Ready for a Close Up (or a Wide Angle)

May 19, 2019

The twin Mastcam-Z cameras, shown with a pocket knife for scale, are assembled and ready for testing in this photo taken at Malin Space Science Systems, in San Diego, California. One of two sets of "eyes" on the "head," or mast, of the rover, these cameras can take high-definition video, panoramic color and 3D images of the Martian surface. These are the first cameras sent to Mars with built-in zoom capability, able to switch from a wide angle to a close up view.