Mars Curiosity rover drills new Martian rock

NASA's Mars Curiosity rover has drilled a new Martian rock christened Ubajara, named after the breathtaking Brazilian national park renowned for its natural wonders, the mission team tweeted on Wednesday.

Equipped with the sophisticated Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument, Curiosity's SAM system employs high-temperature baking techniques to analyze rock powder. As the rock sample is subjected to increasing temperatures, SAM meticulously measures the compositions of gases that come off the rock, offering crucial insights into the composition and history of the Martian environment.

Why Ubajara?

"Ubajara, it was decided, is a great choice – it's a bit more lush and green than Gale Crater, but the mountains and canyons are reminders of the canyon Curiosity just climbed out of," the mission team wrote in a recent blog post.

It's me. Hi! I just drilled a new rock.I sampled a rock my team named after Ubajara, a national park in Brazil. Now, I'm working hard with my SAM instrument, which bakes rock powder at high temps to measure the compositions of gases that come off the rock as it gets hotter. pic.twitter.com/moFByZhh5g

— Curiosity Rover (@MarsCuriosity) May 17, 2023

Since its arrival on Mars in 2012, the Curiosity rover has diligently explored the rugged Martian terrain, capturing stunning imagery and conducting various scientific experiments, to find out if Mars ever had the right environmental conditions to support small life forms called microbes

Last month, the car-size rove received a major software update that enables it to drive faster and reduce wear and tear on its wheels. During this update which was completed on April 7, about 180 changes were implemented, with the most significant being new driving capabilities.