The Mars Curiosity rover, launched from Earth in 2011, is celebrating its first anniversary on the red planet. The car-sized rover celebrated one Martian year - 687 Earth days - by taking a "selfie."
Just like a person taking a picture of themselves during work, Curiosity reached out its robotic arm, aiming a camera toward itself. The image is a composite, taken over April and May 2014.
"What a long, strange trip (around the sun) it's been. Here's what happened during my 1st #MartianYear," Curiosity mission planners tweeted.
Curiosity was designed to analyze the surface of Mars, searching for evidence the red planet may have once been capable of harboring life-forms.
Soon after landing in August 2012, Curiosity revealed information about a riverbed near Gale Crater, where it came down on the tawny surface. After drilling in a pair of slabs of mudstone at nearby Yellowstone Bay, the spacecraft determined the area once had conditions that could have allowed life, including temperate water.
The age of a rock on Mars was measured for the first time. This assists astronomers in learning how radiation affected the surface. Researchers will also gain a better understanding of how long ago water disappeared from the surface of Mars, and the rate organic material decays in such conditions.
Methane, a gas that can be created by life-forms on Earth, was found to be nearly absent from the atmosphere of Mars, according to readings taken by Curiosity.
Radiation could present a danger to future human travelers on the red planet. Curiosity measured levels on the trip to Mars, as well as on the planetary surface. This study could prove essential to space journeys in the coming decades.
One challenge faced by Curiosity has been damage to the wheels on the craft. Sharp rocks on the surface of the planet are causing significantly more damage than predicted. Wheel wear mandated a slow-down in late 2013, and the team has altered planned routes to minimize damage. The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, in orbit over the red planet, is surveying possible routes for the rover.
"When you're exploring another planet, you expect surprises. The sharp, embedded rocks were a bad surprise. Yellowknife Bay was a good surprise," Jim Erickson, Curiosity project manager, said.
During its first year on Mars, the rover has traveled about five miles, and the next destination for the team is Mount Sharp. To examine the mountain in detail, Curiosity will have to enter a gap in a system of dunes, roughly 2.4 miles ahead of the rover's current position. The path to the mountain is believed to be largely-sandy terrain, with patches of potentially-hazardous rocks. Geological formations at Mount Sharp could include visible layers of crust, allowing researchers a chance to study ancient rock formations.
Jet Propulsion Laboratory released a video, highlighting the accomplishments of Curiosity's first Martian year.
