The rover landed on Mars in August 2012. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
NASA's Curiosity rover has finally arrived at its primary destination after more than two years on Mars.
It has taken longer than expected and the road has been far from direct, but after a drive of over 5 miles the car-sized explorer has succeeded in making its way to the place where scientists had originally intended for it to go when its mission began.
The team had taken something of a risk when Curiosity first landed on Mars by sending it in the opposite direction to investigate an area that appeared to have once been underwater.
Fortunately however the gamble paid off and the rover discovered not only signs of what was once a freshwater lake but also indications that it had contained the chemical ingredients needed for life.
It would take many more months for Curiosity to make its way from there to Mount Sharp, but now that it has arrived the science team can begin investigating the rocks there to see what it can find.
"Curiosity now will begin a new chapter from an already outstanding introduction to the world," said NASA planetary scientist Jim Green. "After a historic and innovative landing along with its successful science discoveries, the scientific sequel is upon us."
So 45 years ago with analog technology and a computer that couldn't even power a Nintendo DS, NASA basically drove a car on the moon and astronauts hit golf balls. Someone please explain WTFACK has happened? Shouldn't we have hotels on Mars by now??
So 45 years ago with analog technology and a computer that couldn't even power a Nintendo DS, NASA basically drove a car on the moon and astronauts hit golf balls. Someone please explain WTFACK has happened? Shouldn't we have hotels on Mars by now?? Lack of funding is what happened. Why do people have so much difficulty understanding the simple concept that if you don't pay for something it doesn't happen?
So with 3 billion dollars it only takes 2 years to drive 9 kilometres on Mars or in other worlds 10 meters / day? Can i say that science is truly done with snail steps. Wth?
So 45 years ago with analog technology and a computer that couldn't even power a Nintendo DS, NASA basically drove a car on the moon and astronauts hit golf balls. Someone please explain WTFACK has happened? Shouldn't we have hotels on Mars by now?? Please go to this very simple but very well done website http://www.distancetomars.com/ that will hopefully clear up the big difference between traveling to Mars and traveling to the Moon. So with 3 billion dollars it only takes 2 years to drive 9 kilometres on Mars or in other worlds 10 meters / day? Can i say that science is truly done with snail... [More]
So with 3 billion dollars it only takes 2 years to drive 9 kilometres on Mars or in other worlds 10 meters / day? Can i say that science is truly done with snail steps. Wth? it's not a race. why the rush?
avg. of 39' a day. Sounds weird to me. So exactly how fast should a rover, which has to navigate autonomously and which stops for days or weeks at a time to do science, travel across the surface of a largely unexplored and potentially hazardous alien planet?
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