NASA's Curiosity rover defers Antofagasta crater drilling after wind-blown sand

Technology Apr 22, 2026

NASA's Curiosity rover just hit a bit of a roadblock on Mars.
The team planned to drill into the Antofagasta crater, but when Curiosity rolled up, it found the spot covered in wind-blown sand, covering the target layers with wind-blown sand and making drilling too risky.
Instead of risking getting stuck, the team decided to look for a better spot nearby.

Curiosity to examine Atacama sulfate-rich rocks

Curiosity is now heading over to the Atacama site in the boxwork region, which has some interesting sulfate-rich rocks.
The rover will use its science tools (like APXS, MAHLI, and ChemCam) to check things out before drilling.
Even with this detour, Curiosity's mission rolls on, helping us learn more about what Mars was like long ago.