Curiosity’s future travels
Click for full image.
The Curiosity science team has released a new map showing an update of their planned route for Curiosity in the coming year or so, showing how they plan on leaving Gediz Vallis Channel after spending some time exploring the numerous geological layers exposed on its eroded surface.
The new information in this map is the route near the bottom of the image, showing more precisely the route up the canyon and then their retreat through the gap in the canyon’s western wall.
To get a better idea of what this means, I have updated my annotations on this Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter image of Gediz Vallis Channel, posted previously in my May 30, 2019 rover update.
Click for full image.
This new route information shows that they have spent a lot of time analyzing the terrain in Gediz Valles to determine exactly where the rover can go safely, while simultaneously giving them the best science. As I have noted previously,
This is where Curiosity will be going, a deep canyon about 1,500 feet across and probably as deep, its floor a smooth series of curved layers, reminiscent of The Wave in northern Arizona. The canyon appears to show evidence of water flow down its slopes, but that is unproven.
You can see from the image that the rover will be traversing numerous layers in a very short time while in Gediz Vallis, which means they might spend a very long time there.
At the same time, it is also going to probably be at least two years before they get there. Beforehand they have two recurring slope lineae to study (the second of which is indicated by the white dot), both of which might contain evidence of underground water seeping up to the surface.
At this moment the rover, as well as all the orbiters at Mars, are about to enter solar conjunction, a period of about two weeks when communications are cut off because the Sun is between the Earth and Mars.
This happens once every two years, the last time being August 2017. Then, Curiosity had not yet climbed up onto Vera Rubin Ridge, where then spent the better part of these past two years exploring the geology there.
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Unfortunately, that is exactly where that journey takes him. The vision that Zimmerman paints of vibrant human colonies on the Moon, Mars, the asteroids, and beyond, indomitably fighting the harsh lifeless environment of space to build new societies, captures perfectly the emerging space race we see today. He also captures in Pioneer the heart of the human spirit, willing to push forward no matter the odds, no matter the cost. It is that spirit that will make the exploration of the heavens possible, forever, into the never-ending future. Available everywhere for $3.99 (before discount) at amazon, Barnes & Noble, all ebook vendors, or direct from the ebook publisher, ebookit. And if you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and I get a bigger cut much sooner.
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