Mars Rover Curiosity Flexes Its Robotic Arm Today

 

         

 

Curiosity's seven-foot-long (2.1-meter) arm shown above maneuvers a turret of tools including a camera, a drill, a spectrometer, a scoop and mechanisms for sieving and portioning samples of powdered rock and soil.

"We have had to sit tight for the first two weeks since landing, while other parts of the rover were checked out, so to see the arm extended in these images is a huge moment for us," said Matt Robinson of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, lead engineer for Curiosity's robotic arm testing and operations. "The arm is how we are going to get samples into the laboratory instruments and how we place other instruments onto surface targets."

Weeks of testing and calibrating arm movements are ahead before the arm delivers a first sample of Martian soil to instruments inside the rover. Monday's maneuver checked motors and joints by unstowing the arm for the first time, extending it forward using all five joints, then stowing it again in preparation for the rover's first drive.

"It worked just as we planned," said JPL's Louise Jandura, sample system chief engineer for Curiosity. "From telemetry and from the images received this morning, we can confirm that the arm went to the positions we commanded it to go to."

"We'll start using our sampling system in the weeks ahead, and we're getting ready to try our first drive later this week," said Mars Science Laboratory Deputy Project Manager Richard Cook of JPL.

The Daily Galaxy via NASA/JPL

Comments

[dr burke]

We know what is on the surface, ROCKS. But, what lies under the dust?

Maybe Curiosity should blast away the dust, to see what is there. And
do it every 3 meters or so. They could pass right over a valuable find
and not even know it. Or is there some limitation of laser usage?

I say dig down at least a 500 millimeters or so, just to see. Maybe,
it will yield something interesting?

[bob]

2 billion dollars and we cant even get a color photo?

[Liz]

Thanks for this post! You always share the most valuable information. I really appreciate it.Especially "Curiosity's seven-foot-long (2.1-meter) arm shown above maneuvers a turret of tools including a camera, a drill, a spectrometer, a scoop and mechanisms for sieving and portioning samples of powdered rock and soil. "

[Android Application Development]

Curiosity's successful landing has really proven to be a big leap for the whole planet. It's the first real exploration of Mars that we have been able to do.

[Gaugain]

the naked truth is scientists can only use the rover 1 minute/day, the rest of the time it`s the army`s use. Editor's Note: This is so absurd, it's almost funny!