The Mars rover has successfully landed and images have started pouring in from NASA for people to view. It wasn’t an easy task by any means as NASA employed a new strategy of using guide wires to lower the rover to the surface, providing for some very tense moments. This rover will not be alone however as the opportunity will be at its side, both collecting rocks and examining samples while providing us with wonderful pictures from the surface of Mars. The landing of the rover is significant, not just because of the type of technology now on the planet, but because it marks a huge success and helps NASA reaffirm its importance to the further exploration of space.After all the countless hours of work and dedication, for the first time everyone could breath a sigh of relief and celebrate, the joy shown on their faces.
Meet the rover
Curiosity is no ordinary rover weighing in at one ton and being the size of a car, while having the ability to send back high resolution images from the planet’s surface. The journey for the rover wasn’t an easy one as it traveled on a thirty six week guided course toward the red planet, touching down to begin a two year long investigation of the planet. Having a speed much faster then its predecessor Opportunity, Curiosity will be able to explore at a much faster rate. On board nuclear power systems as well as analysis tools and X-ray as well as data mapping will allow the rover to send back more information about the planet then ever before. Just like it’s counterpart, the Curiosity rover has six wheels to help guide it across the martian surface as it works to analyze the atmospheric conditions and weather patterns. Made of high grade protective materials designed to protect it from the suns radiation as well as harsh elements will allow the rover to work in even the most unsavory on conditions. While the rover itself can only move three hundred feet per second, what it lacks in speed it makes up for in its ability to process and analyze information quickly with the help of two on board computers. Able to communicate with NASA through the use of a receiver and other orbiters through the use of a radio antenna it will help to give NASA more control over all instruments on and above the surface of the planet. While it won’t be able to store much data, holding only two gigabytes of memory, it will be able to send more information back to NASA then ever before.
What this means
This means first and foremost that NASA has produced a further success in space exploration and science and technology. Toe be able to land something so large with such effectiveness speaks volumes about the hard working men and women of this project. It means that our generation and those that come after use will have even more information to share then ever before and for those to young to remember or know of the Opportunity rover it gives them a chance to experience. There is no telling what we will find and learn with the help of updated and new technology about a planet so close yet so far, but what is clear is that the best is yet to come. No matter what we learn from this next Mars mission it will remain a monumental part in our history. Yes, this has been done before with success, but in a day and age where the very future of NASA was held in question it marks triumph in a field of doubt. It brings hope that what is found will spur the new generation to hold space in the same wonder and help them to see what NASA has been able to do with the help and dedication of many hard working people. Many of our electronics and medical breakthroughs would have never happened had it not been for NASA’s pursuit of space exploration and discover. Those that came before us held the Earth and the universe in such wonder, a feeling that we will hopefully rediscover with a new found appreciation for not just how far we have come, but how far we still have to go.
Sources Used: http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/mission/rover/
