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Thirteen years into its mission, NASA’s Curiosity rover remains to be uncovering Martian mysteries — and studying to do extra with much less.
Since touchdown in Gale Crater in 2012, Curiosity has traveled greater than 22 miles (35 kilometers), learning rock layers, analyzing soil and revealing Mars’ historic previous, together with indicators that the planet as soon as harbored liquid water, a thicker environment and situations which may have supported microbial life. And regardless of the toll of time, together with worn wheels and mechanical glitches, engineers have saved the rover rolling with artistic workarounds, distant fixes and adaptive driving methods.
Now, due to latest software program upgrades, the rover has gained new autonomy that enables it to multitask and put itself to sleep early when it finishes its each day duties, NASA stated in a statement. This new skill helps preserve power from its ageing nuclear energy supply and prolong its scientific lifespan, the assertion learn.
“We were more like cautious parents earlier in the mission,” stated Reidar Larsen, a flight programs engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California, who led the staff behind the brand new capabilities. “It’s as if our teenage rover is maturing, and we’re trusting it to take on more responsibility.”
Curiosity, which is the dimensions of a small SUV, is powered by a multi-mission radioisotope thermoelectric generator (MMRTG), which converts warmth from the pure decay of plutonium into electricity to recharge the rover’s batteries. But because the plutonium decays, the system steadily produces much less power, that means it takes longer to recharge the batteries and leaves much less energy for science every day.
To benefit from the diminishing power provide, engineers have been working to spice up the rover’s effectivity by combining beforehand standalone duties like driving, taking photographs and transmitting information, in keeping with the NASA assertion.
By consolidating these actions, engineers have been in a position to shorten every day’s operational plan, lowering the period of time heaters and devices want to remain powered on, saving useful power within the course of, the assertion learn.
And as a substitute of idling whereas ready for brand spanking new instructions, Curiosity can now put itself to sleep as quickly because it finishes the day’s work. These small changes — even trimming simply 10 or 20 minutes per day — can add up over time and assist protect energy and prolong the rover’s mission, the company wrote within the assertion.
These new energy-saving habits come because the rover has noticed an eye catching rock formation that resembles a bit of coral. Captured on July 24, 2025, the rock, nicknamed “Paposo,” is about two inches (5 centimeters) broad and was photographed utilizing a digicam perched on the finish of the rover’s robotic arm, in keeping with the assertion.
Paposo possible shaped billions of years in the past throughout a time when Mars was a lot wetter than it’s right this moment, the assertion says. Mineral-rich water possible seeped into cracks within the rock, forsaking hardened deposits. Over time, highly effective winds would have sculpted the uncovered materials into the fragile, branching form seen by the rover.
Curiosity is at present exploring a area wealthy in so-called “boxwork formations,” a community of ridges that possible shaped underground by means of historic water exercise. These options crisscross the decrease slopes of Mount Sharp, the three-mile-high (five-kilometer-high) mountain above the ground of Gale Crater that the rover has been ascending for years.
All in all, Curiosity stays in good well being, NASA says, bolstered by sensible engineering, up to date algorithms, and now, slightly extra relaxation.
“Together, these measures are doing their job to keep Curiosity as busy as ever,” the company’s assertion says
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