NASA has shown off the first high-resolution, colour portrait images taken by the Mars rover, Curiosity. <\/p>\n
They detail a mound of layered rock where scientists plan to focus their search for the chemical ingredients of life on the Red Planet. <\/p>\n
The stunning images reveal distinct tiers near the base of the 5km-high mountain that rises from the floor of the ancient impact basin known as Gale Crater. <\/p>\n
Curiosity landed there on 6 August to begin its two-year mission. <\/p>\n
Scientists estimate it will be a year before the six-wheeled, nuclear-powered rover physically reaches the layers of interest at the foot of the mountain 10km away from the landing site. <\/p>\n
From earlier orbital imagery, the layers appear to contain clays and other hydrated minerals that form in the presence of water. <\/p>\n
Previous missions to Mars have uncovered strong evidence for vast amounts of water flowing over its surface in the past. <\/p>\n
Curiosity was dispatched to hunt for organic materials and other chemistry thought necessary for microbial life. <\/p>\n
The $2.5bn project is the first to bring all the tools of a state-of-the-art geochemistry laboratory to the surface of a distant planet. <\/p>\n
But the latest images from Curiosity, taken at a distance from its primary target of exploration, already have given scientists a new view of the formation's structure. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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NASA shows off first colour images from Mars<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" NASA has shown off the first high-resolution, colour portrait images taken by the Mars rover, Curiosity. They detail a mound of layered rock where scientists plan to focus their search for the chemical ingredients of life on the Red Planet. Continue reading