Curiosity will continue its mission.
The Curiosity Rover launches a new research programme in the framework of the extended two-year research mission.
After completion of the collection phase of the rock samples in a mobile laboratory Curiosity October 1, the beginning of a new Chapter in its mission to Mars.
The Rover will have to get first to the ridge, which is covered with the mineral hematite, which need to be overcome for approximately 2.5 km. After that, he will have to collect samples of rocks, which are rich in clay. These two points of destination are located near mount sharp, where Curiosity quite a long time exploring the area with traces of water.
This area has attracted the attention of scientists because of the sharp contrast with the rest, is quite dry, the surface of Mars.
“This mission examines the sequence of rock layers, reads kind of “page Martian history,” changing our understanding of Mars and our understanding of how the planet has evolved,” – said the representative of NASA Michael Meyer.
NASA approved the second phase expansion of the mission’s Curiosity Rover this summer on the basis of data submitted by the team of Rover. Additional mission extension to mount sharp can be considered in the future.
Curiosity arrived on Mars in August 2012. This robot is the largest and the heaviest planetary Rover ever created by man: it weighs 899 kg, length and width equal to 3 and 2.8 m, respectively.
