NASA’s Curiosity rover has officially surpassed 5,000 sols—Martian days—of operation on the Red Planet. The milestone, reached on August 29, 2026, coincides with another significant achievement: the rover has climbed more than 1,000 meters above its original landing site on the floor of Gale Crater. This elevation gain far exceeds the 106-meter climb completed by the Spirit rover on Husband Hill in 2005.
As it continues its ascent of Mount Sharp, the rover is currently investigating a large, wind-formed sand ripple dubbed “Chocolatal.” Scientists are analyzing the feature to determine if it qualifies as a “transverse aeolian ridge” (TAR), a type of formation typically oriented perpendicular to prevailing winds. Researchers aim to understand the ridge's composition, grain size, and formation history, specifically whether it shares characteristics with TARs found at lower elevations.
To study the feature, the rover performed a series of maneuvers, including driving a wheel into the sand to create a trench. This allowed the team to use the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) to inspect the trench walls for layering and grain size variations. These specific observations have been dedicated to the memory of the late Paul Geissler, a prominent expert on Martian TARs.
Throughout the week, the rover utilized its suite of instruments, including the ChemCam Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) tool, to analyze both the ripple and surrounding light-toned bedrock. Additional mission activities included dust-devil surveys, atmospheric measurements, and high-resolution imaging of nearby geological features. The mission team continues to operate the rover as it moves into its next phase of exploration.
Source: NASA
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