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Curiosity Starts Driving

Posted by Soulskill on from the don't-run-over-any-cats dept.

littlesparkvt tips news that the Curiosity Mars rover began driving today at Bradbury Landing in Gale Crater. The rover rolled forward about 4.5 meters, then stopped, rotated 120 degrees, and rolled another 2.5 meters. The article has a picture of the rover's tracks in the Martian dust, and you can browse the image gallery or raw image feed for more. Matt Heverly, the rover's lead driver, confirmed that the mobility system is functioning perfectly in the lead-up to its first major land trek. "Curiosity will spend several more days of working beside Bradbury Landing, performing instrument checks and studying the surroundings, before embarking toward its first driving destination approximately 1,300 feet (400 meters) to the east-southeast." Reader redletterdave adds news that NASA has released an enhanced video of Curiosity's descent from space, which is pretty cool to watch. There was also some minor bad news yesterday; one of the wind speed sensors on the REMS weather instruments was permanently damaged during landing. Emily Lakdawalla explains,"The reason there were two is that it helped triangulate wind speed and also improve accuracy of wind speed measurements when one of the booms is aimed windward or leeward. So the quality of the wind speed data will be harmed, but there will still be wind speed data."

11 of 35 comments (clear)

  1. The question is: by OhSoLaMeow · · Score: 5, Funny

    Will it turn off its turn signal?

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    They can take my LifeAlert pendant when they pry it from my cold dead fingers.
  2. Curiosity Starts Driving by neoshroom · · Score: 5, Funny

    Tragically, it ran over a cat, who perished.

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    Big apple, new Yorik, undig it, something's unrotting in Edenmark.
  3. Curiosity to JPL by ve3oat · · Score: 2

    Aren't we there yet?

  4. Re:Uh... what? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The Pu power source makes about 100W of electricity and keep the rover warm. The purpose of slow speed is not to hit things, not to use lot of power, AND because that is completely unnecessary.

    And your reference to "Back to the Future" is getting old.

  5. Re:Uh... what? by wierd_w · · Score: 2

    It just needs to get back to 1985, where it will be hip and edgy again!

  6. Minor indeed! by game+kid · · Score: 2

    There was also some minor bad news yesterday; one of the wind speed sensors on the REMS weather instruments was permanently damaged during landing. Emily Lakdawalla explains,"The reason there were two is that it helped triangulate wind speed and also improve accuracy of wind speed measurements when one of the booms is aimed windward or leeward. So the quality of the wind speed data will be harmed, but there will still be wind speed data."

    Minor indeed; that any part of that rover is still functional after that landing (and the US's perverse budget) is a testament to the general badassery of the engineers, programmers, and builders behind that thing.

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    You can hold down the "B" button for continuous firing.
    1. Re:Minor indeed! by Tablizer · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Most of the rover was built during the minor boom years* of the mid 2000's. Thus, budget was not really the same issue as it is today. But I agree it's amazing that more hasn't gone wrong with the complexity of both the rover and the landing involved.

      A sky-crane was used instead of a Viking-style landing to avoid kicking up too much debris near the vehicle.

      However, most of the thrust would then be underneath, not to the side like the sky-crane gave. Thus, less vehicle-deck-directed pebbles would be kicked up it seems if they did a Viking-style landing, but more (local) dust.

      Being they speculate flying pebbles caused the wind-sensor damage based on pebbles found on deck, perhaps the Viking approach is not so bad after all, relatively speaking. A dust bath may be better than a pebble bath.

      * "Bubble years" may be a better description.
         

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      Table-ized A.I.
  7. Great Scott! by neoshroom · · Score: 4, Funny

    The purpose of slow speed is not to hit things, not to use lot of power, AND because that is completely unnecessary. And your reference to "Back to the Future" is getting old.

    I read your reply as "Roads ... where we're going, we don't need roads."

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    Big apple, new Yorik, undig it, something's unrotting in Edenmark.
  8. Making calls by roman_mir · · Score: 2

    I hope it's not calling home and driving at the same time, it can get a ticket.

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    You can't handle the truth.
  9. Re:It's working! by SternisheFan · · Score: 2

    We're exploring Mars, and to think it all started with a ride on a bi-plane... http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=KcuDdPo0WZk

  10. Re:Doin' Donuts, hacked? by RaceProUK · · Score: 2

    The rover is doing donuts:

    http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/images/PIA16095_Hazcamtracks-br.jpg

    Hopefully they do a few powerslides next, and maybe a some number 11's.

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    No colour or religion ever stopped the bullet from a gun