Curiosity takes a selfie on Mars.
(Photo:NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS)
Just keep climbing, climbing.
That could be the Mars rover’s motto.
Curiosity takes a selfie on Mars. (Photo:NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS)
Known as Curiosity, the vehicle has been exploring the area of Gale Crater on the Red Planet.
This 3.5-billion-year-old crater once held water, and from its center risesMount Sharp, a 3.4-mile-tall hill.
Curiosity’s photographs and data have been universe-changing for astronomers.
The view of Mount Sharp. (Photo:NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS)
Curiosity landed on Mars in 2012 and has been trekking through the red dusty landscape for over a decade.
Climbing brings a series of technical challenged.
Dusty sand and large rocks are hazards.
An image by Curiosity. (Photo:NASA/JPL-Caltech)
These researchers relay their concerns and desires to a team of drivers.
Even without these instructions, if the rover detects something risky, it shuts down immediately.
This is called a fault.
There were frequent faults climbing the difficult terrain of the mountain.
Sometimes detours were necessary.
In recent weeks, the rover has explored the Jau region.
This area has manytiny craterswhich were created by fragmented asteroid impacts.
Scientists want to know more about these.
As far as she has climbed, Curiosity still has a long way to go.
She snappedthis imagelooking up at the mountain in 2019.
The view of Mount Sharp.
An image by Curiosity.
