Space & Astronomy

Curiosity rover celebrates its 6th birthday

By T.K. Randall
August 6, 2018

Image: Curiosity Rover
Credit: (PD) NASA/JPL-Caltech via Wikimedia Commons When it launched from Cape Canaveral aboard an Atlas V rocket back in November 2011, there were concerns that the mission would end in failure - not only because of the rover's large size relative to previous rovers, but also because of the ground-breaking 'sky crane' landing system needed to get it on to the surface of Mars in one piece - something that had never been used in a mission before.

Much to everyone's relief however, Curiosity touched down successfully in Gale Crater on August 6, 2012 to rapturous applause from the mission team - it was a tremendous achievement.

In the years that followed, the car-sized rover would go on to cover more than 11 miles of the Red Planet's dusty terrain, taking pictures, recording data and analyzing samples.Now in celebration of its six years on Mars, the rover's Twitter account has been updated with a celebratory message alongside a photograph of its own nameplate.

"I touched down on #Mars six years ago," the message reads. "Celebrating my 6th landing anniversary with the traditional gift of iron... oxide. (It puts the red in Red Planet.)"

Here's hoping that Curiosity will continue to explore Mars for many more years to come.

I touched down on #Mars six years ago. Celebrating my 6th landing anniversary with the traditional gift of iron… oxide. (It puts the red in Red Planet.) https://t.co/AgssRU46yh pic.twitter.com/IAMa5H4TUG

— Curiosity Rover (@MarsCuriosity) August 5, 2018

Source: CNET.com

Tags: Mars, Curiosity