NASA’s Mars rover “ Curiosity ” celebrated its 10th anniversary since landing on Mars | sorae Space portal site

[▲ A selfie taken by the Mars rover Curiosity (released on March 30, 2021) (Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS)]

Around 14:30 on August 6, 2012 Japan timeNational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)Mars rover “Curiosity”but,Landing in Gale Crater on MarsDid.This year, Curiosity10 years since the successful landing on MarsWe are celebrating a big milestone.

United Launch Alliance in November 2011“Atlas V”Rocket-launched, Curiosity is suspended by cables from a descent stage powered by rocket engines.“Sky Crane”Landing on Mars with the scheme. Ten years later, Curiosity continues to explore the history of Gale Crater and understand the ancient Martian environment.

[▲ “Curiosity Has Landed” (English)]
（Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech）

According to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), which operates NASA’s Mars rovers and rovers, Curiosity hasRock and soil samples taken at 41 locationsThen, we performed analysis using scientific equipment installed in the car body.Due to Curiosity’s success, the former Gale Craterwateras well as life-sustainingchemical compositionornutrientsbut,existed for at least tens of millions of yearsIt is said that the matter has been pinpointed.

[▲ “A Guide to Gale Crater” (English)]
（Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech）

Currently, Curiosity continues to climb Mount Aeolis (Mount Sharp, about 5 km high) in the center of Gale Crater.Its purpose was formed at various timessedimentary rockis to find out.

Gale Crater contains sedimentary rocks that may have formed at the bottom of a former lake. Throughout the period when water existed on the surface of Mars, the water-borne sediment accumulated in layers from the bottom of the crater to the top, and was later exposed by erosion. It is believed that Examining sedimentary rocks while climbing Mount AeolisTravel through time from the old to the newIt was like that, and changed over time.ancient martian environmentYou can get information about.

[▲ Panorama created using images taken on July 15, 2022 using Navcam on Curiosity (Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)]

In conjunction with the 10th anniversary of the landing, JPLDistance covered by CuriosityWe publish images that make you realize. The image above isJuly 15, 2022A panorama stitched together from images captured using Curiosity’s navigation camera (Navcam).pictured in the centerLarge rocks are about the same size as CuriosityIt has been with.

Actually, this rock, seven years agoSeptember 9, 2015It also appears small in the following image, taken many kilometers away. According to JPL, Curiosity isTraveled about 29km in 10 years from landingdeath,Altitude rose 625mIt’s called.

【▲ Mount Aeolis taken on September 9, 2015 using Curiosity’s Mastcam. The small black dot in the yellow circle is the rock that Curiosity will photograph up close seven years later on July 15, 2022 (Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)]

Rovers and probes operating on Mars cannot receive human support. Curiosity has traveled nearly 30km over the past 10 years and has excavated and sampled rocks in more than 40 locations.Accumulated damagedoing.

For example, Curiosityaluminum wheelcaused by driving over sharp stones, etc.a number of injuriesowes According to JPL, Curiosity’s operations team cataloged all damage to the wheels andA driving route that avoids high-risk terrain as much as possibleor when driving over rough terrainDeveloped a traction control algorithm that adjusts wheel rotationWe continue our efforts to minimize wheel damage by

[▲ The wheel of Curiosity taken in March 2017. You can see that the wheel on the right side of the image is damaged (Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS)]

Equipped with a drill for taking samplesSigns of deterioration in robot armshas appeared, and recently it is indispensable for the normal operation of the arm.The brake mechanism has stopped workingIt’s called.spare brake mechanismby switching toarm works againHowever, the operations team had to maintain the performance of the braking mechanism byHow to drill more gentlyI devised

Curiosity is also used as a power source.Radioactive isotope thermoelectric converter (RTG*)However, as the output of the RTG decreases over time, the amount of work that can be performed per day is less than when it first landed. The operations team has an idea of ​​how much power Curiosity will consume on a daily basis, and is working out what work can be done at the same time to optimize the available power.

*RTG: Abbreviation for Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator.A type of nuclear battery, a device for obtaining electricity from the heat generated when radioactive materials decay

Curiosity’s mission recently4th extension (3 years)have been recognized and are believed to have been left behind when the lake dried upInvestigate areas rich in sulfatesis planned to Curiosity, now in its 11th year on Mars, is still active.

connection:like a snake?Strange rock found by Mars rover Curiosity

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Text/Matsumura Takehiro