions. Curiosity recently launched testing of a drilling rig for the first time since December 2016. A new method for the extraction of samples and delivery to on-board laboratories is still coming to mind.
Curiosity landed on the Red Planet in August 2012 and covered 18.7 km at that time. In 2013, the mission found traces of an ancient freshwater lake, in which all the chemical components for microbial life were present. In 2014, the rover reached Mount Aeolide and managed to explore 600 vertical feet of rock, noting traces of lakes and underwater waters.
