Wheels on Mars

Do you hate it when your car wheels hit a bumpy patch? That’s nothing compared to what driving on Mars does to your tyres!

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California was recently sent a set of wheels like the ones currently on the Mars Curiosity Rover for study. Scientists are trying to understand just how the wheels are bearing up to damage and how their performance is likely to be affected.

This scientific study was initiated by the Mars Science Laboratory Program (MSL) to understand why the pace of holes appearing in Curiosity’s aluminum wheels increased suddenly last year. The main culprit could be the terrain it was going over that was covered with sharp rocks.

Since 2014 the wheel damage has been brought under control by planning the route taken by the rover better. The science experiments being conducted on the wheels in JPL are hoping to understand how the damage occurs. The researchers will then develop means to reduce the pace of damage.

If they are able to anticipate the level of damage to the wheels, they will also be able to foretell just how the performance of Curiosity will be affected on Mars. This is one scientific study whose results will be applicable right away in the field.