Curiosity goes for a test drive
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Panoramic view of Curiosity's arm (Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech)
Image of Curiosity's extended arm showing turret (Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech)
Image of Curiosity's extended arm showing elbow joint (Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech)
Animated gif of Curiosity's wheel test (Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech)
Artist's concept of Curiosity with arm extended (Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech)
Details of Curiosity's "hand" (Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech)
Artist's concept of Curiosity using hand to drill for samples (Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech)
Artist's concept of Curiosity showing turret (Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech)
Curiosity's first tracks on Mars (Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech)
Artist's concept of Curiosity on the move (Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech)
Article Summary
The Curiosity rover has taken its first drive today on Mars. It wasn’t much of a road trip. The unmanned craft went about 15 feet (4.57 m), turned 120 degrees and then reversed about 8 feet (2.43 m). Curiosity is now about 20 feet (6.09 m) from its landing site, now named Bradbury Landing after the late author Ray Bradbury. That may not seem like much, but it was a successful test of Curiosity’s mobility and takes it a step (or a roll) closer to beginning its two-year mission to look for areas where life may have or does exist on the Red Planet.
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