Curiosity’s Six-Day Standoff: How a 29-Pound Mars Rock Held NASA’s Rover
NASA’s Curiosity rover drilled into a large Mars rock nicknamed Atacama (about 1.5 feet wide at its base, 6 inches thick, roughly 28.6 pounds). The rock stubbornly stayed attached to the drill sleeve, delaying sampling for six days. Engineers tried vibrating the drill, reorienting the arm, and other maneuvers, and on the first attempt after the standoff the rock cracked free, letting Curiosity resume its Mars science mission with the moment captured on video.