Skip to content

SciTech

Biggest Mars Rover yet, Curiosity, is on its way from Earth to the Red Planet

by Dave Armstrong 28 Nov 2011
Biggest Mars Rover yet, Curiosity, is on its way from Earth to the Red Planet

NASA's Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft, sealed inside its payload fairing atop the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, sits on the tower at Space Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The mission lifted off at 10:02 a.m. EST (7:02 a.m. PST), Nov. 26, beginning an eight-month interplanetary cruise to Mars. The spacecraft's components include a car-sized rover, Curiosity, which has 10 science instruments designed to search for signs of life, including methane, and to help determine if this gas is from a biological or geological source. Credit: Image Credit: Pat Corkery, United Launch Alliance/NASA

After poor performances from several recent expeditions, not forgetting the infamous 1999 metric measurement mix-up, the biggest Mars rover yet, Curiosity, is on its way from earth to the red planet. It's easy to be pessimistic after Russian, Chinese, British and American failures, but it pays to be more confident in technologies that in NASA at least have been very successful. After 352 million miles and 8 months, we will have to adjust to the Martian year (23 months) to follow the landing and canyon sampling. 10.6 pounds of plutonium powers the rover for at least 12 miles, but going by the lengthy drive of Opportunity at the other end of Mars, Curiosity will have scientists wanting to continue their virtual drive on Mars. And in the future, "We are very excited about sending the world's most advanced scientific laboratory to Mars," NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said. "MSL will tell us critical things we need to know about Mars, and while it advances science, we'll be working on the capabilities for a human mission to the Red Planet and to other destinations where we've never been."

Soon there will be minor adjustments to the craft's course, having separated from the Atlas V rocket. Our first trajectory correction maneuver will be in about two weeks," said Mars Science Laboratory Project Manager Peter Theisinger. "We'll do instrument checkouts in the next several weeks and continue with thorough preparations for the landing on Mars and operations on the surface." The craft should arrive in Martian orbit during August and I'm sure we'll be intrigued by that unique" Sky-crane."

Gale Crater, where the rover Curiosity of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory mission will land in August 2012, contains a mountain rising from the crater floor. This oblique view of Gale Crater, looking toward the southeast, is an artist's impression using two-fold vertical exaggeration to emphasize the area's topography. Curiosity's landing site is on the crater floor northeast of the mountain. The crater's diameter is 96 miles (154 kilometers).

image combines elevation data from the High Resolution Stereo Camera on the European Space Agency's Mars Express orbiter, image data from the Context Camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, and color information from Viking Orbiter imagery.

(The image combines elevation data from the High Resolution Stereo Camera on the European Space Agency's Mars Express orbiter, image data from the Context Camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, and color information from Viking Orbiter imagery.) Credit: NASA/ESA

Below is an artist's impression of all the paraphernalia involved in Curiosity's experiments. Hopefully such advanced instrumentation produces results:

locations of several science instruments and major subsystems on the NASA Mars rover Curiosity are shown

NASA Mars Rover Curiosity instruments; Credit: NASA

The locations of several science instruments and major subsystems on the NASA Mars rover Curiosity are shown. These are (clockwise from left): Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS); Mast Camera (Mastcam); Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam); Rover ultra high-frequency (RUHF) antenna;

Multi-mission radioisotope thermoelectric generator (MMRTG);

Rover low-gain (RLGA) antenna; high-gain antenna; Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN); the mobility system(wheels and suspension); Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD); Mars Descent Imager (MARDI); turret and robotic arm.

Two science instruments, the Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) and Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) are inside the body of the rover.


Trending Eco-Friendly Clothing

Love My Planet Women's Relaxed Fit Hoodie
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Love My Planet Women's Relaxed Fit Hoodie
Love My Planet women's eco-friendly relaxed fit hoodieSize Guide Centimeters 8 10 12 14 16 18 Bust 84 88 92 97 103 108 Waist 66 70 75 80 85 91 Hips 91 95 99 104 109 116 Bust: Measure around the fullest part of...
£38.00
£38.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Penguins Hate Push-Ups Men's Pullover Hoodie
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Penguins Hate Push-Ups Men's Pullover Hoodie
Penguins Hate Push-Ups men's eco-friendly pullover HoodieSize Guide Centimeters XS S M L XL XXL Height 171 175 179 183 189 195 Chest 86 93 99 104 116 129 Waist 71 76 81 89 99 112 Chest: Measure all round your chest just below...
£38.00
£38.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Lightning Bolt Kids Long Sleeve T-Shirt
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Notify me
Lightning Bolt Kids Long Sleeve T-Shirt
Lightning Bolt kids eco-friendly long sleeve t-shirtSize Guide Centimeters 3-4yrs 5-6yrs 7-8yrs 9-10yrs 11-12yrs Height 98 112 125 136 147 Chest 60 66 70 75 84 Chest: Measure all around your chest just below your armpits. Height: Your natural height If you fall between...
£18.00
£18.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Notify me
Union Jack Tote Bag
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Union Jack Tote Bag
Union Jack eco-friendly colour tote bagProduct Specification Organic Cotton Tote Bag. Twill Weave (170gsm). 37 x 42 cm (7cm gusset.) Made in India / Designed on the Isle of Wight. Wash Cool, Hang Dry.
£16.00
£16.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Prev Post
Next Post

Eco-Friendly Shop

Women's Clothing

Eco-Friendly Clothing for Women Our online shop offers a wide range of sustainable women’s clothing products, including t-shirts, hoodies, vests, sweaters, shorts, and...
Shop Now

Men's Clothing

Eco-Friendly Clothing for Men Our online shop offers a wide range of sustainable men’s clothing products, including t-shirts, hoodies, vests, sweaters, shorts, and...
Shop Now

Kids Clothing

Eco-Friendly Clothes for Kids Our online shop offers a wide range of sustainable kids clothing products, including t-shirts, hoodies and jumpers. Our garments...
Shop Now
Someone recently bought a
[time] ago, from [location]

Thanks for subscribing!

This email has been registered!

Shop the look

Choose Options

Earth Times
Sign up for exclusive updates, new arrivals & insider only discounts

Recently Viewed

Edit Option
Back In Stock Notification
this is just a warning
Login
Shopping Cart
0 items

Before you leave...

Take 20% off your first order

20% off

Enter the code below at checkout to get 20% off your first order

CODESALE20

Continue Shopping