28/07/2026 19:23 - Tecnologia
NASA's robotic explorer, Curiosity, continues to make history on the red planet. After almost 14 years of mission, it has traveled more than 32 kilometers (about 20 miles) and has shared a new image showing the inevitable wear on its wheels—a testament to its hard work and resilience.
Since its historic landing on August 6, 2012, in Gale Crater, Curiosity has been a pioneer. Its primary objective has been to search for signs of ancient life and study Martian geology. Thanks to its work, it was determined that Gale Crater hosted a potentially habitable lake and stream system for millions of years.
The rover, which weighs over a ton and is the size of a small car, has faced rocky terrains and steep slopes, especially during its ascent of Mount Sharp, a mountain rising 5.5 kilometers (about 3.4 miles) from the center of the crater.
A recent selfie photograph taken by the US Space Agency allows a close look at the accumulated damage: cuts and cracks in its aluminum wheels. However, NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) are entirely optimistic.
Jim Erickson, Curiosity's project manager, explained that the wear is part of the expected lifecycle and does not change the scientific plans. Meanwhile, Andrew Good, a JPL spokesperson, assured that the remaining odometry is expected to be sufficient to support Curiosity for the rest of the mission.
The wear was no surprise to the engineers. As early as 2017 and 2018, alternative routes and traction control software that adjusts speed according to the terrain were implemented. This valuable experience served to improve the design of the Perseverance rover, which landed in Jezero Crater in February 2021, equipped with larger diameter wheels and double the curved tread spokes.
Meanwhile, teams on Earth have adjusted their photographic wheel inspections, going from every 500 meters to every 1000 meters, a sign of confidence in the vehicle's structural behavior after more than 32 kilometers of travel.
Every meter Curiosity travels brings humanity closer to the dream of walking on the Martian surface someday. NASA confirms that the rover will keep rolling for a long time, proving that constant adaptation can extend the lifespan of devices in extreme environments.
Source: Infobae
Alfredo S. Quiroga
