NASA's Curiosity Rover Resumes Drilling Operations on Mount Sharp After Solar Conjunction
Curiosity has resumed active science, targeting distinct rock layers in the layered sulfate unit of Mount Sharp with a rare organic-molecule experiment and new drill campaigns.
NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has resumed scientific operations following the planet's solar conjunction. The rover is currently executing a series of drill campaigns within the layered sulfate unit of Mount Sharp, collecting samples at distinct locations—including "Nevado Sajama," "Atacama," and "Campo Marte"—for instrument analysis and environmental monitoring.
Activities at Nevado Sajama
On January 25, 2026 (Sol 4789), the rover's Mast Camera acquired an image of the Nevado Sajama site, which was previously drilled in November. The rover subsequently executed a 2-meter drive to a new drill location situated just a few centimeters from the original site.
The primary objective of this return is to conduct a rare experiment using the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument. The experiment will utilize the instrument's final container of tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) to mix with a sample from Nevado Sajama, aiming to identify organic molecules. A rehearsal of the sample handoff to SAM was completed prior to the scheduled drilling.
The TMAH experiment requires significant energy from the rover, limiting power availability for other scientific operations. Despite this, environmental observations have been incorporated into the mission plan, including monitoring for dust devils and assessing dust levels within the crater and the broader atmosphere, as the region is currently in its dusty season.
Additional recent activities at this location included using the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS), Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI), and ChemCam's laser spectrometer to examine a broken white rock, and imaging a sandy area to observe potential wind motion.
Drill Campaign at the Atacama Site
The Curiosity Science Team initiated a drill campaign at the Atacama site to characterize the first Mount Sharp layered-sulfate bedrock encountered since leaving the boxwork terrain.
The three-sol plan (Sols 4873-4875) included a pre-load test on the drill target and triage contact science. Observations during this phase included:
- APXS: Conducted repeated observations on the Atacama drill target.
- MAHLI: Captured images with different lighting to detect possible changes.
- Mastcam: Assembled stereo mosaics of the drill site, investigated bedrock variations at "Kimsa Chata," and characterized layering within Paniri butte.
A subsequent three-sol plan (Sols 4876-4878) included full drill and portion characterization activities. Rock observations included stereo mosaics of a laminated rock with an exposed edge named "Queen of the Andes," a rock with polygonal fractures broken by the rover drive named "Curaco," and additional coverage of the "El Almendrillo" target.
Environmental monitoring during this period included measuring dust in the atmosphere, studying cloud movements, and documenting dust devils. The rover autonomously selected two targets for the ChemCam instrument.
The next step in the drill campaign is delivering a portion of the Atacama target to the Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) instrument for analysis. Sharon Wilson Purdy, Planetary Geologist at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, noted the science team is interested in comparing the mineralogy of the layered sulfate unit at this location to that at the Mineral King site, nearly 160 meters below the rover's current position.
Drilling Preparation at Campo Marte
Curiosity is preparing to drill a new target named "Campo Marte" after freeing its arm from the Atacama block. The new drill target represents the same geologic stratum as Atacama, which is the layered sulfate unit above boxwork structures. Campo Marte is named after a natural red sandstone feature in Bolivia.
In preparation for drilling, the rover measured the composition of Campo Marte using ChemCam's Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) and APXS instruments, and obtained close-up imaging with MAHLI. Additional LIBS rasters provided geochemical data on nearby blocks, including vein and nodule-like features.
The block is reported to be substantially thicker than Atacama, which the team expects will keep it grounded during drilling.
"The block is substantially thicker than Atacama, which should keep it grounded during drilling," the team noted.
The Curiosity team also coordinated atmospheric observations with the Psyche spacecraft flyby of Mars. These observations included a zenith movie with Navcam to document clouds and a Mastcam solar observation to measure atmospheric opacity. These observations support Psyche instrument validation, along with data from Mars orbiters and the Perseverance rover.