NASA has been on Mars for 4000 days and is still strong despite worn joints.
CTOnews.com, Nov. 8 (Xinhua)-- NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has been on Mars for 4000 days. Although the rover has shown some signs of wear and tear, it continues to explore the red planet.
The Curiosity rover landed at the Gale crater in 2012 and has been studying the red planet ever since to determine whether ancient Mars could support the survival of microbes. Curiosity has drilled 39 samples over the years and is currently climbing the foothills of the three-mile Mount Sharp so geologists can take a closer look at the rocky layers to understand how the Martian climate changes.
Curiosity's journey of exploration has not always been plain sailing. For more than a decade, it has traveled nearly 20 miles (32 kilometers) in what NASA calls "a harsh, cold environment full of dust and radiation." but "Curiosity is still strong," NASA said.
At present, there have been some problems with Curiosity's main camera's 34mm focal length left camera, and wear marks have also been found on the drilling system and arm joints. of course, the wheels of the rover also suffered some serious damage as it ran over the surface of Mars.
As for the wheels, engineers admit that they underestimated the conditions on the surface of Mars. However, many problems have been resolved or at least alleviated by software updates, such as the addition of a traction control algorithm to help reduce wheel wear on sharp rocks.
Curiosity has far exceeded its first two years of mission, but it still has a long way to go to achieve the amazing lifespan of its predecessor, opportunity, which relies on solar panels. Curiosity is powered by a radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG), and mission engineers expect the nuclear power to keep the vehicle running "for more years," according to NASA.
Communication with Curiosity was suspended in November because Mars is now disappearing behind the sun from Earth's point of view, and engineers expect to resume contact with Curiosity after November 28.
