When did Curiosity rover land on Mars?
Curiosity touched down on Mars at 05:17:57 UTC on the 6th of August 2012. The landing site sat inside Gale crater near a location now called Bradbury Landing.
Questions about Curiosity (rover)
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who named the Curiosity rover and how was it chosen?
Twelve-year-old Clara Ma won a contest for naming the rover with an essay describing curiosity as passion driving daily life. She received a trip to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena where she signed her name directly onto the vehicle during assembly.
What power source does Curiosity use on Mars?
Curiosity carries a Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator powered by plutonium-238 dioxide. The unit produced 110 watts of electrical power at the start of the mission with about two thousand watts of thermal power.
How far has Curiosity traveled since landing on Mars?
As of the 16th of August 2024 the rover had driven approximately nineteen kilometers from its landing site across sols. The region explored has been compared to the Four Corners region of North American west.
When did Curiosity play Happy Birthday to You on Mars?
Curiously played Happy Birthday to You audibly on the 6th of August 2013 marking one Earth year since landing. This marked the first time music transmitted between two planets.