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Curiosity Navigation Curiosity Home Mission Overview Where is Curiosity? Mission Updates Science Overview Instruments Highlights Exploration Goals News and Features Multimedia Curiosity Raw Images Images Videos Audio Mosaics More Resources Mars Missions Mars Sample Return Mars Perseverance Rover Mars Curiosity Rover MAVEN Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mars Odyssey More Mars Missions Mars Home 4 min read
Sols 4549-4552: Keeping Busy Over the Long Weekend
NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity acquired this image using its Left Navigation Camera on May 23, 2025 — Sol 4548, or Martian day 4,548 of the Mars Science Laboratory mission — at 07:17:19 UTC. NASA/JPL-Caltech Written by Conor Hayes, Graduate Student at York University
Earth planning date: Friday, May 23, 2025
In Wednesday’s mission update, Alex mentioned that this past Monday’s plan included a “marathon” drive of 45 meters (148 feet). Today, we found ourselves almost 70 meters (230 feet) from where we were on Wednesday. This was our longest drive since the truly enormous 97-meter (318-foot) drive back on sol 3744.
Today’s plan looks a little different from our usual weekend plans. Because of the U.S. Memorial Day holiday on Monday, the team will next assemble on Tuesday, so an extra sol had to be appended to the weekend plan. This extra sol is mostly being used for our next drive (about 42 meters or 138 feet), which means that all of the science that we have planned today can be done “targeted,” i.e., we know exactly where the rover is. As a result, we can use the instruments on our arm to poke at specific targets close to the rover, rather than filling our science time exclusively with remote sensing activities of farther-away features.
The rover’s power needs are continuing to dominate planning. Although we passed aphelion (the farthest distance Mars is from the Sun) a bit over a month ago and so are now getting closer to the Sun, we’re just about a week away from winter solstice in the southern hemisphere. This is the time of year when Gale Crater receives the least amount of light from the Sun, leading to particularly cold temperatures even during the day, and thus more power being needed to keep the rover and its instruments warm. On the bright side, being at the coldest time of the year means that we have only warmer sols to look forward to!
Given the need to keep strictly to our allotted power budget, everyone did a phenomenal job finding optimizations to ensure that we could fit as much science into this plan as possible. All together, we have over four hours of our usual targeted and remote sensing activities, as well as over 12 hours of overnight APXS integrations.
Mastcam is spending much of its time today looking off in the distance, particularly focusing on the potential boxwork structures that we’re driving towards. These structures get two dedicated mosaics, totaling 42 images between the two of them. Mastcam will also observe “Mishe Mokwa” (a small butte about 15 meters, or 49 feet, to our south) and some bedrock troughs in our workspace, and will take two tau observations to characterize the amount of dust in the atmosphere.
ChemCam has just one solo imaging-only observation in this plan: an RMI mosaic of Texoli butte off to our east. ChemCam will be collaborating with APXS to take some passive spectral observations (i.e., no LIBS) to measure the composition of the atmosphere. Mastcam and ChemCam will also be working together on observations of LIBS activities. This plan includes an extravagant three LIBS, on “Orocopia Mountains,” “Dripping Springs,” and “Mountain Center.” Both Mastcam and ChemCam also have a set of “dark” observations intended to characterize the performance of the instruments with no light on their sensors, something that’s very important for properly calibrating their measurements.
Our single set of arm activities includes APXS, DRT, and MAHLI activities on “Camino Del Mar” and “Mount Baden-Powell,” both of which are bedrock targets in our workspace.
Of course, I can’t forget to mention the collection of Navcam observations that we have in this plan to monitor the environment. These include a 360-degree survey looking for dust devils, two line-of-sight activities to measure the amount of dust in the air within Gale, and three cloud movies. As always, we’ve also got a typical collection of REMS, RAD, and DAN activities throughout.
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Last Updated May 27, 2025 Related Terms
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Curiosity Navigation Curiosity Home Mission Overview Where is Curiosity? Mission Updates Science Overview Instruments Highlights Exploration Goals News and Features Multimedia Curiosity Raw Images Images Videos Audio Mosaics More Resources Mars Missions Mars Sample Return Mars Perseverance Rover Mars Curiosity Rover MAVEN Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mars Odyssey More Mars Missions 2 min read
Sols 4452-4453: Keeping Warm and Keeping Busy
NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity acquired this image of the science targets before it, including “Catalina Island,” the flat rock at image center, using its Left Navigation Camera. The rover captured the image on sol 4450 — or Martian day 4,450 of the Mars Science Laboratory mission — on Feb. 11, 2025, at 13:11:14 UTC. NASA/JPL-Caltech Earth planning date: Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025
I woke up this morning to my weather app telling me it felt like minus 15° C (5°F) outside. On days like this, it can take me a little longer to get myself up and out into the world. Curiosity has a similar problem — as we head toward winter and it gets colder and colder in Gale Crater, Curiosity has to spend more time warming up to do things like driving and all our good science. I’ve also been watching a couple winter storms that are expected in the next few days here in Toronto. Luckily, Curiosity doesn’t have to deal with snowstorms, and our drive in the last plan went ahead as planned and put us in a good position to go ahead with contact science today, a relief after having to forego it on Monday.
The contact science location that the geology team chose is called “Catalina Island,” the flat rock you can see in almost the center of the image above. As you can likely also see above, there’s a whole jumble of rocks in that image, and Mastcam and ChemCam have picked out a couple others to take a look at. These are “Point Dume,” which will be the target of ChemCam’s laser spectrometer, and “Whittier Narrows,” on which Mastcam will image some linear features. Mastcam and ChemCam are also turning their gazes further afield for Mastcam targets “Cleghorn Ridge,” “Cuyamaca Peak,” “Kratka Ridge,” and two long-distance ChemCam mosaics of the top of the Wilkerson butte and a spot a little further down known as “Pothole Trail.”
Much like I’m keeping an eye out the window on the changing weather here, Curiosity is also continuing to keep an eye on the environment in Gale Crater. Even though it’s not the dusty season, we continue to monitor the dust around us and in the atmosphere with a dust-devil survey and a tau. But we’re especially interested in what the clouds are up to right now, which we’re checking in on with our normal zenith and suprahorizon movies, and our cloud-season-only Phase Function Sky Survey. This is a series of movies covering the whole sky that we can use to determine how sunlight interacts with the individual water-ice crystals in the clouds.
Written by Alex Innanen, Atmospheric Scientist at York University
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Last Updated Feb 14, 2025 Related Terms
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By NASA
Melissa Gates is active in supporting other employees with disabilities at Goddard, as a member of the GSFC Equal Accessibility Employee Resource Group. “Goddard is very responsive to our accessibility needs.”Credits: Courtesy of Melissa Gates Name: Melissa Gates
Title: Secretary III
Organization: Mission Systems Engineering Branch, Engineering Technology Directorate (Code 599)
What do you do and what is most interesting about your role here at Goddard? How do you help support Goddard’s mission?
As a branch secretary, I support my branch office by ordering supplies, managing the meeting calendars, onboarding new employees and otherwise supporting the managers. I help keep the office running.
How did you come to work at Goddard?
In 2005, I got a bachelor’s degree in communications from Fairleigh Dickinson University. In 2012, I got a master’s degree in communications from Regis University.
For over 20 years, I managed our family business in New Jersey involving competitive pool. I helped run the competitions and the daily activities, but I never played pool.
In 2016, I moved to Maryland to work in customer service at MGM National Harbor. In 2019, I started at Goddard through Melwood, a non-profit organization that helps disabled people find employment.
What are the most important skills for a good branch secretary?
Listening. Being prompt. Being organized. Prioritizing tasks. Good people skills. I am a people person, and I can relate well to different personalities. I am very flexible. With teleworking, I am always available.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
I really want to work in communications, especially NASA TV, because I want to continue my first loves of writing and public relations. I enjoy working with the public and getting people’s stories out to others. I like learning about people and sharing what I have learned.
How has having a disability impacted your job choices?
I have had to make people comfortable with my disability. I use a cane and a scooter to get around. Melwood helped me find a job at Goddard, which fulfilled my 20-year dream.
What are your goals as a member of the GSFC Equal Accessibility Employee Resource Group?
As a member of the GSFC Equal Accessibility Employee Resource Group, my focus is to help promote the Ability One Program, a federal program that assists people with all levels of disability find federal jobs. I have my Melwood job through this program. I am very thankful to Melwood and Goddard for giving me a job that offers good benefits and security.
I offer my life experience as a person with a disability now working at Goddard. I try to make management aware of accessibility needs such as bathrooms, removal of snow from sidewalks and parking lots, assistive technology for hearing and sight impaired people and other issues. Goddard is very responsive to our accessibility needs.
What do you do for fun?
I love to read, especially Terry McMillan’s rom-coms. I love bungee jumping, zip lining and roller coasters. I love adrenaline rushes and am a thrill seeker!
I enjoy traveling and have been to Hawaii and Mexico. I would like to take the train across the country. That way I would not have to move around, the train would be moving and I could still see the country. I would enjoy talking to everyone on the train and have a good time.
What is your “six-word memoir”? A six-word memoir describes something in just six words.
Caring. Outgoing. Loves people. Adventurous. Joyful. Grateful.
By Elizabeth M. Jarrell
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
Conversations With Goddard is a collection of Q&A profiles highlighting the breadth and depth of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center’s talented and diverse workforce. The Conversations have been published twice a month on average since May 2011. Read past editions on Goddard’s “Our People” webpage
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By NASA
u0022From a natural resources perspective, I often say that Wallops has all the aspects of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (which shares its home with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge) in Florida but in a compressed area,u0022 said Shari Miller, NEPA manager and natural resources manager at Wallops Flight Facility. u0022We protect all these species while launching rockets and unmanned aerial systems (UASs) or drones above them.u0022NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility / Jamie Adkins Name: Shari Miller
Title: Wallops Flight Facility National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Manager and Wallops Natural Resources Manager
Formal Job Classification: Environmental Engineer
Organization: Medical and Environmental Management Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (Code 250)
What do you do at Goddard?
For half my job, I do environmental planning and review all projects and missions looking to come to Wallops or that Wallops project managers are looking to perform anywhere in the world. For the other half of my job, I manage the natural resources permitting and review at Wallops.
Why did you become an environmental engineer?
I have always been an outdoors person and was raised to love nature and the environment. I have a Bachelor of Science in chemistry and biology from Salisbury University and a master’s in environmental science from the University of Maryland. I have worked at Wallops for over 23 years.
What are some of Wallops’ unique environmental attributes?
From a natural resources perspective, I often say that Wallops has all the aspects of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (which shares its home with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge) in Florida but in a compressed area. We have endangered species including nesting shorebirds called the piping plover and red knots, and protected species, including bald eagles and peregrine falcons. Loggerhead sea turtles sometimes nest on our shores. Seals may stop to rest. We protect all these species while launching rockets and unmanned aerial systems (UASs) or drones above them.
For the other half of my job, I can be analyzing the environmental impacts of a rocket launched from a balloon over Hawaii ranging to that of replacing a bridge or building a new rocket launch pad at Wallops, all in the same day. Environmental impacts may include noise levels; socioeconomic effects in the community; and changes, positive or negative, to air, water, or other natural resources. Environmental planning allows the public to comment on proposed federal projects including infrastructure and mission.
Shari Miller, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) manager and natural resources manager at Wallops Flight Facility, helps balance mission needs while also protecting Wallops’ diverse local ecosystem. u0022We have endangered species including nesting shorebirds called the piping plover and red knots, and protected species, including bald eagles and peregrine falcons. Loggerhead sea turtles sometimes nest on our shores. Seals may stop to rest.u0022NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility / Shari Miller What is the coolest thing you have done at work?
In 2015, I worked on a NASA mission called the Low Density Supersonic Decelerator (LDSD) project in Hawaii. A sounding rocket launched from a balloon was used to test a decelerator and parachute for landing rovers on Mars. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab in Southern California designed the decelerator and parachute. Wallops designed the balloon and sounding rocket system and performed the launch. The Navy’s Pacific Missile Range Facility provided the launch range in Hawaii. Both the balloon and the decelerator systems had the potential to land in a National Marine Monument, a highly protected area. I worked with the Hawaiian governor’s office, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service on obtaining the necessary permits.
I loved the challenge of working with so many entities. I planned all the permits and analyses to ensure that the mission could proceed.
Do you like to plan in advance?
The point of early planning is to “know before you go” to allow time to make any necessary changes. I am a planner, at work and in life. I start planning early. How are you going to know where you are going and get plane tickets unless someone does some advance planning?
Who inspires you?
My parents inspire me. My father passed away, but he taught me to appreciate a thunderstorm. My mom is in her mid-seventies and retired, but she never sits still. She is one of the most on-the-go people I know. If she is not walking her dogs in the woods, she is either at a card game, a college class, or on a lunch date with friends. Her energy and love of learning and reading and her excitement to share what she has learned, inspires me. I am a data-driven, scientific person. She gave me my love of nature, science, data, and learning.
u0022I can be analyzing the environmental impacts of a rocket launched from a balloon over Hawaii ranging to that of replacing a bridge or building a new rocket launch pad at Wallops, all in the same day,u0022 Wallops Flight Facility resources manager Shari Miller describes her job. u0022Environmental impacts may include noise levels; socioeconomic effects in the community; and changes, positive or negative, to air, water, or other natural resources.u0022NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility / Shari Miller As a nature lover and environmentalist, what is your favorite place in the world and why?
I love hiking with my two dogs in the woods and to our local creeks and lakes.
I love to travel. I’ve been fortunate to have traveled a lot, including to Japan and Thailand. The top of my traveling wish list is New Zealand.
How does being in nature ground you?
I am a high-energy person. Being in nature allows me to slow down and breathe; to listen to the stillness, the wind and birdsong. Just to listen to the quiet. All this grounds and calms me, it is almost meditative. It is also energizing and recharges my battery.
What is your “six-word memoir”? A six-word memoir describes something in just six words.
Nature-lover balancing the environment and missions.
By Elizabeth M. Jarrell
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
Conversations With Goddard is a collection of Q&A profiles highlighting the breadth and depth of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center’s talented and diverse workforce. The Conversations have been published twice a month on average since May 2011. Read past editions on Goddard’s “Our People” webpage.
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Last Updated Feb 10, 2025 Related Terms
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NASA Astronauts Thomas P. Stafford (left), and Walter M. Schirra Jr., pose for the camera during suiting up exercises on Oct. 22, 1965. Stafford was selected among the second group of astronauts in September 1962 by NASA to participate in Projects Gemini and Apollo. In December 1965, he piloted Gemini VI, which made the first rendezvous in space with Gemini VII, and helped develop techniques to prove the basic theory and practicality of space rendezvous.
In June 1966, Stafford commanded the Gemini IX mission and performed a demonstration of an early rendezvous that would be used in the Apollo lunar missions, the first optical rendezvous, and a lunar orbit abort rendezvous. He was also commander of Apollo 10 in May 1969; he descended to nine miles above the Moon, performing the entire lunar landing mission except the actual landing. He logged his fourth spaceflight as Apollo commander of the Apollo-Soyuz mission in July 1975, which culminated in the historic first meeting in space between American astronauts and Soviet cosmonauts.
Learn more about Stafford and the missions he participated in.
Image Credit: NASA
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