Curiosity, the Mars Rover, rolls through Martian anniversary backwards
Today, NASA's Mars Curiosity Rover marks the end of its first Martian year on the planet's surface, thus successfully meeting its mandate. It hasn't been smooth rolling for the rover though; January photos revealed wheel damage that forced the vehicle to be parked for two months. Now, Earth-bound drivers are steering it in reverse....
Today, NASA's Mars Curiosity Rover marks the end of its first Martian year on the planet's surface, thus successfully meeting its mandate. It hasn't been smooth rolling for the rover though; January photos revealed wheel damage that forced the vehicle to be parked for two months. Now, Earth-bound drivers are steering it in reverse.
"That was our direction from NASA: to build a vehicle to operate on the surface of Mars, make significant scientific discoveries and operate for one Mars year"
Curiosity's landing site and Mount Sharp in the distance. (AP Photo/NASA)
John Grotzinger is the Chief Scientist of the Mars Curiosity Rover project. He says Curiosity is now in the middle of its longest drive: a 4 km push toward a feature known as Mount Sharp to investigate water signatures in rocks on its foothills. By driving it backwards they can compensate for the wheel problems.
Mr Grotzinger says the team will celebrate its Martian anniversary on Thursday with an all-woman command crew, an idea he's wanted to try out for a while.