Latest John P. Grotzinger Stories

Martian Soil Delivered To Curiosity For Analysis

First Curiosity Martian Soil Sample Delivered

2012-10-19 04:30:01

Lee Rannals for redOrbit.com - Your Universe Online Curiosity has taken in its first Martian soil sample into its laboratory on board in search for extraterrestrial life on Mars. The sample is being analyzed inside the rover's Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) instrument to determine what minerals the soil sample contains. "We are crossing a significant threshold for this mission by using CheMin on its first sample," according to Curiosity project scientist John Grotzinger of the...

NASA Rover Finds Old Streambed On Martian Surface

2012-09-27 10:20:29

PASADENA, Calif., Sept. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NASA's Curiosity rover mission has found evidence a stream once ran vigorously across the area on Mars where the rover is driving. There is earlier evidence for the presence of water on Mars, but this evidence - images of rocks containing ancient streambed gravels - is the first of its kind. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20081007/38461LOGO) Scientists are studying the images of stones cemented into a...

Curiosity Finds Evidence Of Ancient Mars Stream

Evidence Of An Ancient Stream Found On Mars By Curiosity Rover

2012-09-27 13:51:33

Lee Rannals for redOrbit.com - Your Universe Online It has been almost two months since NASA's Curiosity rover landed on Mars and it has already found evidence of an ancient stream on the Red Planet. Curiosity ran up upon a series of stones cemented into a layer of conglomerate rock and shot back some images of the Martian features back to NASA. NASA said the sizes and shapes of those stones offer clues to the speed and distance of an ancient stream's flow. "From the size of...

NASA Curiosity Rover Begins Eastbound Trek On Martian Surface

2012-08-29 10:20:51

PASADENA, Calif., Aug. 29, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has set off from its landing vicinity on a trek to a science destination about a quarter-mile (400 meters) away, where it may begin using its drill. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20081007/38461LOGO) The rover drove eastward about 52 feet (16 meters) on Tuesday, its 22nd Martian day after landing. This third drive was longer than Curiosity's first two drives combined. The previous...

First Human Voice Now Heard From Mars

2012-08-27 20:55:23

Lee Rannals for redOrbit.com – Your Universe Online For the first time in history, the voice of a human has been transported back from Curiosity on the surface of Mars. It wasn't an alien, but a prerecorded message from NASA Administrator Charles Bolden on Mars. NASA announced during a press conference that Curiosity successfully sent back the audio soundbite Curiosity was carrying with it on Mars. "Since the beginning of time, humankind’s curiosity has led us to constantly seek...

NASA’s Curiosity Mars Rover Lands In Perfect Spot, Produces Stunning Images

2012-08-09 08:12:50

Lawrence LeBlond for redOrbit.com - Your Universe Online NASA scientists are continuing to celebrate the successful landing of its Curiosity rover and after poring over data to determine the precise point of impact, space officials are even more excited to find that it actually made touchdown in the best spot possible from a scientific point-of-view. And better yet, the rover is sending back visually stunning images from the Martian landscape, images that NASA scientists are likening to...