NASA has published an image taken by the MRO spacecraft in Martian orbit. It photographed the Curiosity rover.
Curiosity has been working on the Martian surface since 2012. During this time, it has traveled almost 35 kilometers. Its main objectives are to study Martian climate and geology, and to assess the viability of Mars at a time when it had a denser atmosphere and streams of water flowed across its surface.
Rover has repeatedly taken its own selfies. It was also photographed by spacecraft in orbit around Mars. But a new image taken by the MRO mission is special. This is the first time Curiosity has been photographed while moving rather than stationary.
The photo was taken on February 28, 2025 — on the 4666th Martian day (sol) of Curiosity’s stay on the Red Planet. The rover is captured as a dark spot, followed by a long trail. Its length is about 320 meters. Experts estimate the trail will remain visible for several months before it is erased by the wind.
The trail was formed during about 11 trips made by Curiosity beginning February 2. The rover moved from the Gediz Vallis, which it explored over the past year, to its next target: a region with box-like formations possibly created by groundwater billions of years ago. The rover had a maximum speed of 0.16 km/h.
How quickly the rover reaches the area depends on a number of factors, including how its software navigates the surface and how difficult the terrain is. On the day MRO photographed Curiosity, it covered approximately 21 meters. It can be seen that the rover’s tracks lead to the base of the steep slope. The rover has since climbed it. It is expected to reach its new scientific goal within about a month.
According to NASA
