Sponsored Article Image

A message from Westinghouse Electric Company Parts Business

Future-Ready Motor Generator Set Control Power Cabinets

Learn More

Happy Landings Anniversary, Mars Curiosity Rover

August 7, 2013, 6:00AMANS Nuclear Cafe

A quick note of congratulations to NASA's Mars Curiosity rover project team on the first anniversary of a daredevil landing on Mars on August 6, 2012.

NASA-curiosity-mars-rover

The project has been a scientific and engineering triumph of the first order. Also, it is a prime example of the application of nuclear technology in scientific research-Curiosity is one of a long line of historic space missions powered by a Plutonium-238 radioisotope thermoelectric generator. See the September/October 2012 issue of ANS ReActions for a discussion of the Curiosity rover and its plutonium heartbeat.

As part of its birthday celebration, NASA compiled a time-lapse video of Curiosity's first year of diggings, drillings, and travels on Mars. Now, the rover treks toward a rendezvous with Mount Sharp-possibly a site where the chemical ingredients needed for life have been best preserved.

Thanks to Space.com for that music soundtrack!

Other Curiosity-related stories on ANS Nuclear Cafe:

ANS Nuclear Matinee: Measuring Radiation on Mars

Converting heat into electricity without moving parts

Nuclear-powered Mars rover Curiosity lands safely

ANS Nuclear Matinee: Mars Rover Curiosity, A Nuclear Powered Mobile Laboratory

Plutonium in Space: Why and How?

Shannon Bragg-Sitton of INL discusses nuclear space applications

_______________________

Tags:
nasaplutoniumspace applications
Share:
LinkedInTwitterFacebookEmail

Related Articles

OSTP memo guides space nuclear plan

April 16, 2026, 12:00PMNuclear News

A White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) memorandum released on Tuesday guides NASA, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Defense on their roles in deploying...

Return of the HB Line at SRS

March 11, 2026, 5:02PMNuclear News

The Department of Energy is bringing the HB Line facility at the Savannah River Site back on line to recycle surplus plutonium and produce uranium-plutonium mixed oxide (MOX) fuel for advanced...