Curiosity rover drills 48th rock sample at Mars' Cache Creek

NASA's Curiosity rover has just completed its 48th rock drilling on Mars, this time at a site named Basque Lakes in the Cache Creek quadrangle. The rover used its robotic arm and multiple instruments to closely analyze the new target’s chemistry and texture. Scientists are now waiting on X-ray analysis results from the drilled sample, hoping it might reveal new clues about how the rock formed and possibly about Mars’ historic lakes.

• Curiosity drilled at Basque Lakes site in Cache Creek area
• This is the rover's 48th rock sample on Mars
• Team used multiple instruments for close-up analysis
• Awaiting detailed X-ray diffraction results from new sample
• Cache Creek area is scientifically rich and diverse