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Marsis the only known major planet in the population inhabit only by automaton . There ’s InSight , the sturdy robo - stethoscope listening for theRed Planet ’s heartbeat ; there ’s Odyssey and the gang , a cadre of droids surveilling the satellite from orbit . And then , climbing a lonely crater C of nautical mile away from its comrade , there’sCuriosity , the last make it rover on Mars .
About the sizing of an SUV and capable of journey 100 feet ( 30 metre ) per hour , Curiosity has been exploring the 3.5 - billion - class - onetime pit calledGale Cratersince set down there in 2012 . Now , Curiosity is mount the mountain , known as Mount Sharp or Aeolis Mons , at the crater ’s eye . In a bleak and beautiful picture taken on the 2,573rd Martian day of Curiosity ’s military mission ( Nov. 1 ) , the rover show off the vast emptiness of this rocky arena .
Meanwhile, on the edge of a mountain in the middle of a crater on Mars…
In the newfangled word picture , posted toNASA’sMars mission website , a debris - strewn butte curves up toward the mountain ’s side while an tremendous ridgeline of hazy tilt loom in the background . That ridge is actually the rim of Gale Crater , fencing the scouter in for about 50 mile ( 80 kilometre ) in every guidance .
The photograph was have from Curiosity ’s back , showing the bleak view that the rover leaves behind as it begins its slow ascent from Mount Sharp ’s al-Qa’ida . It ’s a lonely picture , to be sure , but Curiosity is expect for new Friend all the sentence ; one of the rover ’s chief objectives is finding evidence that Mars could ( or once did ) supportmicrobial life .
The wanderer has n’t stumbled upon any aboriginal Martians ( yet ) , but it has found plenty of evidence ofpast waterand ghost of elements likehydrogen , O , phosphorusandcarbon — all consider " progress blocks " of lifetime . Hopefully , the crust of sediment lining Mount Sharp will reveal more hint about how and when ancient water once flowed through the crater . In the meantime , it ’s a fine place to stop and relish the scenery . As you may see , there ’s no shortage of it .
Originally write onLive scientific discipline .
