Curiosity Mars Rover Spins Its Wheels [720p]

The wheels that will touch down on Mars in 2012 are several rotations closer to spinning on the rocky trails of Mars.

This video clip shows engineers in the JPL clean room where the rover is being assembled as they put all six wheels into motion for the first time.

Engineers raised the rover just as a car mechanic would hoist a car to check the wheels, and started the "engine" to get the wheels rotating. The wheel mobility system has 10 motors in all-four for steering the rover and six for driving. During this test, all 10 motors ran in every direction. Each wheel spun forward and backwards.

Next up for Curiosity is a series of "tune-ups" to prep the rover for driving.

credit: JPL/NASA

[kostman]

good luck finding information we will never hear about but have to pay for

[imegatrone]

I Really Like The Video he wheels that will touch down on Mars in 2012 are several rotations closer to spinning on the rocky trails of Mars From Your

[VaporheadATC]

Actually, it's mainly because the faster it goes, the more power it draws from it's power supply.

[HwarangXia]

wow I always (for some reason) thought these rovers were smaller. There freaking huge..the crane for this one used for decent must be the size of a truck lol.

[abdwyer]

In the case of Curiosity, it's powered by radioactive generator (with plutonium). I'd say the slowness is all down to the other reason you give, which is the 10 minute delay in commands. Cautious driving is well advised at that point!

[dinmagic]

I just hope this amazing machine makes it safety to Mars. It would be a HUGE disappointment if it crashes on it's surface or gets lost in space.

[mavallarino]

Question: why are the wheels round? Isn't it better to make them Reuleaux-shaped?

[jabbalito]

Let me guess. This popped up in your recommended?

[gavincurtis]

Godspeed to you Curiosity rover! May you land safely in a good Martian neighborhood. Otherwise you'll be up on blocks having such expensive bling rims like that.

[Masterfighterx]

But why that slow? Also what about the robot that got stuck some years ago?

[abdwyer]

By the way, in the neighborhood of 10 minutes but always changing as the distance between Mars and Earth is changing.

[globaleye]

If these are the intended wheels for the landing it seems to me that perhaps they could use more flutes say of a couple of inches, to get a good grip on the dry friable sand. They already have Spirit stuck permanantly in a sand drift on Mars - certainly do not want a repeat performance do we ?

[AlexCheng]

and also because they have opted for high torque instead of high speed.

[johndoe]

@dtripakis They're working in a clean room environment - no dust or contaminants. Well, extremely little.

[paulovictortorres]

I think mars should start to think in Limited Speed plaques on Mars!!
=D

[EnergyReturnWheel]

@sudoLinux666 We had wrongly assumed that rover would have solar assist to increase the 12.4 mile two yr. travel goal. ERW highly curved composite bow flexing hoop, Kevlar spans "bow strings" attaching directly to motors would provide "tunable", more mass impact protection on landing. Additional wt. of solar pannels would be allowed because of the "sprung from the top" of hoop "deweighting effect". With so much at stake here a little reengineering could go a "long way", pun intended. DELAY!

[readou]

Plus, high speeds require energy that could otherwise be used on something more useful.

[uudo]

The reason for all of this caution is to make sure we don't take any lifeforms (bacteria, fungi, etc) to Mars and therefore ruin experiments and results for finding life on Mars. Also you don't want any particles floating around while the rover is in transit in 0-G.

[clliban]

Hey NASA! why don't you use friction-welding for the chassie? :P It's stronger and you dont add any material...

[PurpleLbel]

this rover is huge and what up with the speed? can we a least put some pony power if horse power is too much .. i love all this stuff is really cool and educational but speed is what makes all the differences in almost everything . keep up the good work ..