NASA's Mars rover Curiosity will spend its first
weekend on Mars transitioning to software better suited for tasks ahead, such
as driving and using its strong robotic arm.
The rover's "brain transplant," which will occur during a series of
steps Aug. 10 through Aug. 13, will install a new version of software on both
of the rover's redundant main computers. This software for Mars surface
operations was uploaded to the rover's memory during the Mars Science
Laboratory spacecraft's flight from Earth.
"We designed the mission from the start to be able to upgrade the software
as needed for different phases of the mission," said Ben Cichy of NASA's
Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., chief software engineer for the
Mars Science Laboratory mission. "The flight software version Curiosity
currently is using was really focused on landing the vehicle. It includes many
capabilities we just don't need any more. It gives us basic capabilities for
operating the rover on the surface, but we have planned all along to switch
over after landing to a version of flight software that is really optimized for
surface operations."
A key capability in the new version is image processing to check for obstacles.
This allows for longer drives by giving the rover more autonomy to identify and
avoid potential hazards and drive along a safe path the rover identifies for
itself. Other new capabilities facilitate use of the tools at the end of the
rover's robotic arm.
While Curiosity is completing the software transition, the mission's science
team is continuing to analyze images that the rover has taken of its
surroundings inside Gale Crater. Researchers are discussing which features in
the scene to investigate after a few weeks of initial checkouts and
observations to assess equipment on the rover and characteristics of the
landing site.
Keywords – NASA Curiosity Rover installing smarts
for driving, Mars Science Laboratory mission.
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