News | NASA's Curiosity Mars Rover Climbing Toward Ridge Top
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=6946
NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has begun the steep ascent of an iron-oxide-bearing ridge
that's grabbed scientists' attention since before the car-sized rover's 2012 landing.
"Vera Rubin Ridge" stands prominently on the northwestern flank of Mount Sharp, resisting erosion better than the less-steep portions of the mountain
below and above it. The ridge, also called "Hematite Ridge," was informally named earlier this year in honor of pioneering astrophysicist Vera Rubin.
The ascent to the top of the ridge from a transition in rock-layer appearance at the bottom of it will gain about 213 feet (65 meters) of elevation --
about 20 stories. The climb requires a series of drives totaling a little more than a third of a mile (570 meters). Before starting this ascent in early
September, Curiosity had gained a total of about 980 feet (about 300 meters) in elevation in drives totaling 10.76 miles (17.32 kilometers) from its
landing site to the base of the ridge.
