Space Spin - Curiosity grows by leaps and bounds and takes first baby steps (w/ video)

In one week, Curiosity grew by approximately 1 meter (3.5 feet) when spacecraft technicians and engineers attached the rover's neck and head (called the Remote Sensing Mast) to its body. At around 2 meters (about 7 feet) tall, the next rover to Mars now stands head and shoulders above the rest.

Mounted on Curiosity's mast are two navigation cameras (Navcams), two mast cameras (Mastcam), and the laser-carrying chemistry camera (ChemCam).

While it now has a good head on its shoulders, Curiosity's "eyes" (the Mastcam), have been blindfolded in a protective silvery material. The Mastcam, containing two digital cameras, will soon be unveiled, so engineers can test its picture-taking abilities.

The towering rover also took its first baby steps: a slow roll on the floor of the clean room.

High resolution image

In this image, engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory are dressed head to toe in "bunny suits" (white hoods, lab-style coats and gloves). Only their eyes and foreheads can be seen. They are huddled around the base of the rover Curiosity's "neck" (its Mast). They watch intently as they carefully lower the Mast to attach it to the rover's flat "back." A cluster of yellow and red wires on the rover’s body pokes up in the foreground of the image. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

High resolution image

Curiosity's "eyes" (the Mastcam) are shrouded in a silvery material, awaiting their first look around the clean room. This image shows a close-up of the rover's "head." At the top is a white box structure with a large red circle (the rover's laser called ChemCam) to the right. Beneath the box are two cameras, which will provide views of the Martian surface. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

High resolution image

Engineers gather around the base of Curiosity's "neck" (the Mast) as they slowly lower it into place for attachment to the rover's "body" (the Wet Electronics Box, or "WEB"). Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Source: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
	More on • Curiosity • Mars Science Laboratory • Mars

Curiosity grows by leaps and bounds and takes first baby steps (w/ video)

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