CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <head> <title>Malin Space Science Systems - Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Mast Camera (Mastcam)</title> <meta name="description" content="" /> <meta name="keywords" content="" /> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" /> <meta name="distribution" content="global" /> <link rel="shortcut icon" href="/favicon.ico" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/css/style.css" /> <script type="text/javascript" src="/js/functions.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.10.2/jquery.min.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/js/jquery.legit-1.3.2.js"></script> </head> <body> <div id="container"> <div id="container_inner"> <ul id="nav"> <li class="first"><a href="http://www.msss.com/">Home</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.msss.com/space-cameras/">Cameras</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.msss.com/operations/">Operations</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.msss.com/science/">Science</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.msss.com/science-images/">Images</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.msss.com/news/">News</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.msss.com/about-us/">About Us</a></li> </ul> <div id="content_box"> <div id="content_box_top"> <div id="content"> <h1>Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Mast Camera (Mastcam)</h1> <center> <p><a href="/images/science/mastcat30big_cb.jpg"><img alt="The Mast Camera 34 mm fixed focal length flight camera head." src="/images/science/mastcat30sm_cb.jpg" style="width: 300px; height: 199px; " /></a>     <a href="/images/science/mastcam100_cb.jpg"><img alt="The Mast Camera 100 mm fixed focal length flight camera head." src="/images/science/mastcam100_sm_cb.jpg" style="width: 300px; height: 199px; " /></a></p> </center> <p>The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Mast Camera (Mastcam) system obtains color, multispectral color, stereo, and high-definition video views of the terrain explored by the Curiosity rover. At the left is the Mastcam 34 mm fixed focal length camera head; at the right is the Mastcam 100 mm fixed focal length camera head. In 2010, MSSS also developed a pair of Mastcams with zoom lens capabilities, but <a href="http://www.msss.com/news/index.php?id=22">NASA halted work on these cameras in March 2011</a>. The work done on the zoom lens design for MSL was put to use in the development of the Mastcam-Z camera system for the Perseverance rover.</p> <center> <h5> </h5> <table align="center" border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="width: 660px; "> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center; "> <p><em>Launch: </em></p> <p>26 November 2011</p> </td> <td style="text-align: center; "> <p><em>Landing: </em></p> <p>5 August 2012</p> </td> <td style="text-align: center; "> <p><em>Camera Status:</em></p> <p>Fully Operational, Aboard Curiosity Rover on the Surface of Mars</p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p> </p> <p> </p> </center> <center> <p><img alt="" height="55" src="/images/operations/MSLMCAM/jpegPIA22210.jpeg" width="700" /></p> <p style="text-align: left;">Mastcam has the capability to capture stunning mosaics of the Martian landscape. This mosaic combines 16 left-eye wide-angle lens images of Vera Rubin Ridge.<br /> Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS</p> <p> </p> <p style="text-align: left;"><img alt="" height="161" src="/images/operations/MSLMCAM/NaukluftPlateau.jpeg" width="700" /></p> <p style="text-align: left;">This 360-degree mosaic of the Naukluft Plateau area on lower Mount Sharp shows finely layered sandstones, and the shadow of the rover.<br /> Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS</p> <p style="text-align: left;"> </p> <p style="text-align: left;"><img alt="" height="206" src="/images/operations/MSLMCAM/GlenTorridon.jpg" width="700" />This 360-degree stereo mosaic of the “Glen Torridon” region was imaged in November of 2019 over the Thanksgiving holiday.  Composed of over a thousand individual images, the panorama contains 1.8 billion pixels.<br /> Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS</p> <p style="text-align: left;"> </p> <p style="text-align: left;"><img alt="" height="624" src="/images/operations/MSLMCAM/DuluthDrillHole.jpeg" width="700" />Like the MAHLI instrument, Mastcam often images the tailings and corresponding holes created by drill activities. This image shows the drill target “Duluth” which was the first successful drill campaign after a mechanical issue took the drill offline for nearly two years.<br /> Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS</p> <p style="text-align: left;"> </p> <p style="text-align: left;"><img alt="" height="525" src="/images/operations/MSLMCAM/DrillNInletCover.jpeg" width="700" />Mastcam is also used to check hardware on the Curiosity Rover. This image shows the drill and inlet cover.<br /> Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS</p> <p style="text-align: left;"> </p> <p style="text-align: left;"><img alt="" height="468" src="/images/operations/MSLMCAM/MCAMworkspace.jpeg" width="700" />Close up mosaics of the “workspace” (the area in front of the rover that can be reached by the arm) and nearby areas are another valuable science product that Mastcam acquires. This image shows knobby textured sandstone on Mount Sharp.<br /> Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS</p> <p style="text-align: left;"> </p> <center> <p><strong><a href="http://www.msss.com/science/msl-mastcam-news-and-events.php">News and Events</a></strong></p> </center> <center> <p><strong><a href="http://www.msss.com/science/msl-mastcam-pre-launch-images.php">Pre-Launch Images</a></strong></p> <p><a href="https://www.msss.com/science/msl-mastcam-science-objectives.php"><strong>Science Objectives</strong></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.msss.com/science/msl-mastcam-instrument-description.php"><strong>Instrument Description</strong></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.msss.com/science/msl-mmm-science-team.php"><strong>Science Team</strong></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.msss.com/science/msl-mastcam-publications.php"><strong>Reference Material</strong></a></p> <p> </p> </center> </center> <center> <table align="center" border="1" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td> <p><a href="https://mars.nasa.gov/" target="_blank">NASA/JPL Mars Exploration Home Page</a></p> </td> <td><a href="http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/" target="_blank">NASA/JPL Mars Science Laboratory Home Page</a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p> </p> </center> </div> <div id="left_content"> <div id="subnav"> <ul> <li class="first"><a href="http://www.msss.com/all_projects/">All MSSS Projects</a></li> <li><a href="https://dragonfly.jhuapl.edu" target="_blank">DragonCam</a></li> <li><a href="https://ssed.gsfc.nasa.gov/davinci/" target="_blank">DAVINCI+ VenDI & VISOR</a></li> <li><a href="https://psyche.asu.edu" target="_blank">Psyche Multispectral Imager</a></li> <li><a href="http://shadowcam.sese.asu.edu">KPLO Shadowcam</a></li> <li><a href="http://lucy.swri.edu" target="_blank">Lucy TTCam</a></li> <li><a href="https://mastcamz.asu.edu/" target="_blank">Mars2020 Mastcam-Z</a></li> <li><a href="https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/spacecraft/instruments/sherloc/" target="_blank">Mars2020 SHERLOC-ACI & Watson</a></li> <li><a href="https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/" target="_blank">Mars2020 LCAM</a></li> <li><a href="https://nexis.gsfc.nasa.gov/osam-1.html" target="_blank">OSAM-1 VSS</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.asteroidmission.org/objectives/instruments/" target="_blank">OSIRIS-REx TAGCAMS</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.msss.com/all_projects/exomars-magie.php">ExoMars MAGIE</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.msss.com/all_projects/junocam.php">Junocam</a></li> <li class="active"><a href="http://www.msss.com/all_projects/msl-mastcam.php">MSL Mastcam</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.msss.com/all_projects/msl-mahli.php">MSL MAHLI</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.msss.com/all_projects/msl-mardi.php">MSL MARDI</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.msss.com/all_projects/mmm-dea.php">MSL MMM DEA</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.msss.com/all_projects/camera-monitoring-assembly-cma-.php">CMA</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.msss.com/all_projects/lro-camera.php">LRO Cameras (LROC)</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.msss.com/all_projects/mro-marci.php">MRO MARCI</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.msss.com/all_projects/mro-ctx.php">MRO CTX</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.msss.com/all_projects/phoenix-mardi.php">Phoenix MARDI</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.msss.com/all_projects/msss-mars-rover.php">MSSS Mars Rover Tests</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.msss.com/all_projects/cosmos-1.php">Cosmos-1 TPS Camera</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.msss.com/all_projects/mars-exploration-rovers.php">Mars Exploration Rovers</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.msss.com/all_projects/mars-odyssey-themis.php">Mars Odyssey THEMIS</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.msss.com/all_projects/mars-surveyor-2001-mardi.php">Mars Surveyor 2001 MARDI</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.msss.com/all_projects/mgs-mars-orbiter-camera.php">MGS Mars Orbiter Camera</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.msss.com/all_projects/mgs-tes.php">MGS TES</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.msss.com/all_projects/mars-polar-lander-mardi.php">Mars Polar Lander MARDI</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.msss.com/all_projects/mars-climate-orbiter-marci.php">Mars Climate Orbiter MARCI</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.msss.com/all_projects/near-imaging-team.php">NEAR Imaging Team</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.msss.com/all_projects/clementine.php">Clementine Moon Images</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.msss.com/all_projects/mars-pathfinder.php">Mars Pathfinder</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.msss.com/all_projects/mars-96.php">Mars '96 Science Team</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.msss.com/all_projects/mars-observer-moc.php">Mars Observer MOC</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.msss.com/all_projects/magellan.php">MSSS Venus Research</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.msss.com/all_projects/small-bodies-research.php">Small Bodies Research</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.msss.com/all_projects/msss-earth-research.php">MSSS Earth Research</a></li> </ul> </div> <div id="banners"> <a href="http://www.msss.com/science-images/"><img src="/images/banner_space_images.jpg" width="189" height="50" alt=""/></a><br/> <a href="http://www.msss.com/msss_images/latest_weather.html" target="_blank"><img src="/images/banner_latest_mars_weather.jpg" width="189" height="50" alt=""/></a><br/> <a href="http://www.msss.com/request-info/"><img src="/images/banner_request_information.jpg" width="189" height="50" alt=""/></a> </div> </div> <br class="cb"/>  </div> </div> <div id="copyright"> © Copyright 2025 Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego, Ca | All Rights Reserved. </div> <div id="logo"><a href="http://www.msss.com/"><img src="/images/msss_logo.gif" width="477" height="108" alt=""/></a></div> </div> </div> <script type="text/javascript"> var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www."); document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E")); </script> <script type="text/javascript"> try { var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-15494133-1"); pageTracker._trackPageview(); } catch(err) {}</script> </body> </html>