Photos: Curiosity Rover's First Drive on Mars

End of Curiosity's Extended Arm

This image from NASA's Curiosity shows the turret of tools at the end of the rover's extended robotic arm on Aug. 20, 2012. The Navigation Camera captured this view.

Part of Curiosity's Outstretched Arm

This image from NASA's Curiosity shows the elbow joint of the rover's extended robotic arm on Aug. 20, 2012. The Navigation Camera captured this view.

Curiosity Rover Panorama Including Mount Sharp Heights

With the addition of four high-resolution Navigation Camera, or Navcam, images, taken on Aug. 18, 2012 (Sol 12), Curiosity's 360-degree landing-site panorama now includes the highest point on Mount Sharp visible from the rover.

Landing Traces

This mosaic image shows part of the left side of NASA's Curiosity rover and two blast marks from the descent stage's rocket engines. The images that were used to make the mosaic were obtained by the rover's Navigation cameras on Aug. 7, 2012 PDT (Aug. 8 EDT).

Sample Weather Report

This screen grab shows a sample of the kinds of Mars weather reports we will be getting from NASA's Curiosity rover. It is taken from the website http://cab.inta-csic.es/rems/marsweather.html, which will use data from Curiosity's Rover Environmental Monitoring Station.

"Coronation" Rock on Mars

This mosaic image with a close-up inset, taken prior to the test, shows the rock chosen as the first target for NASA's Curiosity rover to zap with its Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) instrument. ChemCam fired its laser at the fist-sized rock, called "Coronation" (previously “N165”), with the purpose of analyzing the glowing, ionized gas, called plasma, that the laser excites. Image released August 19, 2012.

First Laser-Tested Rock on Mars

This composite image, with magnified insets, depicts the first laser test by the Chemistry and Camera, or ChemCam, instrument aboard NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover. The test took place on August 19, 2012.

Curiosity's 360-Degree View

This 360-degree image shows a complete, full-resolution panorama around NASA's Curiosity rover, taken by the Navigation cameras. The pointy rim of Gale Crater can be seen as a lighter strip along the top right of the image. The base of Mount Sharp can be seen along the top left. This mosaic is made of 26 images, 1,024 by 1,024 pixels, taken late at night on Aug. 7, 2012 PDT (early morning Aug. 8 EDT).

More Photos:

1st Photos of Mars by Curiosity Rover (Gallery)

http://www.space.com/16987-mars-rover-curiosity-photos-week-2.html