Curiosity Blog, Sols 5050-5055: It’s Nazca, Our 49th Drill Hole

Executive Briefing

According to reporting by NASA Space & Missions, Written by Susanne P. Schwenzer, Professor of Planetary Mineralogy at The Open University, UK Earth planning date: Friday, Oct. 23, 2026 As regular readers of this blog will know, we returned to the area where we found disc shaped inclusions in the rocks.

Detailed Factual Report

Written by Susanne P. Schwenzer, Professor of Planetary Mineralogy at The Open University, UK

As regular readers of this blog will know, we returned to the area where we found disc shaped inclusions in the rocks, which we interpreted as potential crystals. If they are indeed crystals, and we compare them to Earth, they could be very interesting indicators of the environmental conditions. Hence, the excitement in the team is high that we found a good block to drill. Good means first and foremost that it contains abundant potential crystals, but of course there is more before we drill. We passed the rover’s stability test, as all wheels have to be on solid ground before we extend the arm. Then we passed the preload test, which tests the stability of the rock and the forces the arm experiences when the drill bit presses into the rock.

With all those tests passed, we successfully drilled our 49th drill hole, called “Nazca.”

The drill campaign comes with many investigations before and after the drilling itself. Before the drill, we investigated the block with APXS, MAHLI and ChemCam – all on the target Nazca. After drilling, the sample was dropped off to CheMin, with the results still making their way from Mars to Earth. They are eagerly anticipated to reach us over the coming weekend. ChemCam obtained both passive spectral and active LIBS of the tailings and a LIBS measurement down the drill hole wall.

Verified Data Points & Key Takeaways

Geographic Scope & Community Impact

Recommended Action & Safety Guidelines

Source & Verification Provenance

Information in this article was compiled directly from records provided by NASA Space & Missions. Access the primary source document at: https://science.nasa.gov/blog/curiosity-blog-sols-5050-5055-its-nazca-our-49th-drill-hole/. Reporting and editorial review conducted by the USA NOW News Desk.