The Mars Curiosity Rover was hit with a few technical glitches that caused the rover to take some much needed downtime as NASA crews diagnosed and repaired the software on the vehicle. Now Curiosity is fully operational and sending back new images from its martian journey.
The most recent setback for Curiosity came in the form of a memory glitch that caused the Rover to revert to a “safe-mode” to protect it from further damage. Future setbacks, that were expected before the Rover landed, include a small ‘blackout’ period. During April 4, 2013 to May 1, 2013 the Rover will not be able to send information from Mars due to factors on the planet that will intefere with the signals needed to communicate to and from Earth.
Recently the Rover sent images from ‘Yellowknife Bay’, the one above showing off its impressive drill-arm. That drill is the center of NASA’s attention at the moment, previous samples collected with the drill were the first concrete studies that Mars could at one point have supported life as we understand it. That information was obtained from a fine powder-like substance that was collected using the drill. Further analysts of the powder concluded minerals that would have been present in water at some point.
Curiosity will drill-again but that won’t happen for a few more weeks according to available schedules.
more info: NASA
