One of NASA’s Mars Rover dubbed Curiosity Rover recently celebrated its 2000th Sol day or Martian day, slightly longer than an Earth day, on Mars.
Curiosity landed in 2012, has traveled 11.6 miles since then and has made important discoveries.
In 2013, evidence of an ancient freshwater lake was found and it was seen to have supported microbial life. Curiosity has also explored areas which shows water and wind marks since its arrival at Mount Sharp in 2014. It has also been decided by Curiosities international science team who after studying over 600 vertical feet of rock and observed signs of lakes and groundwater, that a possible habitable environment had lasted for millions of years at least.
An image was taken by Curiosity which shows a mosaic of Mount Sharp, whose name pays tribute to Robert P. Sharp (1911-2004), which Curiosity has been climbing since September of 2014.
Highlighted in the image is a clay-bearing rock covered area which scientists are eager to explore. The area has been studied from orbit by scientists and they are determined that it contains clay minerals; which needs water to form.
It has already been determined by scientists that Mount Sharp’s lower layers were formed within lakes that spanned Gale Crater’s floor; the crater which is most likely a dry lake as observed by scientists and named for Australian Astronomer Walter F. Gale (1865-1945).
The highlighted area in the image would give information on the possible presence of water; how long it may have lingered for and whether the primeval environment had ever been suitable for life.
For the first time since December 2016, Curiosity has started testing its drill again on Mars as scientists are eager to analyze rock samples obtained from the highlighted area. And a new process of obtaining samples is still being polished for specific targets like areas with clay materials.
The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, built Curiosity rover and manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, Washington.
