Martian Dune Buggy

NASA engineers take the Curiosity test rover to California's Mojave desert to learn how to drive on Martian sand dunes.

• Category

  Science & Technology

[imbufnatu]

does it have a microscope? how deep can it dig?

[JPLnews]

Curiosity's drill system can collect a sample from up to 2 inches (5 centimeters) beneath a rock’s surface. The Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) will provide close-up views of microbial-size features.

[Jiří Fišer]

Why it is not faster? Couldn't it then explore way more?

[JPLnews]

Curiosity will "break for science." She's being sent to Mars to study rocks, soils, and the local geologic setting in order to detect chemical building blocks of life (e.g., forms of carbon) on Mars. Like geologists on Earth, this will be slow and methodical work.

[Driveable Genie]

It's so slow

[DannyLetsRoll]

Does this mean it is scanning the ground while it is moving?

[jeppe werring]

I tought the mars rover were much smaller

[Ammanuel Haile]

it needs studs or paddles

[LAO NARUTO]

Just use a 1/2 sacle rock crawler

[Justin B]

The rover uses a small nuclear reactor, similar to the ones used on the Voyager space probes.

[sausage4mash]

I was thinking retractable spikes for the wheels may of been a good idea

[soangry]

Something they don't mention in this video is that most of the sand on Mars is more of a fine to ultrafine slightly magnetic dust making it even more difficult to climb.

[chocolate9076]

HOLY SHIT THAT DAMN MACHINE TOP SPEED IS SOOO FUCKING SLOW !! WTF !!! WHY IS THAT???

[Ethijee]

Its awsome but I keep expecting to hear ... LEEEEROY NNNJENKINS!