NASA’s Curiosity rover is scaling a three-mile-tall mountain to unlock Martian history

Space · Published 15 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: After a dramatic seven-minute descent into Gale Crater, the Curiosity rover has spent years climbing Mount Sharp. Now, it is approaching mysterious, wind-carved cliffs known as yardangs. These geological formations may hold the secrets to ancient volcanic activity and the long-lost water systems that once shaped the Red Planet.

The Mars Science Laboratory mission began with a high-stakes landing, often described as seven minutes of terror, which placed the Curiosity rover safely inside Gale Crater. While the mission was initially scheduled for two years to investigate the potential for past microbial life, it has far exceeded these expectations. Since 2014, the rover has been steadily ascending Mount Sharp, a massive mountain standing 3 miles, or 5 kilometers, tall. By 2026, the rover had achieved a record-breaking climb of 0.6 miles, or 1 kilometer, in elevation.

Mount Sharp acts as a geological archive, with its distinct layers documenting different eras of Martian history. Scientists have used these layers to identify evidence of ancient lakes and streams that once covered the region. As the water evaporated billions of years ago, it left behind salty minerals. The current focus of the mission is a layer of yardangs—crags that appear strangely tilted and plastered onto the mountain’s surface. Ashwin Vasavada, the project scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, notes that these features are visually distinct from the surrounding terrain, leading to theories that they might consist of ash from ancient volcanic eruptions.

The rover is currently in the second year of its fifth extended mission. Scientists are guiding Curiosity toward the base of the yardang layer, a goal they hope to reach sometime in 2027. Once there, the rover will deploy its robotic arm to collect unique data, potentially solving the mystery of how these cliffs were formed. Throughout this journey, the rover continues to traverse areas rich in sulfates and carbonates, which serve as further indicators of the planet's ancient, drying climate. This ongoing exploration remains a cornerstone of NASA’s effort to understand the history of our solar system.

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