Skip Navigation
menu

Images

Gale Crater

Gale Crater

February 15, 2009

Gale Crater

Credit

NASA/JPL-Caltech

ENLARGE

Related

This artist's scoreboard displays a fictional game between Mars and Earth, with Mars in the lead. It refers to the success rate of sending missions to Mars, both as orbiters and landers.
More
This artist's scoreboard displays a fictional game between Mars and Earth, with Mars in the lead. It refers to the success rate of sending missions to Mars, both as orbiters and landers.
Tackling the Challenge of Mars
Mawrth Vallis
More
Mawrth Vallis
Mawrth Vallis
On this image of the broken rock called "Tintina," color coding maps the amount of mineral hydration indicated by a ratio of near-infrared reflectance intensities measured by the Mast Camera (Mastc...
More
On this image of the broken rock called "Tintina," color coding maps the amount of mineral hydration indicated by a ratio of near-infrared reflectance intensities measured by the Mast Camera (Mastcam) on NASA's Mars rover Curiosity.
Hydration Map, Based on Mastcam Spectra, for broken rock 'Tintina'
This global map of Mars was acquired on Oct. 28, 2008, by the Mars Color Imager instrument on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. It was acquired during the same season that NASA's Curiosity rover ...
More
This global map of Mars was acquired on Oct. 28, 2008, by the Mars Color Imager instrument on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. It was acquired during the same season that NASA's Curiosity rover will land in, but two Mars years earlier.
Mars Weather Map, 2008
This overhead view shows evidence of a successful first test drive for NASA's Curiosity rover.
More
This overhead view shows evidence of a successful first test drive for NASA's Curiosity rover.
Rover Takes Its First 'Steps'
This set of images from NASA's Curiosity rover shows a patch of rock before and after it was cleaned by Curiosity's Dust Removal Tool (DRT).
More
This set of images from NASA's Curiosity rover shows a patch of rock before and after it was cleaned by Curiosity's Dust Removal Tool (DRT).
Before and After a Little Dusting
As part of a multi-mission campaign, NASA's Curiosity rover is observing Martian moon transits, the first of which involved the moon Phobos grazing the sun's disk.
More
As part of a multi-mission campaign, NASA's Curiosity rover is observing Martian moon transits, the first of which involved the moon Phobos grazing the sun's disk.
Comparing Phobos Views
On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, the 197-foot-tall United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket arrives on the launch pad at Space Launch Complex-41, situated near the Atlantic Ocean.
More
On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, the 197-foot-tall United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket arrives on the launch pad at Space Launch Complex-41, situated near the Atlantic Ocean.
Atlas V Stands Tall
The Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) on NASA's Mars rover Curiosity acquired close-up views of sands in the "Rocknest" wind drift to document the nature of the material that the rover scooped, sieved ...
More
The Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) on NASA's Mars rover Curiosity acquired close-up views of sands in the "Rocknest" wind drift to document the nature of the material that the rover scooped, sieved and delivered to the Chemistry and Mineralogy Experiment (CheMin) and the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) in October and November 2012.
Windblown Sand from the 'Rocknest' Drift
NASA's Curiosity rover found evidence for an ancient, flowing stream on Mars at a few sites, including the rock outcrop pictured here, which the science team has named "Hottah" after Hottah Lake in...
More
NASA's Curiosity rover found evidence for an ancient, flowing stream on Mars at a few sites, including the rock outcrop pictured here, which the science team has named "Hottah" after Hottah Lake in Canada's Northwest Territories.
Remnants of Ancient Streambed on Mars
This map shows the route driven by NASA's Curiosity Mars rover from where it landed in 2012 to its location in early March 2016, approaching 'Naukluft Plateau.' As the rover continues up Mount Shar...
More
This map shows the route driven by NASA's Curiosity Mars rover from where it landed in 2012 to its location in early March 2016, approaching 'Naukluft Plateau.' As the rover continues up Mount Sharp, its science team has been refreshed by a second round of NASA participating-scientist selections.
New Waypoint, Science Team Newcomers for Curiosity
This computer-generated view based on multiple orbital observations shows Mars' Gale crater as if seen from an aircraft northwest of the crater.
More
This computer-generated view based on multiple orbital observations shows Mars' Gale crater as if seen from an aircraft northwest of the crater.
Oblique view of Gale Crater from the Northwest
In a shallow depression called "Yellowknife Bay," the NASA Mars rover Curiosity drove to an edge of the feature during the 130th Martian day, or sol, of the mission (Dec. 17, 2012) and used its Nav...
More
In a shallow depression called "Yellowknife Bay," the NASA Mars rover Curiosity drove to an edge of the feature during the 130th Martian day, or sol, of the mission (Dec. 17, 2012) and used its Navigation Camera to record this view of the ledge at the margin and a view across the "bay."
At Edge of 'Yellowknife Bay,' Sol 130
A look at the challenges and achievements of Curiosity's first year on Mars
More
Curiosity: One Year on Mars
Curiosity: One Year on Mars
NASA has selected Gale crater as the landing site for the Mars Science Laboratory mission.
More
NASA has selected Gale crater as the landing site for the Mars Science Laboratory mission.
Gale Crater: Future Home of Mars Rover Curiosity (Unannotated)
The main map here shows the assortment of landforms near the location of NASA's Curiosity Mars rover as the rover's second anniversary of landing on Mars nears.
More
The main map here shows the assortment of landforms near the location of NASA's Curiosity Mars rover as the rover's second anniversary of landing on Mars nears.
Sandy Martian Valleys in Curiosity's Near Future
NASA's Mars rover Curiosity carries five cylindrical blocks of organic check material for use in a control experiment if the rover's Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) laboratory detects any organic com...
More
NASA's Mars rover Curiosity carries five cylindrical blocks of organic check material for use in a control experiment if the rover's Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) laboratory detects any organic compounds in samples of Martian soil or powdered rock.
Sealed Organic Check Material on Curiosity
This 360-degree image shows a complete, full-resolution panorama around NASA's Curiosity rover, taken by the Navigation cameras.
More
This 360-degree image shows a complete, full-resolution panorama around NASA's Curiosity rover, taken by the Navigation cameras.
All Around Curiosity
Sandstone layers with varying resistance to erosion are evident in this Martian scene recorded by the Mast Camera on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover on Feb. 25, 2014, about one-quarter mile (about 400 ...
More
Sandstone layers with varying resistance to erosion are evident in this Martian scene recorded by the Mast Camera on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover on Feb. 25, 2004, about one-quarter mile (about 400 meters) from a planned waypoint called "the Kimberley."
Differential Erosion at Work on Martian Sandstones (White-Balanced, Annotated)
This map shows the route driven by NASA's Curiosity Mars rover from the "Bradbury Landing" location where it landed in August 2012 to the "Pahrump Hills" outcrop where it drilled into the lowest pa...
More
This is a gray base map of the skirt of Mount Sharp. In red is the rover's path since landing. Blue stars indication the major stops, Bradbury Landing, Darwin, Cooperstown, Kimberley and Pahrump Hills.
Curiosity Mars Rover's Route from Landing to 'Pahrump Hills'
This patch of Martian bedrock, about 2 feet (70 centimeters) across, is finely layered rock with some pea-size inclusions. It lies near the lowest point of the "Pahrump Hills" outcrop, which forms ...
More
Fine-Grained Rock at Base of Martian Mount Sharp
Fine-Grained, Finely Layered Rock at Base of Martian Mount Sharp
A shiny-looking Martian rock is visible in this image taken by NASA's Mars rover Curiosity's Mast Camera (Mastcam) during the mission's 173rd Martian day, or sol (Jan. 30, 2013).
More
A shiny-looking Martian rock is visible in this image taken by NASA's Mars rover Curiosity's Mast Camera (Mastcam) during the mission's 173rd Martian day, or sol (Jan. 30, 2013).
Shiny-Looking Martian Rock
NASA's Curiosity finds crystals, Opportunity celebrates her 5,000th day on Mars and the MarCO smallsats get solar arrays.
More
NASA's Curiosity finds crystals, Opportunity celebrates her 5,000th day on Mars and the MarCO smallsats get solar arrays.
Mars Report: February 2018
The graph at right presents information from the NASA Curiosity Mars rover's onboard analysis of rock powder drilled from the "Big Sky" and "Greenhorn" target locations, shown at left.
More
The graph at right presents information from the NASA Curiosity Mars rover's onboard analysis of rock powder drilled from the "Big Sky" and "Greenhorn" target locations, shown at left.
'Big Sky' and 'Greenhorn' Drill Holes and CheMin X-ray Diffraction
Open Parachute During Tests for Mars Science Laboratory
More
Open Parachute During Tests for Mars Science Laboratory
Open Parachute During Tests for Mars Science Laboratory

You Might Also Like

Through Nov. 1, K-12 students in the U.S. are encouraged to enter an essay contest to name NASA's next Mars rover.
More
NASA Invites Students to Name Mars 2020 Rover
NASA Invites Students to Name Mars 2020 Rover
The rover recently drilled two samples, and both showed the highest levels of clay ever found during the mission.
More
NASA's Curiosity Mars Rover Finds a Clay Cache
NASA's Curiosity Mars Rover Finds a Clay Cache
For the first time, NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter has caught the Martian moon Phobos during a full moon phase. Each color in this new image represents a temperature range detected by Odyssey's infrared camera.
More
Why This Martian Full Moon Looks Like Candy
Why This Martian Full Moon Looks Like Candy
Nominees include four JPL projects: the solar system and climate websites, InSight social media, and a 360-degree Earth video. Public voting closes April 18, 2019.
More
NASA Garners 7 Webby Award Nominations
NASA Garners 7 Webby Award Nominations
NASA's Opportunity Mars rover mission is complete after 15 years on Mars. Opportunity's record-breaking exploration laid the groundwork for future missions to the Red Planet.
More
NASA's Opportunity Rover Mission on Mars Comes to End
NASA's Opportunity Rover Mission on Mars Comes to End
In deploying its first instrument onto the surface of Mars, the lander completes a major mission milestone.
More
NASA's InSight Places First Instrument on Mars
NASA's InSight Places First Instrument on Mars