NASA's Curiosity rover continues to thrive despite its heavily worn wheels after over a decade on Mars. This episode explores the challenges faced by robotic explorers and the innovative solutions from NASA engineers that keep Curiosity operational. We also discuss how the insights gained from its wheel damage have influenced the design of the Perseverance rover's wheels, showcasing the spirit of human ingenuity in space exploration.

Sources:

https://www.space.com/curiosity-mars-rover-wheel-damage-sept-2024

https://www.yahoo.com/news/mars-could-key-finally-spotting-130000156.html

Outline:

(00:00:00) Introduction

(00:00:40) Curiosity Mars rover's wheels are more battered than ever — but they still work

(00:03:28) Mars Could Be the Key to Finally Spotting Dark Matter