The Curiosity rover by NASA recently made its way up to a crater-filled site named “Jau” as part of its journey towards Mount Sharp, despite challenging conditions. Thanks to strategic planning, it was able to successfully navigate a detour and complete its mission. The rover continues to examine Mars’ landscape higher up on Mount Sharp. Source: NASA
Just before the rover’s 11th year on Mars, the Curiosity team aided it to scale a steep and slippery incline to inspect meteor craters.
On August 5, NASA’s Curiosity rover will mark its 11th year on Mars by doing what it excels at: studying the Martian surface. The robot recently explored an area named “Jau,” which is marked with numerous impact craters. A close-up view of so many Martian craters in a single location is a rare opportunity for scientists. The largest is believed to be at least the length of a basketball court, with most others being considerably smaller.
Overcoming Terrain Difficulties
Jau is a temporary stop in the rover’s path towards the foothills of Mount Sharp, a mountain standing 3 miles tall (5 kilometers) that was once filled with lakes, rivers, and streams billions of years ago. Each layer of the mountain was formed in a distinct era of Mars’ ancient climate, and the higher the Curiosity rover ascends, the more scientists learn about how the landscape evolved over time.
The route up the mountain over the last few months required the toughest climb the Curiosity rover has ever undertaken. While there have been steeper ascents and more dangerous terrain, the mission had never faced a trio of challenges posed by this slope: a sharp 23-degree incline, slippery sand, and rocks the size of wheels. This combination made the rover struggle through numerous drives in May and June, perplexing the rover’s drivers on Earth.
Driving a Rover
Rover planners, of which Hale is one of 15, write hundreds of lines of code every day to command the Curiosity rover’s mobility system and robotic arm. They collaborate with scientists to decide where to steer the rover, what images to capture, and which targets to study using the instruments on its 7-foot (2-meter) robotic arm.
The rover planners also always keep an eye out for potential hazards, creating commands to navigate around sharp rocks and reduce wear on the Curiosity’s worn-out wheels. The team’s geologists use their Earth-based field experience to identify deep sand and unstable rock formations. The mission even includes a role for assessing whether a canyon wall might interfere with radio communications back to Earth.
The Six-Wheeled Climb to Jau
The rover was never at risk during its climb to Jau. The team doesn’t plan anything that could harm the rover and commands are written in such a way that the rover will halt if it encounters any unexpected situations.
The Detour’s Victory
Schoelen and his team established a side detour when the rover was struggling with the original path, aiming for a spot around 492 feet (150 meters) away where the incline leveled out. The detour added a few weeks to the journey, but it was successful, allowing Curiosity to conquer the slope.
After the challenging climb, the rover’s scientists completed an investigation of the Jau crater cluster. Despite the challenges Mars has thrown at Curiosity, the rover is not showing any signs of slowing down. It is ready to head off again to explore a new area higher up on Mount Sharp.
Additional Information About the Mission
The construction of Curiosity was handled by JPL, managed by the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena, California. JPL leads the mission on behalf of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Mars Curiosity Rover’s Climb
What did NASA’s Mars Curiosity Rover recently achieve?
The Mars Curiosity Rover recently accomplished a challenging ascent to a crater-filled site named “Jau” as part of its journey towards Mount Sharp.
How long has the Mars Curiosity Rover been on Mars?
On August 5, the Mars Curiosity Rover will have marked its 11th year studying the Martian surface.
What challenges did the Curiosity Rover face on its climb?
On its route up Mount Sharp, the Rover faced a trio of challenges: a sharp 23-degree incline, slippery sand, and rocks the size of its wheels.
How was the challenging terrain overcome?
The rover planners wrote hundreds of lines of code every day to navigate around potential hazards and reduce wear on the rover’s wheels. When the rover struggled with the original path, a lateral detour was created which allowed the rover to successfully complete the climb.
What was the result of the rover’s investigation at the “Jau” crater cluster?
After the challenging climb, the rover’s scientists completed an investigation of the Jau crater cluster. This cluster, common on Mars, can form when a meteor breaks up in the planet’s atmosphere or when fragments are tossed by a large, more distant meteoroid impact. Scientists aim to understand how the relatively soft rocks of the salt-enriched terrain affected the way the craters formed and changed over time.
What’s next for the Mars Curiosity Rover?
Despite the challenges Mars has thrown at it, the rover isn’t showing signs of slowing down. It’s set to explore a new area higher up on Mount Sharp.
More about Mars Curiosity Rover’s Climb
- NASA’s Mars Curiosity Rover
- Curiosity Rover’s Path Up Mount Sharp
- NASA’s Mars Exploration Program
- NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
- California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
- NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
5 comments
wow! thats a huge achievement by NASA. Keep going curiosity rover, the world’s cheering for ya!
Kudos to those rover planners. Coding in such uncertain conditions and terrains, wow, hats off to them!
It’s amazing that we’ve had a rover on Mars for 11 years now… can’t wait for what more it uncovers!
it’s like the Curiosity rover is on an epic adventure movie, overcoming obstacles and all. truly thrilling stuff!
Nasa’s planning and problem-solving skills r next level. So impressed by this journey.