Science

Here Are the Top Pictures, Video ‘Curiosity’ Has Beamed Back From Mars This Week

Nearly every day NASA release more information, pictures and compiled videos from Curiosity’s activities on the red planet. To simplify this week, TheBlaze pulled together some of the top images and video from the Mars rover into one place.

  • Relive the drama in high-def: It has been a few weeks since Curiosity was successfully dropped in “seven minutes of terror” onto Mars. You’ve seen the low-def video, but this week, NASA released the high-quality version of the descent. The video itself is a compilation of photographs taken as the rover was dropped. Check it out:

  •  On the move: For the first time, Curiosity has tested its driving abilities on Mars and made it’s first tracks on the rocky surface. ”It couldn’t be more important,” said project manager Peter Theisinger at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. “We built a rover. So unless the rover roves, we really haven’t accomplished anything … It’s a big moment.” The rover’s ultimate destination is Mount Sharp.
Curiosity Report: Rocks Shot With Lasers, Test Drive, and High Def Video of Landing Released

(Photo: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

  • Shooting lasers: Curiosity tested its laser equipment on some nearby rocks, making it the “first rock on any extraterrestrial planet to be investigated” with a laser. The ChemCam on the rover caught light from the rock’s reaction an analyzed it to learn more about the elements in the rock.
Curiosity Report: Rocks Shot With Lasers, Test Drive, and High Def Video of Landing Released

Rocks in 2, 3 and 4 were zapped by Curiosity's lasers. (Photo: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

  • First break: Even after its precarious landing situation going as smoothly as possible, Curiosity’s first break has been identified. A problem with one of the wind sensors on the rover was detected, but officials said it will not affect the mission or determining presence of life on the planet.

For a full wrap-up of what happened this week, here is NASA’s weekly rover report:

NASA announced it would hold a televised news conference Monday, Aug. 27, on the mission with new images, progress update and NASA Administrator Charles Bolden being key elements of the event.

Related:

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Comments (66)

1 2
  • AllLost
    Posted on August 26, 2012 at 7:13am

    I am pro space missions and exploration, but to this untrained eye those pictures look like a whole lot of nothing.

    Report Post »  
  • Dagnabbit5
    Posted on August 26, 2012 at 5:22am

    IMO, the money would have been better spent doing the original plan of going back and exploring the moon. The possibilities of a moon base and HE3 exploration and mining would be much more profitable than anything they find on Mars. A couple of days to the moon vs a couple of months to Mars.

    Report Post »  
  • Old_Warrior
    Posted on August 26, 2012 at 2:33am

    I’m going to explain why a Space Program is important. Why we need to send rovers to Mars. Why we need to hit comets with experimental equipment. This will all make sense to even the most virulent Leftist penny pincher.

    Every success we have, we are one step closer to the ultimate goal. Being able to land a device that’s capable of doing multiple tasks on an asteroid. You see, there was another race that lived on Earth long ago, that had triple digit millions of years to develop the intelligence to run their own space program. They failed. Their space program didn’t exist. Not one penny spent. One giant rock later, they didn’t exist either. Bye bye, dinosaurs.

    Movies like Armageddon was produced to entertain you with Science Fiction. That’s right, FICTION. We can’t land a ship of any type on an incoming atseroid with drillers to make a hole and blow the space rock into two halves that miss the Earth.

    We as a race need the knowledge, the practice, and the developing technology to land a device on a giant asteroid, to push it out of the way with a blast, or a sustained ‘gentle’ nudge if we can land a huge set of engines complete with fuel. The farther away we can do it, the easier it will be to save ourselves. You see, we’ll be the first species on Earth in the entire history of the planet that can save itself from a global killing asteroid.

    So we’re spending the money now to save your complaining little Leftist butts later on. Get ove

    Report Post » Old_Warrior  
    • BehindBlueEyes
      Posted on August 26, 2012 at 5:45am

      I agree with your statement about the dangers of asteroids. It’s not a matter of if we will be hit but a matter of when. I think the last significant earth impact was Meteor Crater in Winslow AZ about 50,000 years ago. Its an good take if your in the area.
      I believe man is on the verge of ending virtually all life on earth long before we’re hit by an asteroid.

      Report Post » BehindBlueEyes  
    • GrayPanther
      Posted on August 26, 2012 at 9:56am

      AMEN! This is the right reason and a real one Too bad our useless United Nations would not be heading up such a project for all the world. I know the answer. The UN is busy undermining the west and taking over the world government. And we can’t let that happen either.

      Report Post » GrayPanther  
  • JUSTANOTHEROPINION
    Posted on August 26, 2012 at 1:40am

    @IDAHO_CAVEMAN, Your entitled to your opinions just as everyone else.@DSN397 had no call to call you an idiot, misguided maybe, but hey, I”m entitled to my opinions also.

    Report Post »  
  • idaho_caveman
    Posted on August 25, 2012 at 6:36pm

    Well, I’m convinced! Money is no object –especially when it’s TAXPAYER money! We can look at rocks on other planets (if it’s not area 51 with a tinted lens cover)! …We can assume that EVERYTHING the “government” tells us and shows us IS WHAT’S HAPPENING!!! …And we can assume that with long-winded statements using big technical words, we MUST NOT QUESTION.

    Good grief, I can‘t believe I’m even responding.

    Report Post »  
  • idaho_caveman
    Posted on August 25, 2012 at 1:35pm

    So, with all this technology, the pictures are in black and white? Or maybe the red planet IS really black and white? Or, maybe we’ve never been to the moon, and never had equipment on Mars. NASA is one of the biggest wastes of taxpayer money there is. ….And even if they are “exploring”, well, there’s no purpose to it. Wow, what a waste. :(

    Report Post »  
    • rabidtarg
      Posted on August 25, 2012 at 3:05pm

      PLEASE do research before commenting. I’m all about avoiding government waste, but remember the work on the actual equipment used was by private companies, not actual federal workers. You need to realize WHICH pictures are black and white and which are color. With the limited memory on Curiosity and limited windows in which to transmit to the orbiting satellite, the amount of memory taken up by pictures is important to consider in limiting time delay in controlling the rover. Big panoramas and such will usually be in color.

      I’m a geologist on EARTH and we STILL use black and white for many applications. Gray scale can actually be more helpful at times in distinguishing certain features with certain kinds of visual data. Some kinds of magnified shots are ALWAYS black and which, such as with certain microscopes. You have spent too much time expecting sci-fi movie results from the real world. What they have done here is truly a technological marvel. Be proud that at least this part of NASA has not been devoted to becoming an arm of the global warming alarmists. The Mars missions are what we should be proud of, and we should be proud of the companies and people that worked to create Curiosity.

      Report Post »  
    • rabidtarg
      Posted on August 25, 2012 at 3:10pm

      Spend less time in the sci-fi and more time marveling at what has been accomplished by Curiosity and the team that designed it. This isn’t the wing of NASA that is an arm of the global warming alarmists, this is the good stuff. This is the stuff we should be proud of.

      If you study out just how the images get to Earth and the transmission rates and memory capacity of Curiosity, you’ll see why most of the pictures are black and white. With limited time to run the mission, limiting lag time in controlling Curiosity is essential. As a geologist working on EARTH this can still be a big factor! The big panoramas and such will still be color, of course, but it is difficult to send the many pictures required for such images to Earth in any reasonable amount of time. The purpose of this mission is much more than pretty pictures, and Curiosity has very limited life. For the actual scientific endeavors, they are doing it the right way. They’re not just exploring with pictures, they’re exploring the geochemistry of the rocks.

      Be proud of the amazing feat the private companies that put Curiosity together have accomplished! And enjoy Idaho. There are a lot of things I miss about living there.

      Report Post »  
    • DSN397
      Posted on August 25, 2012 at 3:14pm

      Maybe the horrible wildfire will drive you far enough out of the hills of Featherville that perhaps you will meet some modern day people, and they can explain the wonder of anything being able to project pictures from another planet, regardless of their color.
      I love Idaho and have spent many years there, it’s a shame that their clean, fresh air is being consumed by an idiot like you.

      Report Post »  
    • muffythetuffy
      Posted on August 25, 2012 at 3:31pm

      NASA SPENDS OVER $2.5 BILLION FOR MARS

      NASA spends over $2.5 Billion to put another black and white camera on the Moon.

      Report Post »  
    • justneedaname
      Posted on August 26, 2012 at 5:24pm

      DNS397….Thank you

      Report Post »  
    • John 1776
      Posted on August 26, 2012 at 9:41pm

      Cameras are color. Pics sent back right now are B&W as color pics use too much room in the precious data-stream sent back to earth. They are stored and will be transmitted once all the complicated work is out of the way and data-space becomes available. For now, high resolution B&W pics provide more of the data that is required to map the terrain.

      Report Post » John 1776  
  • SurhanSurhan
    Posted on August 25, 2012 at 12:30pm

    Allahu Akbar!

    Allah has subjected to you all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth; it is all as a favor and kindness from Him. Verily, in it are signs for a people who think deeply.

    Report Post »  
  • sbs21078
    Posted on August 25, 2012 at 11:46am

    If anyone cares, would you like to take the Rover for a cruise or shoot the laser (whoopee!)?
    Go to: http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/explore/freedrive/
    This is one of the better simulators I have toyed with. And I do believe this Mars Rover mission thing would have happened with or without Barry.

    Report Post »  
    • Amarilloan
      Posted on August 25, 2012 at 2:02pm

      What are you talking about. It happened DESPITE Barry.

      Report Post »  
  • ktmrider1
    Posted on August 25, 2012 at 11:01am

    another accomplishment by barrock hussein obama, he put that rover there himself

    Report Post » ktmrider1  
    • hawaiianninja
      Posted on August 25, 2012 at 1:16pm

      …And with all the NASA budget cuts he’s made so monies can go towards Obamacare, it will probably be the last.:(

      Report Post » hawaiianninja  
  • hugo65hsv
    Posted on August 25, 2012 at 8:59am

    Space exploration is the last frontier for mankind.. It’s out their for us..

    Report Post »  
  • grannyrecipe
    Posted on August 25, 2012 at 7:43am

    Excerpt: Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury

    Ylla

    They had a house of crystal pillars on the planet Mars by the edge of an empty sea, and every morning you could see Mrs. K eating the golden fruits that grew from the crystal walls, or cleaning the house with handfuls of magnetic dust which, taking all dirt with it, blew away on the hot wind. Afternoons, when the fossil sea was warm and motionless, and the wine trees stood stiff in the yard, and the little distant Martian bone town was all enclosed, and no one drifted out their doors, you could see Mr. K himself in his room, reading from a metal book with raised hieroglyphs over which he brushed his hand, as one might play a harp. And from the book, as his fingers stroked, a voice sang, a soft ancient voice, which told tales of when the sea was red steam on the shore and ancient men had carried clouds of metal

    Report Post » grannyrecipe  
  • Gonzo
    Posted on August 25, 2012 at 7:32am

    I guess if your parents name you Torsten Zorn, you’re pretty much destined to be a geeky space scientist. Sounds more like a galaxy than a man’s name.

    Report Post » Gonzo  
  • BOMUSTGO
    Posted on August 25, 2012 at 7:06am

    2.5 billion dollars spent just to find out that Mars smells worse than Uranus.

    Report Post » BOMUSTGO  
    • RepubliCorp
      Posted on August 26, 2012 at 2:41am

      it is much better to use the money on food stamps and buy votes for Obama?

      Report Post » RepubliCorp  
  • Exiled
    Posted on August 25, 2012 at 4:36am

    Hurry up and get some people out there. It’s about time for another colonization.

    Report Post »  
    • RayOne
      Posted on August 25, 2012 at 8:19am

      So what if the surface is hostile, the colony can build below until a protective bubble is constructed. Students can solve problems in addition to playing videogames.

      Report Post » RayOne  
  • NineteenEighty4
    Posted on August 25, 2012 at 2:51am

    False. Mars does not exist. God never intended for humans to leave the Earth. There’s nothing else out there. It’s just empty space. Have any of us actually seen Mars? No. These images are merely lies promoting a secret atheist, socialist agenda. These NASA atheists are invoking God’s punishment. They think they know better than God. I will not comply.

    Report Post »  
    • Frankie McCrew
      Posted on August 25, 2012 at 3:39am

      I wonder what Democratic run organization this troll belongs to?

      Report Post » Frankie McCrew  
    • Gorp
      Posted on August 25, 2012 at 6:35am

      I’ll bet you stayed up most of the night just to think up those comments. I’m wondering how many times you hit delete before you came up with this post.

      Report Post » Gorp  
    • proliance
      Posted on August 26, 2012 at 8:20am

      What about the Sun? I’m pretty sure that exists or is it my imagination?

      Report Post » proliance  
    • BIgWheeler
      Posted on August 26, 2012 at 10:58am

      *jump *jump *jump. I’m defying your god, stupid.

      Report Post » BIgWheeler  
  • bikerr
    Posted on August 25, 2012 at 2:39am

    Why in Heavens name do they use metric numbers?. This is a USA flight right?

    Report Post »  
    • 1TrueOne55
      Posted on August 25, 2012 at 5:17pm

      Another youngin that does not know is Numeric Standards History. Back in the late 1960′s Congress enacted a law to change our Numeric Standards to be more Globally compliant and more accurate for science and data, fractions just don’t make it.

      But the GM. FORD, CHRYSLER and Auto Mechanics twisted Congress’ arm to halt the change because it would be to expensive. So now we have a system divided, where Science uses the Decimal/Metric system and manufacturing uses the “Standard” where nuts and bolts that need hand tools is used.

      In my opinion we need to make a choice if we continue to buy foreign made products then we need to produce our products in Metric to be able to sell them “Globally” since not all people around the world have US Fractional/Standards compliant tools.

      Report Post » 1TrueOne55  
  • lukerw
    Posted on August 25, 2012 at 1:22am

    Being Rarer than Gold… Martian Rocks should be given the Value of 1 Trillion each… so, upon landing on Earth, we sill be out of Debt :)

    Report Post » lukerw  
  • MDECKER
    Posted on August 25, 2012 at 12:32am

    Maybe we can finally track down the real Birth Certificate.

    Report Post »  
    • BOMUSTGO
      Posted on August 25, 2012 at 7:15am

      All that money spent just to do a donut on Mars.

      Report Post » BOMUSTGO  
    • RepubliCorp
      Posted on August 26, 2012 at 9:04am

      BOMUSTGO and just how do you spend money on Mars? Or just maybe it is spent on the best and brightest here?

      Report Post » RepubliCorp  
  • loafer4952
    Posted on August 24, 2012 at 10:17pm

    Is nice to have done this. But is a very big waste of money. No matter what they find there what good is going to do here. Nice to know about other plantes but how many people could we feed for what we spent on this. So many people hungry and wasting money on some plant that is not going to do a thing for us here. Lets get our pryorties straight before we wasted bullions of dollars.

    Report Post »  
    • demsaredumb
      Posted on August 24, 2012 at 11:59pm

      Why was it a waste of money? They didn’t fill it with bundles of money and blast it out there. Money was spent here on earth giving people jobs, giving companies that built components money to pay people. These peole can buy food and other products here on earth this chain reaction drives our economy. So how is this wasting money? I bet you want us to just give it to people that do not produce anything or to the illegals coming into this country.

      Report Post »  
    • The_Pointy_End
      Posted on August 25, 2012 at 12:27am

      I don’t think this is a waste of money. Cash for clunkers, bank bailouts, Solendra…..now those are examples of wasteful programs.

      Report Post » The_Pointy_End  
    • Exiled
      Posted on August 25, 2012 at 4:35am

      Nobody on Earth is starving because people are spending money on the space program. The Earth produces ample food. The only starving people are those that are created by their governments.

      Report Post »  
    • Gorp
      Posted on August 25, 2012 at 6:33am

      I might not be the smartest rock in the box but doesn’t The Blaze have a spell checker? The wasted money was on Loafer’s school.

      Report Post » Gorp  
    • L0WRYDER
      Posted on August 25, 2012 at 10:43am

      You sir have a point less do like barry and let the ragheads do it for us after all NASA has been told by barry make the ragheads fill good about what thay do for mankind you sir are a wast of time and I did not even need a rover to find this out
      Have a nice day

      Report Post »  
    • Black Blart
      Posted on August 25, 2012 at 11:09am

      I do not think this is a waste of time for 2 reasons. 1) The space program has given us many technological advances and products that we would not otherwise have. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA_spin-off_technologies 2) Every time that mankind expands the living zone, there is a boom in productivity that produces a new injection of wealth into the hands of ordinary people. With space, there is no need to have a war to expand. There is untold wealth out there. In a way, that is one of the problems. Some of those who are already wealthy don’t want the competition.

      Report Post » Black Blart  
  • cdcats8
    Posted on August 24, 2012 at 8:43pm

    This is super cool and I am glad these folks have moved forward in space exploration.

    Report Post »  
  • FatFreedom
    Posted on August 24, 2012 at 8:36pm

    Who believe anything NASA says or does? After all it is government run!!!

    I wouldn’t be surprised if they showed us this image of Mars: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/59/Jetsonslogo640×480.jpg

    The fact is that a good percentage of Americans would believe it as well.

    Report Post »  
    • Incredulous321
      Posted on August 26, 2012 at 4:00am

      I’m getting real tired of your crap. I started to write a long rebuttal, but you’re too stupid to get it. F*** U. Good luck trying to live off the rest of us. That ship is about to sail to never never land. May I suggest you suspend your imagination, and bitterness, and focus on how to pump gas, or cook burgers because you are about to have to fend for yourself, and unless you’re Stephen King, you might go hungry. I hope you don’t take my advise. We’ll spend less money burying you than feeding you.

      Report Post » Incredulous321  
  • smcdaniel
    Posted on August 24, 2012 at 8:33pm

    So Curiosity is doing doughnuts in the flats? I wanna see some jumps!!

    Report Post »  
  • staythecourse
    Posted on August 24, 2012 at 8:32pm

    There was a time when these reports would be on every station and a great deal of pride about this most amazing of accomplishments. instead there is a cone of silence….and nothing is mentioned in the lamestream media.

    Congratulations to the team at NASA for your amazing accomplishment.

    Report Post »  
    • Stelex
      Posted on August 24, 2012 at 9:21pm

      You said it brother……this should be front and center.I was 5 and still remember the first moon landing, the whole family came over and watched. Now we are a nation of mostly dumbfounded dipshits. Progs have killed our education system and now we are reaping the rewards. Idiocracy is on the way. In ten years we’ll be throwing stones at the moon to estemate its distance. We will be way off.

      Report Post » Stelex  
    • KangarooJack
      Posted on August 24, 2012 at 10:24pm

      Yes! Kudos to the Mars/Nasa team.

      As for the uninspired? It has electrolytes………………..

      Report Post » KangarooJack  
  • Rayblue
    Posted on August 24, 2012 at 8:24pm

    Make it pop a wheelie.

    Report Post » Rayblue  
  • Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
    Posted on August 24, 2012 at 8:14pm

    Why is there a skittles wrapper and a can of red bull in the background? Come on, this was shot in Arizona.

    Report Post » Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra  
    • jhaydeng
      Posted on August 24, 2012 at 8:25pm

      Looks like A Rheingold can and a Doritos bag! Definitely Mahwah, New Jersey!

      Report Post »  
    • john koenig
      Posted on August 24, 2012 at 8:57pm

      LOL! I stay in Mahwah three or for times a year on business. The most excitement is at the Sheraton.

      Report Post » john koenig  
    • Kankokage
      Posted on August 24, 2012 at 9:49pm

      Bush killed all the martians with his Red Bull and Skittles. Start the trials!

      Report Post » Kankokage  
    • mtsnj
      Posted on August 24, 2012 at 10:21pm

      WTF didn’t they see the NO U-Turn Sign..they are gonna get ticketed!!!

      Report Post »  
    • bikerr
      Posted on August 25, 2012 at 2:42am

      Couldn’t have been in Arizona,no illegals to hitch a ride!

      Report Post »  
    • idaho_caveman
      Posted on August 25, 2012 at 8:06pm

      Indeed. …when the walls fell. And “people” still believe what they see. Sad deal, but the world is more than half full of idiots. Well, I guess all we can do is stock up on ammo., and have a few escape routes, eh? Thanks for bein’ a real human. :)

      Report Post »  
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