NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover takes detailed images of a rock nicknamed “Atacama” after it becomes stuck to the drill at the end of the rover’s robotic arm. NASA reports that the problem occurs on April 25, when the rock remains attached to the drill following drilling activity. Over the following days, engineers work to free the sample by commanding the rover to shake, vibrate, tilt, and spin the drill, while monitoring the situation with the rover’s Mast Camera (Mastcam) and other onboard observations.
ScienceDaily describes the episode as an unexpected outcome in which the entire rock chunk pulls free from the ground and stays on the drill. Both outlets indicate the rover continues operations to address the stuck sample rather than abandoning the target. On May 6, 2026—during the mission’s 4,877th Martian day (sol)—Curiosity captures a close-up view of the “Atacama” rock with Mastcam, documenting the state of the sample and the ongoing investigation by mission teams.
