NASA’s Curiosity Rover Set to Target Spiderweb-Like 'Boxworks Deposits' on Mars' Surface

Curiosity rover will study boxwork features on Mars, looking for water clues and life potential.

Written by Gadgets 360 Staff | Updated: 30 November 2024 19:37 IST

NASA’s Curiosity Rover Set to Target Spiderweb-Like 'Boxworks Deposits' on Mars' Surface

Photo Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona

NASA's Curiosity rover will soon explore a patch of spiderweb-like "boxwork" features on Mars

Highlights

Curiosity rover heads to Mars' "spiderweb" formations for study
New target will reveal clues about Mars' ancient water history
Curiosity’s mission extends with the exploration of Martian boxwork

NASA's Curiosity rover is gearing up for a fresh phase of exploration on Mars, targeting a striking patch of surface features resembling spiderwebs. These structures, referred to as "boxwork deposits," extend over an area of 10 to 20 kilometres and are believed to hold clues about the Red Planet's ancient water systems, according to reports from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). The investigation is expected to offer critical insights into Mars' potential to have supported life in its distant past.

Insights from Boxwork Features

The rover recently concluded its exploration of Gediz Vallis, a channel on Mount Sharp's slopes within Gale Crater, where it spent the last year. The JPL revealed that the region provided significant findings, including the discovery of pure sulphur crystals and wave-like rock formations, suggesting an ancient lake once existed there. A 360-degree panoramic image taken by the rover marked the completion of this leg of the mission.

Boxwork formations, according to a Live Science report, form when mineral-rich water fills rock crevices, hardens, and later erodes. Kirsten Siebach, a Curiosity mission scientist at Rice University, explained in the JPL statement that these formations "include minerals that crystallized underground, where salty liquid water once flowed." It was highlighted that such conditions may have supported microbial life on early Earth, making this exploration a key step in studying Mars' history.

[Sponsored] Samsung Galaxy S24: The Ultimate Camera Phone With Smarter On-Device AI

On Earth, similar features are observed in caves, including those in Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota. However, Martian boxwork structures are significantly larger, stretching for miles, and were shaped by ancient mineral-rich lakes and oceans instead of groundwater seepage, reports suggest.

Mission Timeline

Curiosity, which landed on Mars in 2012, has travelled over 33 kilometres and outlived its initial mission timeline by a decade. Its exploration of the boxwork region is set to begin in early 2025, with researchers aiming to uncover evidence of Mars' watery past and assess the planet's potential for having harboured life.

Comments

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.