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This self-portrait of NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity combines 66 exposures taken by the rover’s Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) during the 177th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity’s work on Mars (Feb. 3, 2013). Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
New Mexico’s Mars rover scientists can soon get back to work after Curiosity spent a couple of days in “safe mode”. From NASA:
NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity has returned to active status and is on track to resume science investigations, following two days in a precautionary standby status, “safe mode.”
Next steps will include checking the rover’s active computer, the B-side computer, by commanding a preliminary free-space move of the arm. The B-side computer was provided information last week about the position of the robotic arm, which was last moved by the redundant A-side computer.
The rover was switched from the A side to the B side by engineers on Feb. 28 in response to a memory glitch on the A side. The A side now is available as a backp if needed.
“We expect to get back to sample-analysis science by the end of the week,” said Curiosity Mission Manager Jennifer Trosper of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.
Scientists at the University of New Mexico and Los Alamos National Laboratory are responsible for Curiosity’s “ChemCam.” My colleague Astrid Galvan did a great story last year on their work:
“I think everybody feels that this is a mission of exploration, and every day it’s an amazing thing,” Newsom said. “It’s like every day being able to see Columbus’ ship as he was discovering the New World.”
-- Email the reporter at jfleck@abqjournal.com. Call the reporter at 505-823-3916
