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Rough Red Planet Rocks Rip Rover Curiosity Wheels
http://www.universetoday.com/107405/rough-red-planet-rocks-rip-rover-curiosity-wheels/
Rough Red Planet Rocks Rip Rover Curiosity Wheels
by KEN KREMER on DECEMBER 26, 2013
Rough edged rocks on the Red Planet are clearly taking their toll on rover Curiositys hi tech wheels as she speeds towards her ultimate goal humongous Mount Sharp in search of the ingredients necessary to sustain potential Martian microbes.
Several of the NASA rovers six big aluminum wheels have suffered some significant sized rips, tears and holes up to several centimeters wide in addition to numerous dents as she has picked up the driving pace across the rugged, rock filled Martian terrain this past fall and put over 4.5 kilometers (3 mi.) on the odometer to date.
Its rather easy to spot the wheel damage to the 1 ton behemoth by examining the mosaic imagery we have created See above and below from newly transmitted raw imagery and comparing that to older imagery taken at earlier points in the mission. Check our Sol 177 wheels mosaic below.
The latest imagery from Mars captured just prior to Christmas is delivering an undesired holiday present of sorts to team members that might well cause the scientists and engineers to alter Curiositys extraterrestrial road trip to traverse smoother terrain and thereby minimize future harm.
<snip>
Rough Red Planet Rocks Rip Rover Curiosity Wheels
by KEN KREMER on DECEMBER 26, 2013
Rough edged rocks on the Red Planet are clearly taking their toll on rover Curiositys hi tech wheels as she speeds towards her ultimate goal humongous Mount Sharp in search of the ingredients necessary to sustain potential Martian microbes.
Several of the NASA rovers six big aluminum wheels have suffered some significant sized rips, tears and holes up to several centimeters wide in addition to numerous dents as she has picked up the driving pace across the rugged, rock filled Martian terrain this past fall and put over 4.5 kilometers (3 mi.) on the odometer to date.
Its rather easy to spot the wheel damage to the 1 ton behemoth by examining the mosaic imagery we have created See above and below from newly transmitted raw imagery and comparing that to older imagery taken at earlier points in the mission. Check our Sol 177 wheels mosaic below.
The latest imagery from Mars captured just prior to Christmas is delivering an undesired holiday present of sorts to team members that might well cause the scientists and engineers to alter Curiositys extraterrestrial road trip to traverse smoother terrain and thereby minimize future harm.
<snip>
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Rough Red Planet Rocks Rip Rover Curiosity Wheels (Original Post)
bananas
Dec 2013
OP
jberryhill
(62,444 posts)1. Are they still under warranty?
riqster
(13,986 posts)2. Yeah, but the dealer won't do an on-site service call.
jberryhill
(62,444 posts)4. Will they pay for a rental?
SCVDem
(5,103 posts)3. 3 years or 3 mile warranty!
Eventually we'll send a flyer and hop accross the terrain.
Ezlivin
(8,153 posts)5. I blame Obama
Why didn't he foresee this?