![A day after NASA's Mars rover Curiosity drilled the first sample-collection hole into a rock on Mars, the rover's Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) instrument shot laser pulses into the fresh rock powder that the drilling generated.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130217160241im_/http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/images/pia16765-Fig1_RMI_Sol183-annotated-thm.jpg) Laser Hits on Martian Drill Tailings (Annotated) |
![A day after NASA's Mars rover Curiosity drilled the first sample-collection hole into a rock on Mars, the rover's Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) instrument shot laser pulses into the fresh rock powder that the drilling generated.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130217160241im_/http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/images/pia16765_RMI_Sol183-thm.jpg) Laser Hits on Martian Drill Tailings |
![A shiny-looking Martian rock is visible in this image taken by NASA's Mars rover Curiosity's Mast Camera (Mastcam) during the mission's 173rd Martian day, or sol (Jan. 30, 2013).](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130217160241im_/http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/images/0173MR0926020000E1_DXXX-thm.jpg) Shiny-Looking Martian Rock |
![An animated set of three images from NASA's Curiosity rover shows the rover's drill in action on Feb. 8, 2013, or Sol 182, Curiosity's 182nd Martian day of operations.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130217160241im_/http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/images/pia16728-thm.gif) Ready, Set, Drill |
![NASA's Mars rover Curiosity used its Mast Camera (Mastcam) to take the images combined into this mosaic of the drill area, called "John Klein."](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130217160241im_/http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/images/pia16686raw-thm.jpg) Investigating Curiosity's Drill Area (Raw-Colored) |
![NASA's Mars rover Curiosity used its Mast Camera (Mastcam) to take the images combined into this mosaic of the drill area, called "John Klein."](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130217160241im_/http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/images/pia16686whitebalanced-thm.jpg) Investigating Curiosity's Drill Area (White-balanced) |
![NASA's Mars rover Curiosity used its Mast Camera (Mastcam) to take the images combined into this mosaic of the drill area, called "John Klein."](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130217160241im_/http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/images/pia16686-thm.jpg) Investigating Curiosity's Drill Area |
![At the center of this image from NASA's Curiosity rover is the hole in a rock called "John Klein" where the rover conducted its first sample drilling on Mars.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130217160241im_/http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/images/pia16726-thm.jpg) Curiosity's First Sample Drilling |
![NASA's MAVEN spacecraft recently completed assembly and has started environmental testing.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130217160241im_/http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/images/MAVEN-solar_panel-thm.jpg) MAVEN Solar Panel |
![This rectangular version of a self-portrait of NASA's Mars rover Curiosity combines dozens of exposures taken by the rover's Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) during the 177th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity's work on Mars (Feb. 3, 2013).](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130217160241im_/http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/images/PIA16764_selfie2ndfincrop-thm.jpg) Curiosity Rover's Self Portrait at 'John Klein' Drilling Site, Cropped |
![This self-portrait of NASA's Mars rover Curiosity combines 66 exposures taken by the rover's Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) during the 177th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity's work on Mars (Feb. 3, 2013).](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130217160241im_/http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/images/PIA16763_selfie2ndfin-thm.jpg) Curiosity Rover's Self Portrait at 'John Klein' Drilling Site |
![A blink pair of images taken before and after Curiosity performed a "mini drill" test on a Martian rock shows changes resulting from that activity.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130217160241im_/http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/images/PIA16762-thm.gif) Before-and-After Blink of Curiosity 'Mini Drill' into Mars Rock |
![After an activity called the "mini drill test" by NASA's Mars rover Curiosity, the rover's Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) camera recorded this close-up view of the results during the 180th Martian day, or sol, of the rover's work on Mars (Feb. 6, 2013).](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130217160241im_/http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/images/pia16761_MAHLI-Sol180-mini-drill-5cm-thm.jpg) Close-Up After Preparatory Test of Drilling on Mars |
![In an activity called the "mini drill test," NASA's Mars rover Curiosity used its drill to generate this ring of powdered rock for inspection in advance of the rover's first full drilling.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130217160241im_/http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/images/PIA16760_MAHLI-Sol180-mini-drill-thm.jpg) Preparatory Test of Drilling on Mars Generates Rock Powder |
![This head-on view shows the tip of the drill bit on NASA's Mars rover Curiosity.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130217160241im_/http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/images/PIA16719_Sol172RMI-drillbit-tip-thm.jpg) Drill Bit Tip on Mars Rover Curiosity, Head-on View |
![The shape of the tip of the bit in the drill of NASA's Mars rover Curiosity is apparent in this view recorded by the remote micro-imager in the rover's Chemistry and Camera instrument during the 172nd Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity's work on Mars (Jan. 29, 2012).](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130217160241im_/http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/images/PIA16718_Sol172-RMI-drillbit-side-thm.jpg) Drill Bit Tip on Mars Rover Curiosity, Side View |
![The bit in the rotary-percussion drill of NASA's Mars rover Curiosity left its mark in a target patch of rock called "John Klein" during a test on the rover's 176th Martian day, or sol (Feb. 2, 2013), in preparation for the first drilling of a rock by the rover.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130217160241im_/http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/images/pia16717_MAHLI_Sol176_Divot2_10cmStandoff1-thm.jpg) Preparatory Test for First Rock Drilling by Mars Rover Curiosity |
![The percussion drill in the turret of tools at the end of the robotic arm of NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has been positioned in contact with the rock surface in this image from the rover's front Hazard-Avoidance Camera (Hazcam).](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130217160241im_/http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/images/pia16716_sol170_FRhaz-thm.jpg) Curiosity's Drill in Place for Load Testing Before Drilling |
![This artist's sketch is loosely based on the Curiosity rover in NASA's Mars Science Laboratory mission. Mission planners would potentially leverage aspects of this rover design for a Mars mission designed to launch in 2020.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130217160241im_/http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/images/2020roverblueprint-thm.jpg) Rover Sketch, Artist's Concept |
![The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter snapped this series of false-color pictures of sand dunes in the north polar region of Mars](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130217160241im_/http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/images/pia16715_Hansen-HiRISE-thm.jpg) Seasonal Changes on Far-Northern Mars |
![This artist's concept is loosely based on the Curiosity rover in NASA's Mars Science Laboratory mission. Mission planners would potentially leverage aspects of this rover design for a Mars mission designed to launch in 2020.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130217160241im_/http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/images/Mars2020NASARover-thm.jpg) Mars Rover Artist's Concept |
![This image of a calibration target illuminated by ultraviolet LEDs (light emitting diodes) is part of the first set of nighttime images taken by the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) camera at the end of the robotic arm of NASA's Mars rover Curiosity.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130217160241im_/http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/images/PIA16714_0165_MAHLI_CalTarg_10cm_UV-thm.jpg) First Night Image of MAHLI Calibration Target Under Ultraviolet Lights |
![This image of a calibration target illuminated by white-light LEDs (light emitting diodes) is part of the first set of nighttime images taken by the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) camera at the end of the robotic arm of NASA's Mars rover Curiosity.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130217160241im_/http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/images/PIA16713_0165_MAHLI_CalTarg_10cm_White-thm.jpg) First Night Image of MAHLI Calibration Target in White Lighting |
![This image of a Martian rock illuminated by ultraviolet LEDs (light emitting diodes) is part of the first set of nighttime images taken by the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) camera at the end of the robotic arm of NASA's Mars rover Curiosity.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130217160241im_/http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/images/PIA16712_MAHLI_Sol0165_Sayunei_UV_rel-thm.jpg) MAHLI's First Night Imaging of Martian Rock Under Ultraviolet Lighting |
![This image of a Martian rock illuminated by white-light LEDs (light emitting diodes) is part of the first set of nighttime images taken by the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) camera at the end of the robotic arm of NASA's Mars rover Curiosity.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130217160241im_/http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/images/PIA16711_MAHLI_Sol0165_Sayunei_Group2_rel-thm.jpg) MAHLI's First Night Imaging of Martian Rock, White Lighting |