NASA’s Curiosity Mars Rover Takes a Last Look at Mysterious Sulfur

The rover captured a 360-degree panorama before leaving Gediz Vallis channel, a feature it’s been exploring for the past year.

NASA’s Curiosity rover is preparing for the next leg of its journey, a monthslong trek to a formation called the boxwork, a set of weblike patterns on Mars’ surface that stretches for miles. It will soon leave behind Gediz Vallis channel, an area wrapped in mystery. How the channel formed so late during a transition to a drier climate is one big question for the science team. Another mystery is the field of white sulfur stones the rover discovered over the summer.

Curiosity imaged the stones, along with features from inside the channel, in a 360-degree panorama before driving up to the western edge of the channel at the end of September.

The rover is searching for evidence that ancient Mars had the right ingredients to support microbial life, if any formed billions of years ago, when the Red Planet held lakes and rivers. Located in the foothills of Mount Sharp, a 3-mile-tall (5-kilometer-tall) mountain, Gediz Vallis channel may help tell a related story: what the area was like as water was disappearing on Mars. Although older layers on the mountain had already formed in a dry climate, the channel suggests that water occasionally coursed through the area as the climate was changing.

Scientists are still piecing together the processes that formed various features within the channel, including the debris mound nicknamed “Pinnacle Ridge,” visible in the new 360-degree panorama. It appears that rivers, wet debris flows, and dry avalanches all left their mark. The science team is now constructing a timeline of events from Curiosity’s observations.

The science team is also trying to answer some big questions about the sprawling field of sulfur stones. Images of the area from NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) showed what looked like an unremarkable patch of light-colored terrain. It turns out that the sulfur stones were too small for MRO’s High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) to see, and Curiosity’s team was intrigued to find them when the rover reached the patch. They were even more surprised after Curiosity rolled over one of the stones, crushing it to reveal yellow crystals inside.

Science instruments on the rover confirmed the stone was pure sulfur — something no mission has seen before on Mars. The team doesn’t have a ready explanation for why the sulfur formed there; on Earth, it’s associated with volcanoes and hot springs, and no evidence exists on Mount Sharp pointing to either of those causes.

“We looked at the sulfur field from every angle — from the top and the side — and looked for anything mixed with the sulfur that might give us clues as to how it formed. We’ve gathered a ton of data, and now we have a fun puzzle to solve,” said Curiosity’s project scientist Ashwin Vasavada at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.

Spiderwebs on Mars

Curiosity, which has traveled about 20 miles (33 kilometers) since landing in 2012, is now driving along the western edge of Gediz Vallis channel, gathering a few more panoramas to document the region before making tracks to the boxwork.

Viewed by MRO, the boxwork looks like spiderwebs stretching across the surface. It’s believed to have formed when minerals carried by Mount Sharp’s last pulses of water settled into fractures in surface rock and then hardened. As portions of the rock eroded away, what remained were the minerals that had cemented themselves in the fractures, leaving the weblike boxwork.

On Earth, boxwork formations have been seen on cliffsides and in caves. But Mount Sharp’s boxwork structures stand apart from those both because they formed as water was disappearing from Mars and because they’re so extensive, spanning an area of 6 to 12 miles (10 to 20 kilometers).  

“These ridges will include minerals that crystallized underground, where it would have been warmer, with salty liquid water flowing through,” said Kirsten Siebach of Rice University in Houston, a Curiosity scientist studying the region. “Early Earth microbes could have survived in a similar environment. That makes this an exciting place to explore.”

More About Curiosity

Curiosity was built by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is managed by Caltech in Pasadena, California. JPL leads the mission on behalf of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington.

The University of Arizona, in Tucson, operates HiRISE, which was built by BAE Systems (formerly Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.), in Boulder, Colorado. JPL manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington.

For more about these missions:

science.nasa.gov/mission/msl-curiosity

science.nasa.gov/mission/mars-reconnaissance-orbiter

News Media Contacts

Andrew Good
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
818-393-2433
andrew.c.good@jpl.nasa.gov

Karen Fox / Molly Wasser
NASA Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / molly.l.wasser@nasa.gov

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Anthony Greicius

NASA Selects New Leader of Space Technology

Clayton P. Turner will serve as the associate administrator of the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) at the agency’s headquarters in Washington, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson announced Monday. His appointment is effective immediately.

Turner has served as the acting associate administrator of STMD since July. In this role, Turner will continue to oversee executive leadership, strategic planning, and overall management of all technology maturation and demonstration programs executed from the directorate enabling critical space focused technologies that deliver today and help create tomorrow.

“Under Turner’s skilled and steady hand, the Space Technology Mission Directorate will continue to do what it does best: help NASA push the boundaries of what’s possible and drive American leadership in space,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “I look forward to what STMD will achieve under Turner’s direction.”

As NASA embarks on the next era of space exploration, STMD leverages partnerships to advance technologies and test new capabilities helping the agency develop a sustainable presence on the Moon and beyond. As associate administrator of STMD, Turner will plan, coordinate, and evaluate the mission directorate’s full range of programs and activities, including budget formulation and execution, as well as represent the programs to officials within and outside the agency.

Previously, Turner served as NASA Langley Research Center Director since September 2019 and has been with the agency for more than 30 years. He has held several roles at NASA Langley, including engineering director, associate center director, and deputy center director. Throughout his NASA career, he has worked on many projects for the agency, including: the Earth Science Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation Project; the materials technology development Gas Permeable Polymer Materials Project; the Space Shuttle Program’s Return to Flight work; the flight test of the Ares 1-X rocket; the flight test of the Orion Launch Abort System; and the entry, descent, and landing segment of the Mars Science Laboratory.

In recognition of his commitment to the agency and engineering, Turner has received many prestigious awards, such as the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal, the NASA Exceptional Engineering Achievement Medal. He is also an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and a Board of Trustees member of his alma mater, Rochester Institute of Technology.

NASA Glenn Research Center Deputy Director, Dawn Schaible, became acting Langley Center Director in July and will continue to serve in this role. At NASA Langley, Schaible leads a skilled group of more than 3,000 civil servant and contractor scientists, researchers, engineers, and support staff, who work to advance aviation, expand understanding of Earth’s atmosphere, and develop technology for space exploration.

For more about Turner’s experience, visit his full biography online at:

https://go.nasa.gov/48UmkmS

-end-

Meira Bernstein / Jasmine Hopkins
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
meira.b.bernstein@nasa.gov / jasmine.s.hopkins@nasa.gov

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Roxana Bardan

Hollywood Techniques Help NASA Visualize Supercomputing Data

Captivating images and videos can bring data to life. NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio (SVS) produces visualizations, animations, and images to help scientists tell stories of their research and make science more approachable and engaging.

Using the Discover supercomputer at the Center for Climate Simulation at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, visualizers use datasets generated by supercomputer models to create highly detailed, accurate, and stunning visualizations with Hollywood filmmaking tools like 3D modeling and animation.

Using supercomputing models, SVS visualizers created this data-driven animation of carbon dioxide emissions moving around the planet. The visualization is driven by massive climate data sets and highly detailed emissions maps created by NASA researchers and external partners. The resulting visualization shows the impact of power plants, fires, and cities, and how their emissions are spread across the planet by weather patterns and airflow.

“Both policymakers and scientists try to account for where carbon comes from and how that impacts the planet,” said NASA Goddard climate scientist Lesley Ott, whose research was used to generate the final visualization. “You see here how everything is interconnected by the different weather patterns.”

By combining visual storytelling with supercomputing power, the SVS team continues their work to captivate and connect with audiences while educating them on NASA’s scientific research and efforts.

The NASA Center for Climate Simulation is part of the NASA High-End Computing Program, which also includes the NASA Advanced Supercomputing Facility at Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley.

NASA is showcasing 29 of the agency’s computational achievements at SC24, the international supercomputing conference, Nov. 18-22, 2024, in Atlanta. For more technical information, visit: ​ 

https://www.nas.nasa.gov/sc24

For news media: 

Members of the news media interested in covering this topic should reach out to the NASA Ames newsroom. 

About the Author

Tara Friesen

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NASA Program Aids Pediatric Patients Facing Medical Treatments

As NASA innovates for the benefit of humanity and inspires the world through discovery, the agency launched a new video series specifically designed for use by medical treatment centers across the United States to help reduce anxiety and stress among pediatric patients during treatment. The videos, and accompanying products, are a helpful resource for treatment centers, and support President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden’s Cancer Moonshot goals of improving the experience of people who are touched by cancer.

The project, named “MISSION: All Systems GO!”, is hosted by NASA astronaut Kjell Lindgren and was developed alongside the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and National Association of Proton Therapy. The suite of products intentionally draws similarities between an astronaut’s experience and the challenges young patients will encounter during their treatment, such as restricted movement in confined spaces, strange sounds and smells, and separation from family and friends.

“As part of the Biden Cancer Moonshot, NASA is committed to improving the experience of cancer patients, including children, and their families while we work to end cancer as we know it,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “Cancer treatment is full of unknowns, and so is space travel — we hope that this project will provide hope and comfort to patients and their loved ones as they navigate their cancer treatment mission.”

Some patients undergo as many as six weeks or more of treatments, and can be strapped into sterile, state-of-the-art medical machines that many patients find intimidating. However, some patients expressed fascination toward these high-tech mechanisms and compared them to the look of a NASA spacecraft, leading to the idea for this unique suite of products.

“Part of the agency’s mission is to improve life here on Earth,” said Kevin Coggins, deputy associate administrator and NASA’s SCaN (Space Communication and Navigation) program manager. “I’m proud that we can help thousands of kids and their families get through an extremely difficult time in their lives.”

In the first of three hosted videos, Lindgren, himself a medical doctor, briefs the patient on their upcoming “mission.” Step by step, Lindgren addresses each requirement and his confidence in how the patients can do it.

After completing their treatment, patients will receive a mission de-brief from Lindgren, where he offers reminders on how to follow up with treatment, as well as his heartfelt congratulations. The patient is also presented with a custom certificate of mission completion signed by Lindgren and Dr. James D. Polk, NASA’s chief health and medical officer.

Finally, in the third video, Lindgren takes part in a Q-and-A in which patients’ family and friends learn more about his job and how he’s handled challenges.

In addition to the video products, medical centers will have access to NASA imagery to decorate a dedicated video viewing room to look like NASA’s Mission Control Center, as well as display posters featuring human spaceflight and science missions enabled by NASA’s SCaN program.

NASA’s “MISSION: All Systems GO!” is another step in the agency’s effort to help President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden’s Cancer Moonshot. As a member of the Cancer Moonshot Cancer Cabinet, NASA is working with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as well as researchers across the federal government to achieve the goals of the Cancer Moonshot, to help cut the nation’s cancer death rate by at least 50% by 2047, preventing four million deaths by 2047, and to boost support for patients and caregivers facing cancer today.

“In 2022, NASA was added to the Biden Cancer Moonshot. Since then, the agency’s Office of Chief Health and Medical Officer has formed several task forces with one specifically focused on patient and caregiver support,” said Mark Weyland, director of health operations and oversight for the Office of Chief Health and Medical Officer. “We believe the ‘MISSION: All Systems GO!’ initiative will have a positive impact on so many patients and caregivers. Partnering with SCaN and the Biden Cancer Moonshot furthers NASA’s desire to continue to provide for the health and wellness of humanity and the discovery of new medical innovations.”

The agency’s “MISSION: All Systems GO!” products are available for use by medical treatment centers and facilities across the United States. Centers interested in accessing the suite of products will be required to fill out an electronic form, accept NASA’s Terms of Use, and download the products from a dedicated Office of Chief Health and Medical Officer webpage: OCHMO & NASA Mission: All Systems GO! – NASA

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Jacqueline E. Zito

NASA Receives 14th Consecutive ‘Clean’ Financial Audit Opinion

For the 14th consecutive year, NASA received an unmodified, or “clean,” opinion from an external auditor on its fiscal year 2024 financial statements.

The rating is the best possible audit opinion, certifying that NASA’s financial statements conform with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles for federal agencies and accurately present the agency’s financial position. The audit opinion reaffirms the agency’s commitment to transparency in the use of American taxpayers’ dollars.

“For the 14th year in a row, NASA has delivered a reliable, accurate, and transparent report of our fiscal operations as we explore the unknown in air and space,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “I thank NASA’s Chief Financial Officer Margaret Schaus for her leadership, and I am proud that NASA continues to uphold the public’s trust in our goals, our missions, and our financial reporting practices. Such trust is critical to our agency’s success.”

The 2024 Agency Financial Report provides key financial and performance information and demonstrates the agency’s commitment to transparency in the use of American taxpayers’ dollars. In addition, the 2024 report presents progress during the past year, and spotlights the array of NASA missions, objectives, and workforce advanced with these financial resources.

“I am proud NASA has achieved its 14th consecutive clean bill of health on its financial statements,” said NASA Chief Financial Officer Margaret Schaus. “I want to recognize the outstanding commitment of our NASA team to ensuring sound stewardship and transparency over the resources entrusted to our agency.”

In fiscal year 2024, NASA continued preparation for Artemis II, a mission to send four astronauts around the Moon as part of the Artemis campaign. The agency also publicly unveiled the X-59 quiet supersonic aircraft, which will change the way we travel, paving the way for a new generation of commercial aircraft that can travel faster than the speed of sound. Among other highlights, NASA built upon our longstanding efforts to study our Earth as a system, advancing our work on the NASA-Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite. This joint mission between the agency and ISRO is the first radar of its kind in space to systematically map the Earth.

For more information on NASA’s budget, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/budget

-end-

Meira Bernstein / Roxana Bardan
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
meira.b.bernstein@nasa.gov / roxana.bardan@nasa.gov

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Roxana Bardan