Successful landing confirmed simultaneously by monitoring Mars orbiters. Curiosity landed on target and only 2.4 kilometres (1.5 mi) from its center.[12] Some low resolution images were beamed to Earth by relay orbiters.[13]
August 6, 2012
Status report.
Hours after landing, the rover begins to beam detailed data on its systems' status as well as on its entry, descent and landing experience. [13]
The Curiosity Mars Descent Imager (MARDI) captured the rover's descent to the surface of Mars. The instrument shot 4 fps video from heatshield separation to the ground.[14]
This image was taken by Mars Descent Imager (MARDI) onboard NASA's Mars rover Curiosity on Sol 0 (2012-08-06 05:15:30 UTC).[15]
NASA's Curiosity rover and its parachute were spotted by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter as Curiosity descended to the surface on 5 Aug 2012 PDT (6 Aug EDT).[16]
The four main pieces of hardware that arrived on Mars with NASA's Curiosity rover were spotted by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO).[17]
This color-enhanced view — taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter as the satellite flew overhead — shows the terrain around the rover's landing site within Gale Crater on Mars. Colors were enhanced to bring out subtle differences.[18]
The following data were compiled by Curiosity's Entry, Descent and Landing team at NASA's Jet Propulsion LaboratoryinPasadena, California. It provides a timeline of critical mission events that occurred on the evening of August 5 PDT (early on August 6 EDT).[21]
Mission Control spent parts of the next days upgrading the rover's dual computers by switching the entry-descent-landing software to the surface operation software;[26] the switchover was completed by August 15.[27]
This is the first 360-degree panoramic view from NASA's Curiosity rover, taken with the Navigation cameras.[28][29]
This is the first image taken by the Navigation cameras on NASA's Curiosity rover. It shows the shadow of the rover's now-upright mast in the center, and the arm's shadow at left. The arm itself can be seen in the foreground.
[30]
This mosaic image shows part of the left side of NASA's Curiosity rover and two blast marks from the descent stage's rocket engines. The images that were used to make the mosaic were obtained by the rover's Navigation cameras.[31]
This self portrait of NASA's Curiosity rover was taken by its navigation cameras, located on the now-upright mast.[32]
This image comparison shows a view through a Hazard-Avoidance camera on NASA's Curiosity rover before and after the clear dust cover was removed.[33]
This is the first 360-degree panorama in color of the Gale Crater landing site taken by NASA's Curiosity rover. The panorama was made from thumbnail versions of images taken by the Mast Camera.[34]
First High-Resolution Color Mosaic of Curiosity's Mastcam Images[35]
These images were taken by Mastcam: Left (MAST_LEFT) onboard NASA's Mars rover Curiosity on Sol 3[36][37]
This color image from NASA's Curiosity rover shows part of the wall of Gale Crater, the location on Mars where the rover landed on August 5, 2012 PDT (August 6, 2012 EDT). This is part of a larger, high-resolution color mosaic made from images obtained by Curiosity's Mast Camera.[38]
A healthy Curiosity spent Sol 4, its fifth day on Mars, preparing for this weekend's planned "brain transplant"--transitioning to a new version of flight software on both of Curiosity's redundant main computers. The new software is better suited for Mars surface operations, such as driving and using Curiosity's robotic arm. The "brain transplant" will take place during a series of steps beginning this evening and continuing through Aug. 13. The new software was uploaded to the rover's memory during the Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft's flight from Earth. Key capabilities in the new software enable full use of Curiosity's powerful robotic arm and drill, and advanced image processing to check for obstacles while driving. This will ultimately allow Curiosity to make longer drives by giving the rover more autonomy to identify and avoid potential hazards and to drive along a safe path that the rover identifies for itself.[46][47]
The flight team elected to defer further science activities until after the flight software transition is completed. Several Mastcam color images were downlinked. The mission's science team is busy analyzing images Curiosity has taken of its surroundings, and is discussing features of interest that they will investigate in a few weeks once initial checkouts of the rover and the landing site are completed.[46]
The rover will spend several days performing instrument checks and mobility tests.[50][51] The science and operations teams have identified at least six possible routes to the base of the mountain, and estimate about a year studying the rocks and soil of the crater floor while Curiosity slowly makes its way to the base of Mount Sharp.[50][52] Its first drive is planned to start in September to a rock formation called Glenelg about 460 metres (1,510 ft) to the East.[53]
Sol 10
16 August 2012
This image was taken by Navcam: Left A (NAV_LEFT_A) onboard NASA's Mars rover Curiosity [54]
This close-up image shows the first target NASA's Curiosity rover aims to zap with its Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) instrument. ChemCam will be firing a laser at this rock, provisionally named N165, and analyzing the glowing, ionized gas, called plasma, that the laser excites. The instrument will analyze that spark with a telescope and identify the chemical elements in the target.[56]
This close-up image shows the first target NASA's Curiosity rover aims to zap with its Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) instrument. ChemCam will be firing a laser at this rock, provisionally named N165, and analyzing the glowing, ionized gas, called plasma, that the laser excites. The instrument will analyze that spark with a telescope and identify the chemical elements in the target.[56]
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (August 2012)
Planned events
August 2012
Date
Event
Notes
Status
10-13 August
Software update
NASA's Mars rover Curiosity will spend its first weekend on Mars transitioning to software better suited for tasks ahead, such as driving and using its robotic arm. The rover's change of operating software will occur during a series of steps August 10 through August 13. This software for Mars surface operations was uploaded to the rover's memory during the Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft's flight from Earth.[58]
The term sol is used by planetary astronomers to refer to the duration of a solar day on Mars.[60] A mean Martian solar day, or "sol", is 24 hours, 39 minutes, and 35.244 seconds.[61]
^ ab"Status Report - Curiosity's Daily Update". NASA. 6 August 2012. Retrieved 2012-08-13. This morning, flight controllers decided to forgo the sixth and final opportunity on the mission calendar for a course-correction maneuver.