For us, mere mortals, Mars is a no man’s land where survival seems like a distant dream. After all, no man has ever walked on its surface (as far as we know) and plans to send one to the red planet are only in the early stages of its development. However, humans have touched Mars through the durable wheels of Mars rovers. We’ve had 4 successful robotically operated Mars rovers (all of which were managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA) so far: Sojourner, Opportunity, Spirit, and Curiosity.
As Opportunity’s mission was declared complete on February 13, 2019 when NASA lost all contact with the vehicle, Curiosity became the lone survivor on the red planet, rolling over its surface to examine and explore the unknown land all by itself. The spacecraft first landed on Mars on August 6, 2012 and started carrying out its objectives throughout the years. In fact, Curiosity did its job so well and held on for so long that its original mission duration of 687 days was expanded indefinitely.
Here’s how Curiosity looked 7 years ago and now
#1 Sunset Sequence In Mars’ Gale Crater
Image credits: NASA
Curiosity is approaching its 8 year anniversary on Mars and while it is currently the only functional rover on the planet (after we all, unfortunately, had to say goodbye to Oppy), NASA has plans to send it some company in the shape of Mars 2020 rover. The 2020 mission is scheduled to start on 17 July to 5 August 2020 when the rocket carrying the rover will be launched. NASA also announced a student naming contest for the rover that was held in the fall of 2019. The final name will be announced in early March 2020, so we definitely have something to look forward to!
#2 Ripples On Surface Of Martian Sand Dune
Image credits: NASA
#3 Curiosity Rover Finds And Examines A Meteorite On Mars
Image credits: NASA
#4 First Sampling Hole In Mount Sharp
Image credits: NASA
#5 Curiosity’s Color View Of Martian Dune After Crossing It
Image credits: NASA
#6 Multiple Layers Of Mount Sharp
Image credits: NASA
#7 Martian Rock ‘Harrison’ In Color, Showing Crystals
Image credits: NASA
#8 Curiosity’s Dusty Selfie At Duluth
Image credits: NASA
#9 A Mudstone Rock Outcrop At The Base Of Mount Sharp
Image credits: marscuriosity
#10 Getting To Know Mount Sharp
Image credits: NASA
#11 Wheel Scuff Mark At ‘Rocknest’
Image credits: NASA
#12 Strata At Base Of Mount Sharp
Image credits: NASA
#13 Curiosity Tracks In ‘Hidden Valley’ On Mars
Image credits: NASA
#14 Jake Matijevic Rock
Image credits: NASA
#15 Curiosity Self-Portrait At Martian Sand Dune
Image credits: NASA
#16 Mars Rover Curiosity In ‘Buckskin’ Selfie
Image credits: NASA
#17 Curiosity Self-Portrait At ‘Windjana’ Drilling Site
Image credits: NASA
#18 Layers At The Base Of Mount Sharp
Image credits: NASA
#19 Veins In ‘Sheepbed’ Outcrop
Image credits: NASA
#20 Curiosity Visited An Area Named “Fracture Town” Which Contains Many Pointed, Layered Rock Formations
Image credits: marscuriosity
#21 Curiosity Arrived At This Active Sand Dune Named “Gobabeb”, Which Is Part Of A Larger Dune Field Known As “Bagnold”
Image credits: marscuriosity
#22 Curiosity Took Dozens Of Mast Cam Images To Complete This Mosaic Of A Petrified Sand Dune
Image credits: marscuriosity
#23 Having Reached The Base Of Mount Sharp, Curiosity Captured This Image Of Its Rocky Surroundings
Image credits: marscuriosity
#24 Outcrop In The Murray Buttes Region Of Lower Mount Sharp
Image credits: NASA
#25 Glimpse Of ‘Bagnold Dunes’ Edging Mount Sharp
Image credits: NASA
#26 Mount Sharp Comes In Sharply
Image credits: NASA
#27 Curiosity Rover’s View Of Alluring Martian Geology
Image credits: NASA
#28 Resistant Features In ‘Pahrump Hills’ Outcrop
Image credits: NASA
#29 Differential Erosion At Work On Martian Sandstones
Image credits: NASA
#30 Curiosity Mars Rover Approaches ‘Dingo Gap,’ Mastcam View
Image credits: NASA
#31 Remnants Of Ancient Streambed On Mars
Image credits: NASA
#32 View From Mars Orbiter Showing Curiosity Rover At ‘Shaler’
Image credits: NASA
#33 View From ‘Rocknest’ Position Of Curiosity Mars Rover
Image credits: NASA
#34 ‘Shaler’ Outcrop, Sol 120
Image credits: NASA
#35 Focusing The 100-Millimeter Mastcam
Image credits: NASA
#36 Routine Inspection Of Rover Wheel Wear And Tear
Image credits: NASA
#37 Bone Up On Mars Rock Shapes
Image credits: NASA
#38 A Valley To The West From The Eastern Side Of A Dune At The Eastern End Of The Valley
Image credits: NASA
#39 Erosion By Scarp Retreat In Gale Crater
Image credits: NASA
#40 View Of Yellowknife Bay Formation, With Drilling Sites
Image credits: NASA
#41 ‘snake River’ Rock Feature Viewed By Curiosity Mars Rover
Image credits: NASA
#42 Spherules In ‘Yellowknife Bay’
Image credits: NASA
#43 Focusing The 34-Millimeter Mastcam
Image credits: NASA
#44 Destination Mount Sharp
Image credits: NASA
Source: boredpanda.com