may i offer you a crumb of nostalgia? or a refreshing sip of vinegar?

some friends & i ended up talking about animorphs a while ago. at some point in the conversation i was explaining andalites to my partner who never read the books, stopped & went ".........you know what i'm gonna do?" to which people responded with "make an andalite bjd?" and yes. they were absolutely correct.

In Gale Crater, just south of Mars' equator, we're drawing towards the end of summer and the end of Mars Year 38. But Curiosity is climbing on, heading higher and higher up Mt. Sharp. As always, you can catch up on our goings-on at the mission blog or check out the latest images fresh from Mars.

Last year, we left our long-time travel companion Gediz Vallis behind and rolled into a new valley, which we're now calling Valle Grande. I think when I posted last landiversary we'd just made it to the boxwork area with its Curiosity-sized wide ridges surrounding sandy hollows that you can see below (or full size here).

We stuck around the boxwork for a while, while the geologists did plenty of imaging and sampling. In April, we got back on the road and have been driving through different bands of material, lots of tiny polygons, and heading, ultimately, for the yardangs at the top of the valley.

"Simple, modest, honest... He didn't like lofty words, didn't boast about his lofty feelings. And there's a certain logic to his being among the first to conquer space. He launched into space twice. The first time, as commander of the first-ever multi-seat spacecraft, Voskhod. Then, he led a scientific expedition, becoming the leader of a small team that pioneered research not in Earth laboratories, but in space.

The second time, to test the new Soyuz spacecraft. He died. Died returning from a mission. Died at the very threshold of the blue planet. On the day it happened, his fellow cosmonauts swore an oath of allegiance to the cause they serve, an oath of allegiance to his memory. Here are their words:

"He went into immortality, dying as a soldier at a space post. He wanted to win the battle with space, which which he had already conquered once. And he had done it. He was already on his way back. When suddenly...

Volodya Komarov is no longer among us. This is a heavy, irreparable loss. A part of our soul, a part of our love, a part of our common cause has disappeared. For all of us, he was not just an older comrade, a colleague, but also the most sensitive and kind friend, a brother like us, a leading communist fighter of our cosmonaut detachment, Comrade Komarov.

This is how he will remain in our hearts forever. It is always harder for pioneers. They go through

Uncharted roads. And these roads aren't straight; they're full of sharp turns, surprises, and dangers. But once you've set foot in space, you'll never want to leave. And no difficulties or obstacles can turn you from your chosen path. As long as your heart beats, the astronaut will always storm the universe.

Volodya Komarov was one of the first on this thorny path. He walked it fearlessly, with his characteristic courage and unwavering willpower, blazing new cosmic trails. And when the opportunity presented itself to once again undertake a challenging test flight, he, as before, stepped up to the challenge without fear or hesitation.

Volodya did everything possible to fully implement the scientific research program and complete the test. As befits a communist fighter, he honorably fulfilled his country's mission.

We knew Volodya Komarov very well. We lived next door to him for several years, in the same close-knit cosmonaut family. We envied, in a good way, the breadth and versatility of his nature. Volodya proved himself a tireless worker and an active community member in everything he did.

About the wonderful spiritual qualities of Vladimir Komarov

There's a lot to be said about Volodya. He was an exceptionally modest, pleasant, responsive person, always ready to help. He helped each of us in our studies, training, and everyday life. His knowledge and experience were open to everyone with whom he worked and studied. Volodya was and will remain for us a Man with a capital M, an example of impeccable and honest fulfillment of his official and party duties.

He passionately loved life in all its wonderful manifestations. And not only did he love it, but he did everything he could to make it even more beautiful.

It's a profound shame that this wonderful man left us prematurely. He didn't have time to do much for his homeland, to which he was so selflessly devoted. His courage and heroism will always serve as an example for us cosmonauts. Vladimir Komarov's feat will endure for centuries. We will continue the work to which he dedicated his most beautiful life. We will spare no effort to blaze new trails in the boundless stellar worlds."

The oath was signed by all those who had already been in space before that sad day: USSR cosmonauts Yu. Gagarin, V. Nikolaeva-Tereshkova, G. Titov, A. Nikolaev, P. Popovich, V. Bykovsky, K. Feoktistov, B. Egorov, P. Belyaev, A. Leonov.