Sol 168 Update on Curiosity from USGS Scientist Ken Herkenhoff: Ninth Anniversary

Today is the 9th anniversary of Opportunity’s landing on Mars. Her twin Mars Exploration Rover, Spirit, sent her last transmission to Earth in 2010, after over 6 years of successful operation on the surface of Mars. Not bad, considering the nominal mission lifetime of the MER rovers was 90 days. If MSL exceeds its one-Mars-year lifetime by a similar factor, it will outlive me! Speaking of MSL, the first nighttime MAHLI images are available . Images were taken with the white-light LEDs as well as ultraviolet LEDs. The latter are used to look for fluorescent minerals. As shown here , the MAHLI calibration target includes a fluorescent swatch that confirms that the UV LEDs are working. Fluorescence of the Martian surface is not obvious, but analysis continues…