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As I noted in July, the support of my readers through the years has given me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Only now does it appear that Washington might finally recognize this reality.

 

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Curiosity: Nine years since landing on Mars and the way forward

The way forward for Curiosity
Click for full image.

In today’s Curiosity update written by planetary geologist Abigail Fraeman, she noted this significant fact:

Project scientist Ashwin Vasavada pointed out a great fact at the beginning of planning today: At around 4 o’clock in the afternoon on Sol 3199 (the first sol in the plan we are creating today), Curiosity will begin its 10th Earth year on Mars. In the last nine years, the rover has traveled 26.3 km [16.3 miles], climbed over 460 m [1,509 feet] in elevation, and collected 32 drilled samples of rock.

Her update includes the first image taken by Curiosity upon landing, a view of Mount Sharp using the rover’s front hazard camera. In that picture, the mountain is far away, as the rover was sitting on the flat floor of Gale Crater.

The photo above, cropped and enhanced to post here, was taken yesterday by one of Curiosity’s navigation cameras, and looks out across the rocky mountainous terrain the rover is soon to travel. As Fraeman also notes,

Overview map
Click for interactive map.

After a morning of science, Curiosity will hit the road, driving ~14 m along our strategically planned route. This is an usually short drive for a day like today, and it’s because the terrain is so rocky that it’s hard to see too far beyond the rover’s current position. We don’t want to use too much autonomous driving in this rocky terrain and risk damaging the wheels.

The yellow lines in the overview map to the right shows the approximate area covered by the top photo. The red dotted line shows the rover’s planned route. The white dotted line shows its actual travels.

Curiosity is now moving among mountains several hundred feet high.

Genesis cover

On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.

 

The print edition can be purchased at Amazon. from any other book seller, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.


The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
 

"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News

9 comments

  • Jim Davis

    Your title is a bit confusing. Curiosity is about to begin its 10th year on Mars; it has not been on Mars 10 years.

  • Andrew_W

    “landed on Aeolis Palus inside Gale crater on Mars on 6 August 2012” [wiki].

    It’s 2022 already?

    “At around 4 o’clock in the afternoon on Sol 3199 (the first sol in the plan we are creating today),”

    There it is, they plan 2 years in advance.

  • Andrew_W

    Oops, one year in advance.

  • Jim Davis: You are correct. I have rephrased the title. Thank you.

  • Andi

    Bob, your title:

    “Curiosity: Ten years since landing on Mars and the way forward”

    might still need some adjustment. If it landed in 2012 then tomorrow will be nine years since landing.

  • Andi: I have already revised it again. Refresh your screen.

  • Andi

    Thanks, Bob. I had refreshed my screen but the old version still showed. I must have retrieved a cached version – restarting my browser fixed that. Sorry to bother you.

  • Andi: No need to apologize at all. Bother with these things whenever you want. You help me make this site better. :)

  • Star Bird

    So far Marvin and K-9 are still hiding out with those Instant Martians

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