NASA Curiosity Rover prepares to drill Nazca rock target on Mars

NASA’s Curiosity rover is preparing to drill into a Martian rock target named Nazca in Gale Crater, opening a new phase of geological investigation on Mars. Crystal structures resembling discs and needles have been identified on the rock, which researchers suspect originated from ancient mineral crystal growth.

After completing drilling at Basque Lakes, the Curiosity rover moved several meters to Nazca. The Mars Science Laboratory mission team confirmed the unique disc- and needle-shaped clumps on the rock, textures similar to those found on a nearby rock called Chiu Chiu that was previously deemed less than ideal for drilling. Scientists believe the relatively large crystal sizes on Nazca offer key clues about past temperatures, liquid availability, and salt content. However, researchers note that original minerals may have been replaced by other types over time through pseudomorphosis, retaining the old crystal shape with a different molecular structure.

MAHLI Builds 3D Models of Crystal Structures

Before conducting a preload test and drilling, the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) on the rover’s robotic arm captures multi-angle photos to build a high-resolution 3D relief model of the crystal structures. MAHLI acquired a close-up image on Oct. 18, 2026, Sol 5048, at 12:19:51 UTC, showing disc-shaped potential crystal forms and visible scratches from the Dust Removal Tool brush. The team also uses the ChemCam LIBS instrument to perform a depth profile on a nearby rock target named Toucan by focusing 150 laser shots on a single spot to vaporize a small portion into plasma, penetrating up to five times deeper than standard observations. Instruments including the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer and the Dust Removal Tool are deployed to map Nazca’s composition.

Nighttime Observations Measure Martian Atmosphere Particles

Alongside geological tasks, the mission team is using the seasonal transition for nighttime observations of Phobos, the planet’s largest and brightest moon, during its full phase to measure sunlight scattered by the Martian atmosphere and estimate high-altitude carbon dioxide cloud particle sizes.

Despite these preparations, the planned investigation has not yet established what the rock contains, and the scientific value of Nazca ultimately depends on what samples the rover successfully collects and measures.