spacetoday.net: Software upgrade complete, Curiosity ready to move

Posted: Thu, Aug 16, 2012, 8:14 AM ET (1214 GMT)
Mars Science Laboratory illustration (NASA/JPL)

NASA's Mars rover Curiosity is ready to start moving across the Martian surface after completing a software upgrade earlier this week. The rover has remained at its landing location since touching down on the surface late on August 5, as engineers checked out the spacecraft's systems and performed a four-day upgrade of the flight software that includes routines for driving and operating its instruments. With that upgrade successfully completed, mission managers are planning an initial, short drive of no more than a few meters in the next week or so as they continue to commission the rover's systems. A compete checkout of the rover, including its sampling arm, will not be finished until next month.