Two months after NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity left the planet Earth, the vehicle is now scheduled to use the scoop on its robotic arm. There was an instruction made to the NASA’s mission scientists based in California to direct Curiosity and look for “a good sandbox, a good sand pit” for the first sand scooping in the Martian soil.
Since Mars piqued the interest of the best scientists in the world, there have been different voyages that are intent on cracking the codes what it’s like to be in the Red Planet. Some have been quite unsuccessful but others, with the help of our advancing technology, provided a fruitful outcome. Just like the recent Curiosity touchdown!
Interesting facts about Mars rover Curiosity
It’s the most expensive and most ambitious Mars mission ever. Curiosity was sent out, trying to break all the barriers that have kept the Earth from getting nearest to its neighbor planet on the solar system.
The team that led the mission admitted in an interview prior to the descent that the members were “rationally confident but emotionally terrified.” In the end, success went to their side and they were actually able to send back to earth an image of one Curiosity wheel in the Martian surface. In another image, they showed Curiosity’s shadow perched in Mars.
Curiosity is worth no less than $2.5 million. It is a car-sized rover that is packed with analytical gadgets that will be used to search for evidence that microbial life evolved in this part of the universe.
Some of the most advanced chemistry and geology gadgets on board curiosity are a laser gun connected to a special telescope, cameras, a robotic arm with a power drill, and a magnifying imager. Those gadgets will be useful as the team of Adam Seltzner explores Mars and brings new discoveries for the knowledge of mankind.
Curiosity sure sweetened the deal for previous missions, especially those that have failed earnestly. To date, two thirds of efforts to explore the planet went haywire and this recent landing was definitely the most successful.
Interesting facts about Mars
A lot of people have been passionate about Mars. Here are some of interesting facts they found out about the Red Planet over the course of many years:
- Mars was formed about 4.5 billion years ago. Its size is 50% smaller than earth but since our planet is covered by oceans, the land area that we have is almost similar to that of the Red Planet.
- Mars is the last terrestrial planet in the universe. The rest are all gaseous.
- Unlike the earth, Mars has no ozone layer. That means the planet will be bathing in radiation every time the sun rises.
- Mars is called the red planet due to its rust coloring and talcum powder consistency.
- No one could survive the extreme low pressure of Mars. If you arrive there with no suitable space suit, the oxygen in your blood will turn into bubbles, which will cause instant death.
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