All systems go for Curiosity rover on Mars
Nasa engineers have been testing the rover's systems to ensure they survived the landing and can begin uncovering secrets of the red planet
After two weeks of checking instruments, testing software and practising its rock-zapping skills, Curiosity the Mars rover is now taking its first baby steps across the surface of the red planet.
After a hair-raising entry to the planet on August 5 - when Curiosity was lowered to the surface by a descent module that fired rockets to keep it hovering above the Martian surface - extensive testing was needed to ensure all the precautions for the Mars landing were not in vain.
"The first few weeks were set aside for the engineering team to get up to speed, to make sure all the systems and instruments check out OK," said Peter Grindrod, a planetary scientist at University College London, who has been watching every move of the mission.
"They're not in any rush; this mission is meant to last for two Earth years. The first few days are about: Is everything in one piece, are the cameras working?"
Last Tuesday, Curiosity wiggled its front and back sets of wheels. Engineers at Nasa, the US space agency, wanted to make sure all the steering actuators were still working, that the wheel motors were turning. Every move was watched by the engineers via the rover's on-board cameras.
The engineers have also been upgrading software and getting used to using the robotic arm, which is two metres long and weighs 30kg - much bigger and trickier to manoeuvre than the arms on the previous Mars rovers, Spirit and Opportunity.