Curiosity rover mission controllers in Jet Propulsion Laboratory of NASA (JPL) in Pasadena, California, are beginning to worry about their rover, as the rough surface of the red planet has caused cracks in its wheels.
The robot is headed to its main destination, Mount Sharp, which has a height of 5 kilometers. Unfortunately, the road is full of irregular stones, which cause great damage to the rover's aluminum wheels.
The damage is compounded by the fact that Curiosity weighs almost 1 ton, and is about the size of a Mini Cooper. After analysis of the new photos taken by the rover from its wheels, experts believe a new navigation solution will need to be developed to ensure the mission is completed successfully, as reported by the Universe Today.
The first holes in the Curiosity Alloy Wheels have been seen since the autumn of 2013. Since then, JPL scientists checking for any new signs have come to the conclusion that the damage increases every month.
Η damage and on the left front wheel is of particular concern to scientists, since a 5 to 8 cm long crack has been created. However, researchers have already thought of a solution to avoid further damage. The first idea is to find a smoother route for the rover's path to Mount Sharp, through sand dunes that don't contain sharp rocks.
