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Mars Rover Curiosity ‘Flawlessly’ Acing Health Checks

NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity is on the verge of passing a rigorous month-long health checkup with flying colors, scientists announced today (Sept. 12).

Since Curiosity landed inside Mars’ Gale Crater on Aug. 5, researchers have been systematically checking out the rover’s systems and its 10 science instruments to make sure they’re all in good working condition. Those inspections have gone very well and should be finished by the end of Curiosity’s next Martian day, or sol, mission team members said today.

“The success so far of these activities has been outstanding,” said Curiosity mission manager Jennifer Trosper, of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. “Throughout every phase of the checkouts, Curiosity has performed almost flawlessly.”