NASA’s Curiosity Rover to Begin ‘Scientific Sequel’
Published at(NEW YORK) — NASA’s Curiosity rover arrived on Thursday at a large Martian mountain, marking the beginning of what one NASA official excitedly called a “scientific sequel.”
The Curiosity rover landed on Mars in August 2012, and has been taking samples and photos of the Martian landscape. On Thursday though, the rover reached Mount Sharp, a mountain approximately the size of Mount Rainier in Washington state.
“Curiosity now will begin a new chapter from an already outstanding introduction to the world,” Jim Green, director of NASA’s Planetary Science Division said. “After a historic and innovative landing along with its successful science discoveries, the scientific sequel is upon us.”
Earlier this year, the Curiosity team determined that a region of the Red Planet’s terrain was causing increased wear and tear on the rover’s wheels. That prompted a route change that led it to a different entry point than initially planned.
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