How NASA Keeps the Mars Rovers Alive

NASA’s Curiosity rover on the floor of Mars is just not solely gathering knowledge; it continues to evolve and advance its mission by receiving software program updates from hundreds of thousands of kilometers away. So, how are these updates carried out, and what sort of issues do they remedy?

For years, NASA has been conducting completely different missions to unlock the secrets and techniques of Mars. One of the essential elements of those missions is the robotic rovers actively working on the floor. These robots don’t simply gather photographs; they look at the floor, take samples, create digital maps, and contribute to scientists’ higher understanding of the Crimson Planet.

Nonetheless, these automobiles proceed to evolve even after being launched into area. These robots working on Mars, hundreds of kilometers away, obtain software program updates identical to a smartphone. Furthermore, these updates don’t simply add new options; in addition they present artistic options to technical issues that come up.

Launched in 2011 and efficiently landed in Mars’s Gale Crater in 2012, Curiosity is among the longest-operating NASA rovers on the Martian floor up to now. Its major objective was to analyze whether or not Mars had supported microbial life prior to now. However over time, it has gone far past this objective. Inspecting completely different areas like Mount Sharp, Vera Rubin Ridge, and the Naukluft Plateau, the automobile has each despatched again scientific knowledge and captivated the world with the pictures it captured from the Martian floor.

Nonetheless, this lengthy mission period has introduced challenges. Through the years, Curiosity’s software program and {hardware} have needed to be supported with varied updates and interventions.

Is It Potential to Ship Software program Updates to Mars?

It might sound unimaginable, however NASA periodically updates Curiosity’s software program. Identical to the updates that come to telephones or computer systems, these automobiles achieve new options or have sure bugs fastened. After all, this course of is rather more complicated and long-term. Groups at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California topic the updates to in depth testing on Earth first. Some software program enhancements contain months, and even years, of trials.

An ideal instance of this course of occurred in 2017. The difficult terrain situations on Mars have been inflicting put on and tear on Curiosity’s wheels. To forestall this, JPL engineers labored for about 18 months to develop an algorithm that gave the automobile the power to drive extra fastidiously. This software program was efficiently uploaded to Curiosity, hundreds of thousands of kilometers away, in March 2017.

In early 2023, a way more complete replace was made. Due to this software program package deal, which included a complete of 180 completely different modifications, Curiosity can analyze its environment quicker whereas driving. The robotic, which beforehand needed to cease and scan its surroundings earlier than making a call, can now course of knowledge and transfer inside a couple of seconds. This enables it to discover extra space whereas consuming much less vitality.

Creativity Comes into Play with {Hardware} Failures

It’s, after all, unattainable to bodily intervene with a rover on the floor of Mars. Which means when a mechanical failure happens, engineers on Earth have to seek out rather more artistic options. Curiosity is a placing instance of this once more.

In late 2016, the automobile’s drill system, used for gathering samples, broke down. Underneath regular circumstances, this was a significant issue that would halt important knowledge assortment. Nonetheless, JPL engineers developed a brand new drilling technique utilizing the present gear. They enabled Curiosity to proceed its drilling perform through the use of the robotic arm another way. Crucially, this answer was executed with a collection of instructions despatched to the Martian floor.

Due to software program updates and artistic engineering options, Curiosity remains to be actively engaged on Mars as we speak. The info it obtains is of nice significance each for trying to find traces of previous life and for paving the way in which for future crewed Mars missions.