Curiosity Rover Displays Signs of Wheel Wear
NASA's Curiosity rover has been operating on the Martian surface for close to fourteen years. During this time the vehicle has traveled many kilometers across varied terrain.
New pictures taken by the rover's own cameras show clear cracks in one of its six wheels. The images were transmitted to Earth for analysis.
Engineers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory are examining the photographs to assess the extent of the wear. The damage is viewed as an expected outcome of long‑term exposure to the rough Martian ground.
Despite the visible damage, the mission team says the rover's mobility remains unaffected. Curiosity continues its scientific work in Gale Crater and keeps sending back data about Martian geology and climate.