It’s not simply people who find themselves sharing what they’re grateful for throughout Thanksgiving as we speak — Mars rovers are, too.
In a submit on X, NASA’s Curiosity rover, which landed on Mars in 2012, shared a message saying: “These beautiful views of the Purple Planet are a reminder of how huge and mysterious our universe is. What are you grateful for this Thanksgiving?”
Accompanying the submit is a remarkably detailed view of the rover’s rocky environment on the distant planet.
These beautiful views of the Purple Planet are a reminder of how huge and mysterious our universe is…
What are you grateful for this #Thanksgiving? pic.twitter.com/sev9fq1Pzw
— Curiosity Rover (@MarsCuriosity) November 28, 2024
Considered one of Curiosity’s many mission targets is to evaluate Mars’ habitability by figuring out whether or not the planet may as soon as have supported microbial life. It’s additionally been working to characterize the martian local weather and geology, and collect knowledge that could be helpful for future human exploration of Mars, which may start within the coming many years.
A few of its notable achievements up to now embody the invention of key life-supporting components akin to sulfur, nitrogen, hydrogen, and oxygen, suggesting that the planet may certainly have had environments that have been capable of assist microbial life. NASA’s newer Mars rover, Perseverance, is following up by looking for indicators of historical microbial life itself, and has been making some attention-grabbing discoveries in that subject.
Curiosity’s high-resolution cameras have additionally offered visible proof of an historical streambed, indicating that liquid water as soon as flowed on the Martian floor.
However the ongoing work is taking its toll on the getting older rover, with latest photographs displaying very apparent harm to its middle-right wheel. Fortuitously, the rover’s wheels — even on this sorry state — are strong sufficient to deal with Mars’ rocky terrain.
Twelve years after its arrival, Curiosity is continuous to discover Mars’ Gale Crater and Mount Sharp, making discoveries and sending again breathtaking imagery. And for that, we’re all very grateful.
