So what's Curiosity been up to lately? Plenty (pictures)

Check out the latest images beamed back from the Red Planet as the rover gets ready to set out on its Martian journey.

Since its arrival on Mars a month ago, the Curiosity rover has driven 357 feet from its landing site. NASA engineers have been putting the craft through a series of checkout tests in advance of a longer planned journey. Meanwhile, the rover has sent back a series of extraordinary pictures of the area. This image of the camera on the rover's arm was taken by the left eye of the Mast Camera.

Tracks photographed during the rover's first checkouts on Mars.

The rover was lowered to Mars by a sky crane which later fell to the surface. The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter took this image of the resulting collision.

NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter sent back images of Curiosity's first drives on Mars.

A view of the parachute and back shell that helped deliver NASA's Curiosity rover to Mars. The darker section of the image was caused by the dust accompanying the landing.

Map points out the route followed by the rover to date.

A 3-D view from the rover's landing site. You can make out rover's eventual target: Mount Sharp between the rover on the right, and its shadow on the left.

The rover is heading toward a region where orbital photographs indicate the presence of three different rock types. This image was taken after the Curiosity drove about 70 feet on Aug. 30, 2012.

Another image taken of the Martian landscape surrounding the rover.

Closeup image of Martian soil clinging to the rover's rear wheels.

Zigzag track marks leave a repeating pattern and an important reference point the rover can use to drive more precisely.

An engineering look at the rover's robotic arm.

The arm on NASA's Curiosity's rover in its "ready- for-action" position, as well as the position it assumes to drop off samples.