For the previous month, NASA’s Curiosity rover has been shadowing Gediz Vallis, a channel that scientists suppose often is the fossil of an historic Martian river. Final week, Curiosity reached the north facet of Pinnacle Ridge, a part of a rock wall that looms over Gediz Vallis. Actually, after Curiosity navigated bumpy floor to do this, it discovered that the ridge’s south facet is navigable.That left Curiosity’s overseers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California with a alternative: Ought to they carry on their deliberate course, persevering with to drive alongside Gediz Vallis till they attain a degree the place the rover can cross it? Or ought to they take a diversion to discover Pinnacle Ridge’s south facet?Associated: Curiosity Mars rover: The final word guideIf Curiosity stayed on Pinnacle Ridge, it may give its overseers a deep look into the ridge’s rocks. These rocks could have as soon as been touched by working water and bear traces of that previous. Alternatively, the rocks on Pinnacle Ridge’s south facet would possibly inform them little that they hadn’t already noticed by wanting on the ridge’s north facet.In the meantime, shifting alongside Gediz Vallis may allow them to discover different elements of Mars. However departing Pinnacle Ridge would possibly imply forsaking a — very actually — once-in-a-lifetime alternative to study historic Martian working water.So deliberated roughly two dozen mission scientists — realizing that they had solely hours to determine on Curiosity’s path. “We talked rather a lot about how the rocks we may see from our present location in contrast with the rocks we already investigated on the north facet,” Abigail Fraeman, planetary geologist at JPL, stated in a weblog put up.Breaking house information, the newest updates on rocket launches, skywatching occasions and extra!Finally, the scientists determined to maneuver alongside, persevering with on the Gediz Vallis path. First, Curiosity’s devices will take some chemical measurements of the rocks instantly beneath the rover’s wheels. Then, the rover will probably be on its means.”I actually love operations days like at the moment. We got here on this morning with a very new Martian vista to admire, after which we needed to work collectively as a workforce to make a fast resolution about what to do subsequent,” Fraeman stated.