A newly released series of images captures an unusual moment for NASA's Curiosity rover on Mars after a rock became stuck to the drill at the end of the rover's robotic arm. Engineers eventually freed the rock by moving the arm and repeatedly operating the drill over several days.
The full sequence was recorded by Curiosity's black and white hazard cameras mounted on the front of the rover, along with navigation cameras located on its mast, or head.
Rare Drill Mishap on Mars
On April 25, 2026, Curiosity drilled into a rock known as "Atacama" to collect a sample. The rock is estimated to measure about 1.5 feet across at its base, about 6 inches thick, and weighs around 28.6 pounds (13 kilograms).
As the rover pulled its arm back after drilling, the entire rock unexpectedly lifted out of the Martian surface. The rock remained attached to the fixed sleeve surrounding the spinning drill bit.
