[meteorite-list] Curiosity Spins Its Wheels (MSL)

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed, 14 Jul 2010 14:28:06 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <201007142128.o6ELS6wE019497_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2010-233

Curiosity Spins Its Wheels
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
July 13, 2010

The wheels that will touch down on Mars in 2012 are several rotations
closer to spinning on the rocky trails of Mars.

This video clip <http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/video/index.cfm?id=910> shows
engineers in the JPL clean room where the rover is being assembled as
they put all six wheels into motion for the first time.

Engineers raised the rover just as a car mechanic would hoist a car to
check the wheels, and started the "engine" to get the wheels rotating.
The wheel mobility system has 10 motors in all-four for steering the
rover and six for driving. During this test, all 10 motors ran in every
direction. Each wheel spun forward and backwards.

Next up for Curiosity is a series of "tune-ups" to prep the rover for
driving.

Learn more about Curiosity at: http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/ .

Guy Webster 818-354-6278
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
guy.webster at jpl.nasa.gov

2010-233
Received on Wed 14 Jul 2010 05:28:06 PM PDT